Chapter 11:

It seemed to be morning by now.

Jill woke up, stretching out her legs, feeling good. She stretched and stretched and yawned. She looked at the window and she saw the rays of the sun. Morning had come, but it was early in the morning. The blanket had done her good as she felt warm and cozy. Jill brushed back her hair, and the soup had done wonders! She felt fantastic. The stranger was nowhere near her, so that put an ease at her mind.

For the next few minutes, Jill wandered around her cage, trying to brush her hair with her finger nails. She could only go so long without a shower, but there was one thing in the room that would help her. That egg-shaped shower that stood not far from her, and how she longed to turn on the water and wash up.

But that bothered her not.

Jill wanted her body to cool down, still, so she took off her shirt and turned it inside-out. She did the same to her pajama bottoms. That was all she could do for herself for now. Nothing more than that. The feeling of being dirty left, and she felt good about herself again. What she wondered now was what the stranger was going to do this morning. Would he go out and do business of his own? Suddenly she heard a loud creaking upon the dark rotting floorboards.

Speak of the devil.

Jill pounced on her bed, wrapping the blanket around her. Then the routine of haunted noise began again. The door opening atop the stairs, the thumping of footsteps on the stairwell, the heavy brush of the curtain, and there he stood. Jill shuddered. It was no broken record.

He stood there with a piece of bread on a plate, some clothes, and a pair of pliers in one hand.

Like a scared kitten, she lowered her head and curled up.

"Good morning."

He set down the bread. It looked stiff and old. The hell morning breakfast was this? There was a plastic fork, spoon, and a knife on a napkin next to the plate. Adding that to mock her.

"This is your breakfast…"

He kept the clothes and pliers out of sight from her. His voice had changed again.

"Sleep well did you?"

There was a gleam in his eye.

"Fuck you."

Jill regretted saying that, because he stopped stiff, and stared daggers at her. This wasn't a way to start out a morning. Tilting his head to his shoulder, the stranger had a thought in his mind that would scare her to death.

"Hmm…"

He shifted and came up and sat on her bed, sitting closer to her, making her more uncomfortable. Jill wondered what kind of conversation he would start this time. The stranger leaned his body up, chest and shoulders, almost like a predator puffing up his chest to make a dominant stand.

Mission accomplished. He spread the clothes he had, and it was her clothes. Her jeans, a shirt, bra, and panties. Then he set out the pliers he had. Food, clothes, and tools? The stranger put out everything for her to see.

Giving her an open preview of what he might or might not do.

Or what he could do.

"Where did you get those?" Jill asked. Referring to the clothes.

He looked at her, tilting his head playfully.

"Common sense, little girl. Your drawer in your room."

Jill gasped. Her mind raced through what he just said, and she connected the dots in her mind. The stranger had that look on his face that knew she had figured it all out. He looked satisfied and wicked.

"Where's my parents?"

"Oh, yes, a lovely couple. I know those kinds. Those people who live in a nice suburban home, a safe place to raise their children, has a big yard in the front and back," the stranger changed his voice again to a more lower register but loud enough for her to listen to his conversation," Maybe a faithful dog or cat named Lucky, cuddling up to a warm fireplace. I know those kind. The kinds where they take their only beloved child to Colorado for vacation. Go to a faraway forest cabin, somewhere quite beautiful. Go to a lake and share love and joy."

His voice was the scariest thing Jill had ever heard. He spoke his sentences slowly and low, going along the line of killer and charmer. This predator had been stalking her ever since day one.

"How long?"

The stranger looked at her."Since not long.""Why?""That's not part of the game, is it?"

The stranger stopped talking and passed her the plate. She slowly took it, smelled it, and began to nibble. It was worse than hard candy, as Jill had to pull and tear at the thing. Not even the knife or fork could help."I could give you more…" he whispered.

His voice changed again. Jill looked at him. Would it be the same thing as soup, or something more? Would it be eggs and bacon? Orange juice? Hot pancakes with butter on top? Jill suppressed a stomach growl."But you'll have to ask nicely…"

The stranger got up, walking to the other side of her bed. Jill scooted away, but still gave no response.

Important meal of the day or not, Jill would refuse either way. She didn't want to shame herself again.

"Do you want more?"

Jill shook her head, refusing his offer and refusing to even look at him. But the stranger was persistent and persuading. With more patience, he just sat there, still waiting for an answer. The stranger came to her bed, pulled back what sheets he could, placed both hands on the edges of her bed, caging her in his arms and leaned in. She turned her head away, as he nuzzled her ear.

"What? There's not much I ask for, but all for a kiss. Not a peck, not anything more but what you gave me yesterday. You wanted something, I needed something, and in the end, you got what you want and so did I. But…that was at your own risk. Can't you hear me? It was all you…" he whispered softly.

"Go away…" Jill whispered, lower than a whisper.

With all the will power she had, Jill could not help but whimper. He manipulated her all over again. Tears threatening to fall, and she gave him a look of disgust and hatred. She looked away, with curled toes and fingers.

"You little pest. You won me over," he teased, sliding his hand over her cheek," Wait here."

With a new generosity, he went out of her cage and back upstairs. There was a new shine it seemed. Jill wondered what just happened. But there was one thing that the stranger missed.

Her cage door was wide open.

Finally!

With a quick jolt, Jill ran out of her cage. With a sunshine of relief in her chest, she was finally out of her cage. That's all she needed. Jill knew very well that's all she could do for herself, because there was no other way out when she was out of the cage. It's what she really craved in all actuality, just to be out of her cage.

Taking a quick look at that shower, she walked over, and turned it on. She splashed cold water at her face. The water seeped through her short greasy hair, leaving her hair fresh and cold. There was no need to wring out her hair, since there was barely any of it left anyway.

"No hot water?"

Jill jumped to see the stranger standing with a loose stance. How long had he been standing there? There was definitely a chance that he was fantasizing her naked, washing her self with the soap buds everywhere.

Jill looked at his arms, as he was holding a small box. The small box was made of cardboard, and from the look of his body language, it looked pretty heavy. Jill just knew it had something to do with the pliers he introduced earlier. Jill just knew that it was a tool box filled with nails and hammers.

What other torture would he insinuate this time?

But on top of the box, there sat a small plate covered with aluminum foil with a amber colored liquid in a cup sitting on the side. Poison?

Jill turned off the water and looked both angry and embarrassed. She stepped away from the shower, but didn't go anywhere near her cage. Jill wished that the cage would disappear forever. But her attention was mainly on the small box he held on his waist.

He saw what she was looking at.

"You want to know what's in the box?"

Jill did not nod or show any response, as she did not want anything to do with him.

From that alone, the stranger was already easily amused.

"We'll get back to that later…" he set down the box on the ground, and took the tray to her cage.

But…he walked back into her cage, setting down the tray. He pulled a chair forward, leaned back, crossing his legs and waited for her. Getting comfortable.

Jill leaned forward, almost standing on her toes just to see what he was doing. With a smooth motion the stranger lifted off the aluminum and on the plate sat…pancakes. So that's what she was smelling! Jill realized the amber liquid was syrup in the cup. What a specialty this was!

But she saw his trap. He wanted her to go back in the cage, without considering the thought that he was going to manipulate her into of his sick games again.

"Come over and eat…"

"I'd rather not…" she spat.

"You sure?"

He took a small piece of a pancake, dipped it in hot syrup, then let melt in his mouth almost instantly. His jaw chewed it slowly, taking his time before he swallowed. The stranger took a rather small piece, but it made Jill's stomach growl. The pancakes looked fluffy, it was a perfect golden brown. Cooked fresh.

She felt hot with embarrassment, but she was hungry. She hadn't eaten for awhile. And pancakes were her favorite meal.

"Come over and eat…"

He persuaded greatly.

With great hesitation, Jill got up. She slowly, one by one, moved her feet back to her wretched cage. Inch by inch, she moved. Then she took smaller steps. Paused, thought about what she was doing, and kept inching forward. The stranger waited, feeling amused and victorious. Jill moved quickly and sat on her bed.

"Eat. But take your time. This won't be your only meal for the day. Unless…" he trailed off.

She looked up at him.

"You…ever…mouth off at me like that again…" he seethed.

Jill nodded her head.

"You must never speak to me like that. Ever…"

Jill nodded, remembering her mistake and putting caution in her future. But to her dismay, the stranger was still blowing off steam.

"Language. Language. One more time and you lose a tongue…"

Jill shuddered to the thought. Never in Jill's life did she think that she was receive a threat like that.

If he could take her hair away from her, then there would be no problem taking her tongue out.

He shoved the plate in her arms, turned and went out of her cage, giving her a cold shoulder with a foul intention. He obviously remembered what she said this morning. With both hands, Jill ate her pancakes quietly, getting syrup on her fingers. Jill didn't see this as an act of kindness from the stranger, she saw this as some sort of plan to get her to do something.

After awhile she finished her pancakes, without the thought of thanking him. She knew that this was a bribe for sex or something. What was he going to ask for this time? What deal of the devil would he make this time?

The stranger came back with the box.