It seemed as though Olivia had been in the trunk for days. Her breathing had slowed due to the lack of oxygen and the cold. She shivered every few minutes, her clothes not as warm as she needed. She was thirsty, hungry and most of all afraid. She didn't know how long it had been but when she finally awoke she was not in the trunk any longer.
She sat up, the bandana gone, but the tape even more secured. She looked around, realizing she was in a closet of some type. It was full of clothes draped by hangers, all women's clothes. She leaned back into one, to get warm, still shivering. She felt something slimy fall across her bare shoulder, she let out a gasp to see blood stained on her tan skin.
As she tried to crawl away from the clothes best she could she heard whimpers. She perked her head up, almost like what an animal would do, and listened for the sounds. The whimpers became louder as footsteps creaked across what sounded like a wooden floor.
Olivia yelled out, "what's going on! Who's out there!"
"Olivia!" a voice called back before a loud slap was heard. Olivia closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that when she'd re-open them this would all be a dream. Something in her head. But it wasn't.
Slowly the door of the closet opened, Olivia slid back, but not too far for fear of the blood coats. He stood in the door way once more, dressed in more comfortable clothes and with his plaid sleeves rolled up around his biceps. He smiled warmly at Olivia, she spit at his shoes. The smile quickly went away and he pulled her from the closet by her hair. He threw her down on the floor, hitting her head against the wood roughly.
"A guy tries to be nice," he walked away shaking his head. After he had gone, Elliot's kids ran over to her. She sat up quickly as they unwrapped her arms and ankles. She hugged them all at the same time, so glad to see they were alright.
"You guys have to get out of here, you have to," Olivia looked into each of their eyes deeply.
"How?" Maureen asked.
"I've got a few idea's… why don't you all stay by the fire, it's too cold to be away from it," Olivia suggested, while holding Maureen back. Kathleen helped the twins over to the fire and they sat closely like before.
"How deep are we in?" Maureen asked.
"I don't want to scare you, but you have to know that this guy is not afraid to do anything. He's very tricky and very destructive. If you try to escape you have to succeed, if you don't… well, that's not an option."
"What are your ideas?" Maureen asked, looking around to make sure the man wasn't around.
"I can… um… I can get the keys to his car… after I do so, you need to get out of here as soon as you can. I'll let you know, but don't tell the twins…Let Kathleen know that she will be responsible for Lizzie, and you for Dickie… I'll tell you when, and when I do you drive as far from here as you can… you get out of here quickly… and send help when you're safe- only when your safe," Olivia grabbed on to Maureen's shoulders for emphasis. Maureen nodded, then unexpectedly wrapped her arms around Olivia tightly, "Dad will find us before you have to do anything you don't want to." Olivia held back just as tight.
Elliot had crossed her mind more then many times already. She needed his support, she needed him to be at her side. She held on to Maureen desperately now, hoping that she could get his kids to him safely. She knew what this man could do to Elliot's kids, she knew and was terrified.
SssSssSssSssSssSssSssSss
Two weeks had now passed in the small cabin. The man had continued to feed and provide water for the kids. He kept them well nourished and Olivia was thankful for that. He let her see the kids at night, making sure they were alright.
But, she hadn't been getting well treatment like the kids. He kept her locked in his room, forced to sleep beside him, although he never touched her. He barely kept her fed, never letting her go outside, while he took the kids out to fish in the creek. She had tried many times to escape, but even when she was able to break from the room she knew she couldn't leave the kids with him by themselves. She was trapped whether he tied her down or not.
She knew what he was doing. She understood his plan, after the long days and nights by herself it had become apparent. He was manipulating the kids. He slowly but surely was taking over their minds. Letting them play all day, letting Maureen cook and clean for him but always repaying her with flowers and sweet words. He took Dickie out to hunt, and even played with dolls for Lizzie. He loved the kids, he hugged them and promised them peace from the outside world.
Slowly the days, weeks, months and eventually a year went by. Everything had changed. He didn't let her see the kids anymore, she could remember them but couldn't imagine how they changed. She had been locked in one room for a year, her mind was startling to slip, her world fallen apart. She thought of how she got herself into the situation, how she incriminated him when he wasn't at fault. Then how he lashed out at her, hitting her over and over again. That wasn't like him, she remembered, he was always subtle in his destruction. He knew how to manipulate her, and everyone, he knew how to get his way with ease.
She only sat on the floor now, not able to stand or even crawl. She had lost all hope in living, lost all hope in ever returning. She lost Elliot, the kids, her career, her home, her possessions, everything. She had always promised herself not to lose hope, but through the time it was inevitable, she wasn't immortal.
It was one of her last days living when something happened. Something she had tried to prevent for so long.
Her head had fallen against her chest, her eyes no longer open, her hands clammy and sweaty. But immediately as she heard the gunshots she rolled her head up against the wall and opened her eyes slightly. The door opened. It hadn't opened in months, he hadn't slept in his room for months, which frightened her altogether.
He stood in the doorway, as healthy and charming as he was the first time she had met him. The first day they shared their first night and their first dinner, in that order. She couldn't say a thing although she wanted to know what happened. He came into the room with his hands behind his back. He walked to the corner that she resided in, and smiled.
"It's been awhile… you don't look so good." Olivia wanted to frown but just couldn't move. He took in a deep breath then held out one of his hands with a flower in it.
"A red rose for Dickie, the smart athletic fun kid he was," He dropped it on her lap. She watched it fall then looked up to see another flower in his hand.
"A daisy for Lizzie, as beautiful spunky loveable and great as she was," he again dropped the flower in her lap.
Even though she hadn't been able to move tears started to form in her eyes, he continued.
"A violet pansy, for Kathleen was the smart intelligent most down to earth person I knew," he dropped it, "and my favorite, a Marigold. For Maureen was the most beautiful wonderful darling woman I'd ever met. She agreed to be my wife, making what I did just as hard, I'll miss her most," he dropped it in her lap. Olivia looked down at the four flowers that rested in her lap. She held them together in a bundle, her tears dropping on each of them.
She was surprised to look up and see another flower in his hand, "and this flower is for you. It's a Charisma Amaryllis, one of Dutch's most wondrous flowers. It shows caring, devotion, love, magic…" he smiled as he dropped it in her lap. She gathered 'her flower' to the bunch with the kid's as he pulled his gun out with his other hand.
He pointed it at her, only eight inches away from her forehead. She closed her eyes, holding on tightly to the flowers, almost glad she'd be joining them. There was a loud bang. Then, blackness.
TBC