Chapter 12:

The stranger came back with the box. The tool box.

"To my knowing, you've been feeling really lonely down here haven't you? Sitting in a basement all by your lonesome. So I want to fix that problem…"

"What!"

"I thought from your point of view that it would be a problem…"

"I don't want anything from you!" she yelled.

"So you would rather be alone down here?"

Jill was silent.

He had begun his game.

"I don't want to know how you're…going to fix it." Jill eyed the box.

"Easy, my dear. With this box… I have the perfect tool in here to end your loneliness…"

He was about to open it.

Jill's eyes flashed to the pliers not too far from him.

"No! Don't…!"

Jill shook with fear, but was glad he didn't open the box. Jill got up from the bed and ran stood in the corner of her cage. Too easily, she slipped out of the cage. Not knowing what else to do, Jill sprinted towards the stairs and the door. It was the fear that was driving her crazy. She banged on the door, kicking it, slamming her hands on the doorknob and banging her head on the thing. After all those horror movies she'd seen, like SAW or something, it scared the shit out of her.

She couldn't take this! She was not going to be tortured with those pliers!

"Pleeeeease! Somebody! Open the fucking door! Ugh… Please! Please! Let me go. L-Let me go…! " she screamed her head off.

She banged her fists on the door.

There was a possibility that Jill could injure herself by her abrupt madness. She yanked on the doorknob. But nothing worked. Nothing.

"O-Oh. O-Oh god! Let me goooo!" she screamed.

Jill slipped down to the floor, sobbing. Through her mind, she about her life. All her life, fate has been walking her towards the stranger all her life. Ever since the day she's bee born. Everywhere she walked or ran, it lead her to this. It lead her to her death even. Ever since she was in 1st grade all the way though high school, she's been doomed to be in that cage.

Her chest hurt with sharp hiccups that came from her sobs. She was so close to freedom, but she didn't have a key to go through a 1 inch wooden door. A key was all that took. There was no way that she could pick the lock and there was no way…that she was ever going to escape this hell. So she laid there, on the stairs, spirit broken. Two strong arms put themselves behind her back and under her legs.

Jill cried and cried and cried. Lifting her head, her temple rested on the chest of the stranger. Jill was carried down the stairs, past the curtain that swept softly across her face, and not back to her cage…but to the ground. Softly being placed on the ground, she huffed and huffed.

"No…don't…" she whispered.

"Quiet…" he commanded softly.

"Please…stop…" she sobbed.

The stranger looked down on her, almost leaning over her. Thinking he was about to kiss her again. Her breathing became shaky and she bit her lip. Was he going to pull up his mask and kiss her? The stranger's mask was very unnerving. But Jill still looked back at him. His voice changed again. It was always his voice that moved her. He's talented with his voice, either it's a super power or a gift from god, but it always left Jill quizzical.

"I know what you thought. When I said you are lonely, I did not mean for me to keep you company…"

Jill wiped her eyes. The stranger leaned forward.

"But I'm disappointed you did not want me to stay here with you…" he seethed," For that I must do this…"

He sat up on his knees in a swift motion and hit his fist against her thigh. Punching her hard! There was a small sound of a fist hitting against bone.

Jill screamed, twisted, turned over and held her leg up, sticking her knee in the air. But lucky for her, that's all he gave her. One punch, but it rendered her frightened and crying again.

"That was for your own good… I'm in a good mood today so that's why I didn't hit your left cheek."

"…Go away…"

"What? All I want is to keep you company…"

"…Go away…"

"All I want is to give you a gift… think of it as a 'thank you' from that kiss."

The stranger kneeled and got up, getting the tool box from her cage. Jill's thigh ached, but she wriggled around and laid on her side. The stranger got the pliers and he came back with both, kneeling down right beside her. He set down the box. With the pliers, he opened the box.

Reaching both hands in, the stranger took out a large bowl with a small handkerchief inside. Next he pulled out a long wire with it's end wrapped around a little nail on it. It was barbed wire, so that put some steam off. Then from the box he pulled out a small cat, a kitten rather.

"You may not love me as so much as to enjoy my company. But I hope this'll do…"

It was brown and black, with a black spot over it's right eye. It looked only a few weeks old. Jill was left…astonished!

"I have wire, but soon I will get string to wrap around it's neck…For now, use the wire to limit its playtime."

Jill felt the small thing crawl up against her stomach, feeling her little claws, and she looked down affectionately at it. The stranger got up, took back his tray and started towards the door. He stopped at the frame of the door, looked back at her.

"You may not be affectionate now towards your owner now. But maybe this animal will teach you…"

The stranger was gone after that. Jill couldn't process through her mind of what just happened. The kitten was adorable, and it would perfectly prove to be a delightful companion. And she was out of her cage. But soon she would have a purple and blue bruise that would resemble a rose on her thigh.