"Come on, get up. Time to get up." Said the voice that was the only one I had heard for the past two and a half months. "Come on, wake up. You're moving rooms today."

At this I sat up, "What? What do you mean?"

He chuckled, "Like I said, you're moving, into a cozier room. You'll have nicer clothes, I have brought some especially for you."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Wait, he brought you clothes, and moved you to a different room?"

"Not just any room, his room. It was the master bedroom. I had my own closet, and practically a bathroom all to myself. I was allowed to listen to music, CD's only. And basically I was allowed more freedoms."

"Do you know what brought along all these changes?"

"They had stopped the search, so I guess he thought it was safe to bring me out more in the open."

"I understand. Please continue…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Boredom. Boredom. Boredom.

"Raven! Would you please come down here for lunch." Mr. Riley, who I had the utmost pleasure of sharing my life with for the past five months, said

"I'm coming." I yelled back. And I hurried down the stairs.

"Well don't you just look pretty." I flushed, no matter how many times he complimented me, my blush would always appear.

"What is for lunch today?"

"I'm having some friends over, so it's salmon on rice pilaf."

"Friends?" This got my blood pumping. Freedom?

A short time later, the door bell rang.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Chris Taylor and Hazel Stephanie? They were friends of Mr. Riley."

"Yes, this was my first encounter with them."

"I see."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hey Chris, Hazel, great to see you again. I want you to meet Raven. Raven, these are my good friends Chris Taylor and Hazel Stephanie."

"Hello." Chris said in his gruff of a voice.

"Oh, Raven! It's such a pleasure to finally meet you. Oh, I've heard so much about you. I was telling Chris how I just couldn't wait until I had met this mysterious girl." Her country accent was distinct. I looked at her with a crazy look on my face thinking about just how crazy she really seemed to be.

"Hi. It's a pleasure to meet you." I smiled like an obedient girl, for I felt Riley stiffen at Hazel's speech.

"Why don't you guys come on in, lunch is ready." Riley said.

After lunch, I took the dirty dishes and went to the kitchen to start cleaning up.

"Hey, do you need any help?" Hazel asked, I guess, trying to make conversation.

"Uh sure. If you could just start drying the dishes for me that would be great." So that's how we spent the first fifteen minutes.

"So how are you liking it here?" I looked up at her.

"I was kidnapped, taken from everything I've known, and kept in a small room for most of the day for two months straight. I'd like to go home."

"But it's not like that now right? I mean, you don't seem like you're being held in a small room."

"No, not now. But I'm still not allowed out of his sight. I just want to go home."

"Well, I don't think that is going to happen, sorry. Look I've known Garrison for a long time, and I can see that he is truly happy. You make him happy darling. And I'm pretty sure he is not going to let you go anytime soon."

"I just shouldn't be here."

"Do you want my advice?"

"About what?"

"On how to make your situation better. Look you take my advice and use it however you want. With a man like Garrison, you're going to have to "offer" yourself to him…"

"I what?!?"

"Look honey, I'm not talking about full on sex. I'm saying, you're going to have to open up to him so that he'll think of you as a person. He's the kind of guy that you can wrap around your little finger and he'll do anything for you to be happy."

"And you know this for a fact?"

"Yeah sugar, like I said I've known him for a very long time. Since before he was in the military."

"Military??"

"Why do you think he's so big. It's not from sitting on the couch, that's for sure."

"Hazel! Hey sweetheart, are you ready to go?" We heard Chris call from the living room.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

"Thanks Hazel, I guess." I said sheepishly.

"No problem. I'll try to stop by as much as possible to help you out. Just think about it."

"O.K."

After they left, I walked into the living room and sat down. I had a lot to think about after my conversation with Hazel.