Room

A Story by Loki's Thrall

Being locked in a room ever since she could remember.

My room is painted black. There are no windows in my room, there is only a door. The only way to enter and exit. The room is bare. There is no bed, just a mattress and a pillow. In the middle of one of the walls are chains that have been screwed into it. I have no light.

It seems that I have been in my room for ages. There is no clock. No calendar. Nothing that could help me tell the time. I am curled up in the corner of two walls, shivering. I don't know how I got here but it feels so familiar. So warm and comforting.

I rock back and forth. Back and forth. A mix of fear and elation. What's happening?

More time passes. A deep rumble from far away. I feel sluggish in the pitch darkness of my room. I feel around the floor until I find the pillow. I wonder if this is how blind people feel. Helpless. Not being able to see what they are doing.

I can't tell how much time has passed. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know is a bright light blinding me. A figure standing in the door way. She coos at me like a baby. I scramble up from where I was curled on the floor. I try to make myself smaller to fit into the closest corner. Her voice is soft and gentle. Like honey.

I don't understand what she is trying to say. She leaves the door open just a crack. The smallest amount of light is peeking through. My eyes stinging are starting to adjust to the sudden wash of brightness. I can see that I'm covered in my own filth.

She walks closer to me. I begin to rock back and forth again. A small chuckle. Tender hands. A blind fold. Holding an arm she pulls me up. Leading me like a horse, I try to walk but my legs won't hold me up.

Out of no where freezing cold water. I'm so cold. I feel my veins restricting the blood flow from the cold. The blind fold is still on. I hear something. I feel the fabric of my nightgown shred. Harsh scrubbing. More water. Burning in pain because it's so cold.

Then another sensation. Wet, goopy, cold on the top of my head. I try not to start rocking back and forth. More cooing and comforting. Like a mother with a new born baby. She's washing my hair. Pulling my hair and scrubbing my scalp with her fingernails. More cold water. It burns painfully. Something soft and warm wrapping around me. I stand there.

Another nightgown.

Finally she takes the blind fold off. My eyes sting again with the brightness of light. I squint and see her. Like an angel. She holds me close and whispers sweet nothings that I cannot understand. Her lips touch my forehead before the blind fold is put back on.

I'm led back my room. Back into the cold, dark, dank spot. She takes the blind fold off and looks at me, the door still open.

"Your room." She says in the language I can understand.

The door closes again. My eyes still flashing with the last glimpse of light.

I feel my way back into my corner and rock back and forth.

"I am home." I whisper.