Page 9 of Prelude to Madness

It was deafening.

I needed to get away, and I struggled against the restraints holding me in place.

“Angel, angel.” Who the fuck was angel? I was princess, or was I Eric?

Who was I? What was I doing here?

“Help me!” I screamed as my eyes flew open, staring ahead, seeing no one.

Seeing nothing but the bars of my cage.

“Princess. I don’t know what you were dreaming about, but you were making a right fucking noise.”

My captor stood next to me.

“I was with you,” I said. “In your bed.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ve been here all night. After His Highness had finished, I brought you back here, and you’ve been sleeping ever since.”

There was something in his words, something I didn’t believe.

“I brought you some food. You should eat, princess.” He slid a plate of food and a bottle of water through the gap in the cage, then stepped out of reach.

I was ravenous and shovelled it into my mouth, my shackles rattling with every movement.

“Slow down, angel. You’ll choke.”

I stopped eating. He’d called me that last night. I was sure of it.

“You’re lying.” I continued to eat. Who knew when I’d next get another meal?

“Now, why would I do that? Eat your food. His Highness wants you tonight.” With that, he turned and walked to the next cage.

As he bent down, a rose peeked out from the bottom of his shirt, and I knew then I hadn’t been dreaming, that last night had happened.

I slid the shackles up my arms to view the skin beneath them. Fresh marks circled my wrists, marks that only handcuffs could make.

I glanced over at my captor. He watched me with interest.

“Eat up, princess. You’ll need your strength later.” He walked away, whistling, and not for the first time, I wished I were home.

Dex

“You should go home and rest, Dex. You’ve been here almost non-stop for the past three weeks.”

“How can I? What if he wakes up and I’m not here?”

My mother had wrapped her arms around me from behind, and she kissed the top of my head. I leant into her embrace. She’d been my rock these past few weeks and although she’d not always seen eye to eye with Rick, she’d accepted him, warts and all.

“It’s been three weeks now. The doctors said…”

“I don’t care what the doctors said.”

I fucking knew what the doctors said. They had no idea why he wouldn’t wake up. That it was just a matter of time. I fucking knew that, but I wasn’t giving up hope. He had to come back to me. He just had to.

He’d been out in the car on his way back from some gig a friend of his had been playing at. I was supposed to go with him, but work had called, and I’d gone in at the last minute.

If only I’d said no and gone with him. If only I’d been driving instead of him. If only I’d seen the signs. If only…if only.

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