Page 13 of Back In the Shadows

His attention darted to the dark corner behind me, where two more spiders skittered closer to my cage.

“You’ll be my friend?” His voice trembled with fear and desperation, tears glistening in his eyes.

My insides twisted in disgust at the thought of befriending him, but I had no choice if I wanted to survive.

“Of course,” I replied, trying to ignore the spiders inching closer. “I bet we have a lot in common. And you’ll definitely need me on your side when my husband finds me.”

He nodded, his attention flickering back to the spiders. “I … I would like someone to eat dinner with.” The misery and loneliness in his voice were palpable.

My stomach churned at the thought, but I forced a smile, unable to meet his stare or bear looking at the grotesque creatures any longer. “Then keep me safe, and I’ll have dinner with you.”

He nodded eagerly, his eyes wild with excitement. “I’ll take care of you. Be right back.” With that, he scurried away, leaving me alone with the unsettling presence of the little monsters and an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Anxiety speared me, and I searched the floor and cage, but I didn’t see the poisonous beasts inside again.

Xavier’s return was announced by the clanging of metal. My heart pounded in my ears as he approached, holding several large plugs to seal the holes in the glass prison. Panic set in as I noticed them at the top, my only source of oxygen. With each plug that was secured, my breathing became shallower and more frantic. Finally, Xavier produced a key from his pocket and slid it into the lock on the structure. He unlocked the front panel, and hope surged through me. Was he going to let me out?

He reached in and held a palm out to me. “You’ve been sitting for hours, and your legs might be asleep.”

How was this man vicious one minute and kind the next? I took his hand and allowed him to assist me out of my confined quarters. Slowly, I stood and stretched, my body rebelling with the sudden movements with a sharp spasm in my back and asearing cramp in my calf. But it was nothing compared to the slimy and chilling feeling that consumed my insides at his touch.

“Thank you. It feels nice to stand.” If I broke through his distorted reality, maybe he would help me escape, but it would take a while to earn his trust.

“Not for long.” His cackle filled the room, and I cringed. “Let’s get ready for dinner.” Xavier grabbed my biceps and pulled me along after him.

For being so skinny, he had a surprisingly firm grip, and I suspected he was much stronger than he appeared. I had to be careful and choose my time to run carefully, or I would only manage to piss him off.

“Do you cook?” I didn’t give a fuck what he did, but I needed conversation.

“I’m an excellent cook.” He nodded, excitedly.

I scanned the little room and searched for a door of any kind, but I didn’t see any yet. Three dirty windows lined one of the walls, but they were too small for me to crawl through. As night fell, the basement grew even darker. I had lost track of time since my watch was taken, but I estimated that hours had passed, judging by the sound of crickets beginning to chirp in the distance.

Nestled in the shadows lurked a kitchen table, its surface stained with dried blood. As Xavier flicked on another light, a swarm of spiders scattered, revealing the true horror of the room. My pulse pounded wildly against my neck as I realized the gravity of the situation.

Panic surged through me as my desperate gaze darted around the tiny space, searching for any glimmer of hope. Suddenly, my attention locked onto the family seated at the table. Their once living bodies now preserved and posed like grotesque dolls, their faces frozen in eerie, twisted grins. A surge of revulsion ripped through me as I came to a horrifyingrealization—at one time these were real people. Had he slaughtered them like animals and saved them as trophies?

“Meet my mother, father, and little sister.” His voice held a sickening pride as he gestured towards each figure.

My stomach churned as Xavier proudly introduced each member of his “perfect” family with a nonchalant wave in their direction. Bile burned up my throat. I turned my head and puked all over the floor. A string of saliva clung to the corner of my mouth, and I wiped it off with the back of my hand, scared shitless to look at him. He was much more deranged than I’d initially realized.

“You don’t like my work? It took me a very long time to preserve them.” His tone was laced with disappointment. “I’ve practiced on animals all my life, so humans were a challenge, but one I loved.”

What the fuck! He’d done all of this, no one else had helped him?

I’d better talk fast. “I’m so sorry. No, your work is amazing. It’s just that whatever drug they gave me is making me nauseous.”

He blinked several times, and I suspected he was trying to figure out if I was giving him a line of shit or not.

“I suppose that would upset your stomach.” He pulled out an empty chair at the table. “Sit. Let me get you some soup to eat. It will help.”

Horrified at the thought, my legs trembled. I sank into the seat, then realized I needed to make sure no creepy crawlies were blending into the color of the wood. I jumped up and looked around the chair, table, and floor. Maybe our activity had scared the disgusting bastards off, and they would leave me alone for now.

Xavier sang as he opened a small, dirty, and scuffed white refrigerator and then removed a large bowl.

Tick tock, little gears spinning round. Each perfect piece makes such a lovely sound. I craft my machines with meticulous care. While your city sleeps, unaware, unaware.

Oh, how they dance to my mechanical song. Never suspecting anything’s wrong. My clockwork children will rise with the dawn by then it will be far too late, far too gone.

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