Locked in Silence

The sound of scurrying came from the dark corner of the basement—probably a rat.

I shifted to the opposite side, fumbling around until I found the food container.

Slowly, I chewed the cold, unappetizing meal in the pitch-black room. Unable to see my food, I inevitably made a mess.

Pain gnawed at my stomach—a combination of irregular meals and overwhelming fear.

It didn't matter anymore. So many things had already faded from my memory. These agonies, too, would eventually be forgotten.

Half-conscious, my mind drifted to a bright, sunny smile.

I clutched a scrap of paper tightly.

A name was written on it: Harvey Joslin.

"Wait for him. He'll come to save you," I told myself.

I clung to that glimmer of hope for what felt like forever, though I wasn't even sure I had the strength to keep waiting.

It was just that every time I looked at that name, a warmth welled up in my heart.

On that scrap of paper were the memories of how we met—the image of Harvey's warm and confident presence, etched into my mind.

Maybe he really was someone important to me. Why else would I think of him so often?

Lost in thought, I suddenly heard a voice—or was it just my imagination?

This time, there was a cacophony of crashes and shouting.

"Stephen, you bastard! What did you do to Raelynn?!"

The door to the basement creaked open, and light spilled into the darkness.

A tall figure dashed toward me—it was him. The person who had been my light in the shadows: Harvey.

None of it mattered now. My strength was gone, and my eyes fluttered shut.

Before everything went dark, I heard Harvey's voice one last time. "Raelynn, I'm so sorry..."

I thought he was being silly. There was nothing for him to apologize for. He hadn't done anything wrong.