A Story About a Captured Woman

Like a helpless animal, she whimpered, pulling at the heavy shackles in a hopeless attempt to relieve the aching pain on her ankle. The heat was unbearable. The baggy shirt that drowned her skinny frame was drenched in sweat. On the wall opposite her was a collage of photos of her walking to college, out with friends, close up photos of her watching television and in the centre a photo taken by her bedside of her sleeping. The first few times of seeing the centre photo would leave her feeling physically sick. Even a glance would make her heave. The thought of her sound asleep while a man in touching distance is peering over her taking photos of her sent a shiver down her spine. He was clearly tracking her for months. The wall behind her to begin with was empty, but she began to take a tally. Over 7,000 lines made from a chalk-like stone filled the wall with very little space in touching distance left. Her bed consisted of a pillow and blanket, however the pillow was always damp from the flood of tears and the blanket left a stomach churning smell of urine from when she did not have the energy to move over to the bucket in the corner -which also was only emptied until it overflowed, leaving a horrific scent to the already sauna-like “bedroom”. There was a dim lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, flickering every few seconds with a family of flies circling it. The light went out. The room filled with darkness and she slowly reached up the wall with a stone in her hand and with all her effort adding another line. The stone fell from her grip and she lay her head down on the pillow in an effort to fall asleep.

Her eyes opened. To the left of her lay a tray. A bowl of porridge, a glass of water and a stale slice of bread. The plastic ...

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...an older woman standing at the other side, she screamed to the woman for help however the woman did the same. Both were needing help desperately. They both simultaneously banged their clenched fists at the glass door but it would not break. Within seconds a tall dark shadow appeared outside. The moon escaped from a dark cloud and his face was visible. It was him. She began a series of screams to let the older woman outside know the man was behind her. The older woman didn’t move but carried on screaming too. Mirroring eachother, they both clatter the door one last time and then stop. Looking into each others eyes the woman inside raises her hand up to the glass, with the older woman doing the same. Their hands meet at either side of the glass. expressionless. A last tear trickles down both of their cheeks. The woman inside feels a deep breath on the back of her neck.