IMPORTANT NOTE AT THE END, PLEASE READ.

My hair was being dried by one of Livius's little friends, who accompanied me everywhere I went. Her name was, if I recall, Tammy. She was like a guard dog of sorts, but not to exactly protect me but instead to make sure I wasn't trying to escape or cause trouble. When I needed the bathroom or shower, she stood outside the door the whole time and the bathroom had no damn windows. When I ate, she ate with me in my cell and tried to strike up a normal conversation. She even slept by my cell. However I'll admit that she was one of the few nice ones in this hell hole, but that didn't change my view on being here. Being held against my will is not exactly new to me, but this time I'm right in the palm of my enemy's hand with his grip around me tight.

My hatred towards Livius grew with each day that had passed, and my anxiety for being here grew with it. I knew he had a plan, why else would he just decide to kidnap me and go through all of that trouble just to do so? It was also the way he looked at me that caused my worry. Most of the time, he looked at me like he knew what would happen to me in the future, like I was newfound hidden gold that could lead him to so many places.

I didn't like it a bit. I would constantly pray to God to bring help soon, even if help happened to be a stampede of guinea pigs or (by hopeful chance) a brick would accidentally be thrown at Livius's head and kill him. My hopes may be a little high, but goddamn it I needed it badly. I haven't prayed in my entire life, despite my belief in God and Heaven, but now I prayed every night.

Speaking of night, I lost track of how many days I've been here. When I asked Livius, he turned to me with a confused look and said, "Only eight days. Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?" He grinned wickedly, and I since then did not ask him questions. Livius himself didn't scare me; what scared me was what he could do to me and my child, or my family back home. I had no idea how they were, no way of knowing if they were okay and it killed me inside.

I don't know how much time I had before they would start to use me for their plans.

--

I woke up with a start, sweat trickling down my face in beads. My eyes came into focus on the small heater that Tammy had brought in for me when I was cold the night before. With two sets of wool blankets and maternity wear, however, I was boiling right now. I sluggishly reached out and flicked the switch off, making the heater cut off it's supply and the soft hum of it fade.

I was welcomed with empty, cold silence around me. There were actually a few tiny sounds, like the drip of water off of a rock or the soft breathing of Tammy just a few feet away outside the cell. But the silence was louder and more painful, blocking out the tiny sounds and leaving me to concentrate on my own breathing.

It was usually quiet in the early mornings and late evenings, and I usually enjoyed the quiet. But not here, not at this place, where souls hide in the shadows and wait to pounce. To prevent myself from going crazy in this deafening silence, I would listen to myself to breathing exercises until people woke up and were going about their daily business.

I peeled off one of the thick, musky brown blanket and put it to the side. The second one followed, and I stood up. I was sweating through these damn jeans, and a shower would be nice to have before everyone else was awake. I wanted to avoid these people as much as I could. I hated every single one of them for what they're doing to me and what they had done to my family. It took everything in me not to strangle one when I ever passed them in the hallways.

I shuffled towards the door and crouched down, sticking my hand through the bars and shaking Tammy lightly. "Tammy," I whispered, my eyes focusing on her face for any sign of her waking. "Tammy, can you wake up please?"

The red-head's lips parted and she groaned, her eyes soon following and her brown eyes meeting mine. They held drowsiness and slight annoyance, her pale face scrunching up with both features as well as she shuffled in her makeshift bed. "What is it? What do you want? It's so early," she complained.

"I was just wondering if I could use the bathroom and shower," I told my guard with a lower of my eyes. "Just let me clean up a bit.."

Tammy sighed and propped herself up, using one hand to rub each of her eyes from the sleep and yawn tiredly. "Alright, alright, fine," she agreed, sliding up fully and staggering to her feet. I smiled and stood up, putting my hands on the bars and watch as she searched for the keys in her pockets sleepily. A yawn left her lips and her hands were being lazy about the search for the keys, and she bent down. She searched the pockets of her cargo pants before muttering, "Aha!" and pulling the keys out.

Took you long enough, I thought to myself as I watched eagerly as she opened the door. I started to make my way out and she slowly followed close behind, ready to follow after me should I run.

"Oh calm down," I hissed, holding my ground and narrowing my eyes at her carefully. "I've been here long enough for you to stop acting like I'll run."

"It's not been that long," Tammy retorted captiously, staring at me warily.

"Oh?" I mumbled under my breath in disbelief, but then said directly to her, "If it hasn't been that long, then how long has it been?"

Tammy seemed to have sensed the tone of my voice, and she definitely saw the expression of disbelief and minor challenge, because her umbrella shaped nostrils flared, expanding as she let in air and released it.

I honestly think she's debating on whether to kill me or not. I met her eyes and narrowed my own, refusing to be the first to submit. Tammy and I can butt heads once in a while, but we have never had this sort of challenge. This was one of will and strength, and I refused to give in to her.

"Enough," she murmured, then turned her burning eyes away and flicked her wrist. "Let's go, before the showers get occupied by everyone else."

I tried not to feel triumphant as I followed her.

--

Hi there! So, I'm back to my regular update schedule I think. I'm finishing up finals this week and then I'm on Christmas Break. With that said, I'll be updating frequently so keep a look out.