CHAPTER ONE

I have been locked in this room all my life. It's not too bad I suppose.

I have a bathroom, a nice bed; it's pretty big and every once and a while the voice from the vent slides books and paper down.

The hardest part of living here is the man. He's loud and very bossy, he is always telling me how to speak, sit, and eat unlike the woman. She's comforting, she says she was just like me and that it gets better.

The woman taught me many things over the years; she has taught me how to bathe and brush my hair and teeth. She also taught me how to dress myself and simple common knowledge.

The woman is very beautiful. She has long curly, black hair that she always wears in a ponytail that falls down her back, and her skin was a beautiful porcelain complexion, and she has big blue eyes filled with kindness, and with an amazing smile almost always plastered onto her face.

She doesn't come by as often anymore, so she must be very busy.

Suddenly I heard a bang from the air vent, the voice must have sent me another gift, I ran over to the vent and slowly opened it.

It was another book; I'm so excited to read it. I whispered a thank you to the voice before reading the cover which read 'The Mocking bird'.

The door knob rattled and I quickly ran to my bed and hid it under the blanket, I sat down before the door opened wide, showing the very drunk, plump, man full of anger; the woman behind him with fear instead of her usual smile.

"Are you stealing things you little bitch?" The man screamed stalking toward me raising his hand.

The woman ran in between us with her arms raised toward him.

"Don't hit her, she's still learning she doesn't know any better," She cried.

"You're right, I should hit you!" He sputtered yelling, and back handed her making her fall in a clump beside me, he pointed his chubby finger at me.

"Next time that will be you," He spat glassy eyed and walked out with a slam of the door behind him.

I went to her side as she slowly got up holding her hand to her face with tears in her eyes, quickly wiping them away.

She placed a hand on her swollen stomach and took a shallow breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

"Why are you stealing books, if you would have asked I would have brought them down," She said gently.

"Stealing books?" I questioned my lack of understanding.

"Yes, taking them when they aren't yours," The woman replied.

"I haven't, the voice gives them to me. I thought they were gifts," I told her truthfully.

"What voice?" She asked.

I pointed toward the vent, she walked toward the vent and opened it looking through.

"I'm sorry, I would have never taken them if I knew," I looked down in guilt.

"No, it's not your fault, as I said you haven't learned any better." She placed her hand on my head.

I looked at her stomach, and back at her face.

"Are you," Before I finished she nodded with a small smile on her face.

"Yes, I'm pregnant," She said, rubbing her belly.

"How far along are you?" I asked quietly.

"Three months," She sniffled.

"Is that why you haven't been down in a while?" I asked.

"Yes and Alistair wouldn't allow me," she explained.

"why not?" I asked, upset.

"It's because I'm bonding with you," she trailed off.

"Anyway I should be heading back before he does," She says, turning toward the door.

"Wait, am I not allowed to read anymore?" I asked sadly.

"No you can read, I'll get to the bottom of the voice so don't worry, okay?" She asked.

"I don't want anyone in trouble," I said shyly.

"-And no one will, just relax I'll be back when I can," And with that she left, closing the door behind her.

I stood there for a few seconds wondering if I should have kept that to myself.

As if on cue the vent made a soft 'tink', I once again opened the vent and took out a small piece of folded paper. I unfolded it and read quietly 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you in trouble'.

I looked around for a pen, finding one I uncapped it and began to write; 'why are you giving me stolen books?' I capped the pen and folded the paper back up and placed it into the vent and waited.

I heard a grunt as the voice attempted to get the paper, and then I heard the woman's voice.

"Colby, are you giving the girl books, because your father is furious,"

"Can you blame me, Chloe has been down there our whole lives by herself alone!" the voice, I mean 'Colby' replied.

"You gave her a name, Colby you know the rules, you can't have contact with her until-"

"Until she's eighteen, I know and yes I gave her a name she's a human-being mother." He cut her off speaking solemnly.

"I know that, its just your father he-"

"My father can go to hell," Colby replied angrily.

"You shouldn't talk like that," the woman whispered.

"What did that little shit say?" The man 'Alistair' yelled in his drunken rage a bunch of banging from upstairs and a choking sound came through the vent.

Panicked I held my breath covering my mouth to stay silent, I shouldn't be listening to this but my body won't turn away.

"Alistair stop, stop you're going to kill him," The woman screamed.

A loud sound of a body hitting the floor and I heard him gasp for air.

"Colby," I cried silently, as a soft sob left my lips. His voice echoed out through this empty, dark room.

He whispered something I couldn't quite make out.

Colby's p.o.v

Pushing myself off of the cold wooden floor, my throat was tight from where he grabbed me and pinned me to the wall.

My eyesight was blurry from the lack of air to my brain, realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

Is Chloe okay, or did I make things worse?

I picked up my notebook from school and ripped another page and began writing, 'Are you okay?' I folded the piece of paper three times and dropped it down the air vent, then sat on my bed with my head in my hands as I waited for her reply.

Usually I would talk to her normally but I'm worried about her safety.

About five minutes later I looked down and the paper was placed back into the vent.

I forced my arm to go in as far as I could to pick up the paper again, getting out of the vent and sat at my desk with the paper in hand.

I began unfolding the paper to see what she had said. I wonder if she hates me now.

Flattening it out on the desk it read 'I'm fine are you okay Colby?'

I sighed in relief and began writing back, 'if you're okay, then I'm okay.' I folded the paper up again and dropped it back down.

I took a look in my mirror at my slowly bruising neck, guess I won't be going to school for a couple of weeks.

Things like this have been happening more frequently lately; dad gets drunk and ends up beating me and if it's not me, he tries to beat mom and I end up protecting her.

With her being pregnant I'll do everything I can to protect her and Chloe.

Chloe and I haven't officially met but we have talked since I was six, my parents always told me it was an imaginary friend and that I'll grow out of it, so I gave her a name 'Chloe'.

I wonder what she looks like, I bet she's beautiful, she's so sweet even being stuck in a black room alone she worries about others even though my parents wont let her leave or go outside.

Once in a while I'd buy snacks and I'd drop her down when I can and pick up the garbage when she's finished so she doesn't get caught.

I got up and checked if she replied, she did. I once again picked up the note and read it.

'I'm sorry for eavesdropping.'

I wrote back 'I have nothing to hide, especially from you.' I dropped it back down.

I took a deep breath before checking if she answered again. I picked up the paper and it said 'Why not?'

I guess neither mother nor father said anything about the wedding, regardless of her knowing or not I will get her out of here, we will get out together.

Before I could answer Chloe my mother called up "Dinner," I made my way down the spiral stairs towards the kitchen as my many 'Uncles' sat around the very large table.

There is a seating plan around here dad is at the top of the table as mother is at the end, I'm of course placed beside my drunk father; who is getting ready for another gang fight. Which tends to be the talk of the night, I looked at my mom and thanked her for the meal she made tonight.

"Colby, my boy," My father wrapped a sloppy arm around my shoulder.

"Yes dad?" I answered.

"You're on duty tonight, you hear me?" He slobbered.

"Yeah I hear you," I replied nonchalantly.

"Alistair, please don't send him out there I always worry he's going to end up killed," My mother spoke.

"Shut up, Carolyn, it's not your place to say." My father yelled over the table silencing her.

Dinner was chicken casserole with a salad on the side with our choice of dressing.

We ate in the sound of rough housing and yelling like every other night, and after dinner we all went to get ready for tonight.

Our gang was called the gold knife, our name prestige us, all members of the gang had a gold knife engraved with the name of the first person we had ever killed.

Yes, I have one but I'm not proud of it. I want to get away from here as far as possible, mom, Chloe, and me.

It won't be tonight, but it will be soon.

I walked up to my room to get my bag containing my knife and my guns, but before leaving I sat at my desk staring at my note book I opened it again tearing out a page, I began writing.

'I promise to protect you from all harm, I promise your life with me will be nothing to how your life was.

I promise I will love you and treat you with the respect that you deserve but never had, you will never be alone unless you want to be, I bet you have so many questions, and I'm not sure if I have all the answers but I will do my best to give you what you need.

I know this is all sudden and I know you are very confused but do you trust me?'

I folded up the paper and dropped it down into the vent before heading down stairs to meet the others.

I went down to dad's car, no one was there yet so I leaned against it taking a cigarette from the pack, put it to my lips and lit it with the lighter I keep in my jacket. I took a long inhale letting the smoke hit my lungs, and exhaled watching the smoke blow up into the moonlit sky.

I wonder if Chloe would love how refreshing the cool spring air touches her skin.

I wonder if dad had ever put out lit cigarettes against her skin like he had done to me when I was a child, my fingertips found the holes in my skin through my black leather jacket.

The rest of the gang poured out of the house like ants and pooled into their fancy cars, followed by the last.

Dad finally made it to the car and unlocked it, taking the last puff of the cigarette and got into the car, shutting the door behind me.

"Alright old man, where are we heading this time?" I asked with a sigh.

"We are going to the other side of town, kid." Dad replied as we sped out the driveway.

"That's a death mission dad, remember what happened to uncle Rickey, he barely came back alive after getting caught over there, it's irrational." I exclaimed.

"I'm the leader here, what says goes." He said in a stern voice.

"Do you at least have a plan?" I asked.

"Yeah, the plan is we kill every mother fucker in there and take our shit back," He replied.

"So basically you're saying there isn't one." I commented.

"Yup," He said, sighing.

We drove into the dangerous part of town five blocks away from the other gang's base.

I took out my pistol and put in the clip and looked at my dad.

"Let's go I guess," I said, getting out of the truck to meet the others that were waiting.

"Everyone knows what we are doing?" Dad asked and everyone nodded.

"Okay let's go kick some ass," He said walking straight into hell's gates.

We ran in with guns blazing shooting as many people my bullets could reach, and I started picking up what I could find.

I turned around and everyone was gone. "Shit,"

I started running for the door until I heard a bang, and my chest gave out making me hit my knees.

I touched my stomach and all I seen was blood, and that's when I blacked out.

Chloe's P.O.V

Looking at the note Colby gave me for the fifteenth time, I tried to make sense out of it, what did he mean by asking if I trusted him?

All these years I finally know his name, but do I trust him?

I haven't heard from him for a week since and I'm beginning to get worried he was just messing with me for entertainment.

He put the words 'trust' and 'love' in the letter but the fact he didn't come back tells me otherwise.

Then again what if he got caught again and something happened to him, or what if he had just been lying the entire time.

Should I trust a stranger that's so close yet...So far away?

I hid the letter back underneath my mattress and sprawled out onto my bed staring at the ceiling.

As I've said I've been here as long as I can remember, but why?

What is the purpose of me being here, sitting here without having Colby to talk to, I've never felt more alone then I do right now.

I rolled over, my face in my pillow as hot tears fell against my pillow suffocating my sobs.

The woman said this would get better, but it's getting worse and worse. My body quivered with shakes trying to muffle the sound of my heart breaking.

I just wanted to be happy, I pretend or I try to.

The door opened and I wiped my tears as fast as I could sit up seeing who had come in.

It was the woman again who stood in the doorway with a plate of hot spaghetti waiting for me. I couldn't take a step forward. I just sat here staring at her, she came and sat beside me and placed the plate on the floor and turned toward me.

"The voice is my son, Colby. He went out with his father and uncles the other night, but he got hurt and is in the hospital," She spoke quietly.

"Is he okay?" I stuttered.

"He's stable but isn't able to come home quite yet," She explained.

"Will I ever be allowed to see him?" I asked slowly.

"At some point yes, right now, no." She weighed the options.

"Oh, okay." I looked down and disappointment filled my voice.

She patted my head and picked up the cooling plate of pasta and placed it on my lap.

"Go ahead and eat, I'll be back in a couple hours, we will talk more then." She spoke, getting up and heading toward the door.

"Wait, I have a question." I spoke before stopping myself.

She turned back around, "Alright, what's your question?"

"Do I have a name?" I whispered.

"Of course you have a name child," She smiled.

"What is my name?" I asked.

"My son gave you your name. It's Chloe, now I must go, eat your food Chloe." She smiled and left.

Tears ran down my face, so my name really is Chloe, and he meant everything he said.

Here I am second guessing everything and he's lying in the hospital with fatal injuries, how could I be so judgemental?

Yes I trust him, he's the only real person I can trust other than the lady, and as nice as she is her loyalty to the man, Alistair, is no question asked.

I sighed as I picked up the fork and began eating, staring at the book on my bed stand.

The books make the world seem so large, so beautiful. I would love to see the ocean, the great blue sky, the emerald colored trees, and the animals.

I finished eating and placed the plate by the door.

Tired from crying I went and lay down on my bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Dreaming:

I was walking in the silence of a deep forest. I stop and looked around. There were beautiful trees that had deep lush green leafs on them, they rustled in the breeze. I can hear a running creek off in the distance and birds chirping.

I hear a noise in the bushes and as I step closer; a tiny bunny hops out and across the path.

I hear a faint crying but I can't pinpoint where it is coming from.

Suddenly I hear a large bang as my door slams open making me jump up from my slumber.

"Wake up you little bitch," Alistair shouted

I look around and my plates gone and I have a new outfit lying on the chair.

"What's going on?" I wiped my eyes from the sleep left behind.

He came up to me and took me by my hair and threw me across the room.

"I said get up!" He hollered aggressively.

"I-I'm sorry," I cried, picking myself off the floor.

"Get dressed, before I dress you myself," He sneered and threw the clothes that were left on the chair.

"Yes sir," I agreed, turning my back away from him, undressing as he ordered picking up the pastel pink tank top, pulling it over my exposed pale skin, shivering from the cool air from the open door and the only light showing into the dark room making me squint.

"Hurry up, before I change my mind," He growled.

"Right, sorry." I said taking off the pajama pants and pulling up the blue jean shorts that were laid out for me.

Once I was dressed he took me by the wrist and began dragging me out of my room, the only space I've ever known.

I began to panic.