Horror

Chapter 05: Horror

*Melissa's POV*

I scrambled to my feet ran back to the door, but it shut with a loud bang before I could reach. I began to hit and call for help but only the silence and darkness answered.

"Mr Brown, please!" I shouted as loud as I could, hoping he was still around and could hear me, but I later realized that was a hopeless hope. After what seemed like eternity and still not getting any help, I realized I might as well save my strength.

I slumped on the hard ground wailing. Beads of sweat gathered on my forehead and I felt my head banging. I was even hungry and tired. My stomach at that moment made a growling sound and I rubbed it. I had not had anything to eat this morning as we were supposed to finish with our chores before eating.

I looked around the darkness hoping to find a ray of light somewhere. I didn't even know if I meant figuratively. Everything for the past year had just been unpleasant. Different painful memories from the time my mom first fell I'll filled my head, to me losing my job. Then my father taking this loan, and my mom finally dying.

It was obvious that life was totally against us. It had decided to make us realize it by draining every iota of happiness from us.

'Maybe we shouldn't hadn't taken the loan, my mom would have still died anyway' a voice said in my head, and I shook my head. It was better knowing that we did everything to save her.

"Mom, I miss you. I miss you so much," I muttered, beginning to cry again. I just hoped my father was okay at home. My heart squeezed at the thought of him. The pain he would be going through.

I felt some insects began to climb my legs and I shivered, slapping myself on the leg in a desperate attempt to get them off. The worst was that I couldn't even see them. The thought that something dangerous might be in the same room with me right now sent more shivers down my spine, causing goosebumps to arise from my body.

I stayed there hugging my legs until I lost count of time.

************

I woke up in fright, jumping up from where I was sitting. I didn't know what was the time and I didn't remember when I had slept off. But I know it had stayed several hours in this darkness, and nobody had come to set me free.

By now my stomach was twisting in hunger and the dark room smelled of my sweat and other things. Mosquito buzzes filled my ears and I felt horrified.

"God, please help me. I don't know how much longer I can survive here."

My eyes began to sting with tears again. I stood at the spot for sometime, shifting slightly and momentarily stomping my leg on the ground to wad off the insects.

Later, I decided to sit down again and try sleeping, maybe that way I could forget the twisting feeling in my stomach. I then sat back and folded myself like the previous time. After much struggle, I was able to sleep again.

And for a period of time which I guessed would be hours, all I just did was sleep, wake up, cry, then sleep again, repeating the cycle.

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After an eternity of being in hell, the door creaked open and I slowly opened my eyes. I was very weak and couldn't even bear to stand up. I sat down there waiting for whoever it was to come drag me out.

The next thing I knew, somebody walked to me and I felt water being emptied on me. I immediately jumped up, staggering in between and a bulb was suddenly turned on to reveal my face that bore horror. So,a bulb had been in this room all the while?

"Sleeping in captivity, huh!" Came Mr Brown's mocking voice. He strolled leisurely towards me, passing the guard that had poured the water on me. He stopped on his track when he was a few distance away from me. "I can tell by the look of you that you didn't have quite a pleasant time in the dark room," he said in a relaxed tone and for a moment I thought he was going to pity me.

I felt my legs wobble a little and I staggered to restore my balance, causing Mr Brown to chuckle. So, he found all these funny? Was this how much he enjoyed seeing people in misery?

"Next time, you wouldn't dare leave me to starve through the night," he said, his cold tone returning.

At that moment, I raised my head to look at him, my gaze bearing an intense hatred.

"I'm not sorry anymore for starving you, Mr Williams Brown," I said through gritted teeth, my anger rising to the brim, and I could swore I saw a flicker of shock in his face, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

And in the next moment, the guard that was with him struck my face hard and I fell back to the ground. My cheek hurt but I didn't regret what I had told him one bit. I guess it was high time I stopped acting like a weak, pathetic puppy.

They soon dragged me away and as I got outside, I realized it was still morning. But wait, I had stayed several hours in that dark room, how could it still be morning?

'Unless it was already the next day' the little voice in my head chipped in. They left me when we got to the front of the main house and walked away. I took that as a clue that I was free and I staggered back to my room, earning some pitiful looks from some of the house workers. They must all think I'm very unfortunate by now.

I got to my room and went to bath, scrubbing myself thoroughly because I stinked. I came out after a few minutes to find a plate of jollof rice and beef, with some veggies by my bed. I looked around the room in shock, wondering who might have dropped it.

Just then, the door flung open and I saw Veronica coming in with a glass that she handed to me.

"Drink this, child. And eat up too, you need your strength back," she said looking sad. I took the glass from her and saw it contained milk. Without much hesitation, I gulped the whole content, before I began to eat like a starved lion.

Veronica soon left after encouraging me to finish the whole food. And telling me that I could take some time to rest, that she would have someone cover for me. I watched her retreating figure, lost for words. She reminded me so much of my mother. My eyes stung at the thought of her.

I was almost done with the meal when my phone suddenly rung. I quickly grabbed it and I felt a rush of excitement when I saw 'sweet daddy'

I pulled the phone to my ear but instead of my dad's voice, It was a stranger's.

"Who are you and why are you with my dad's phone?" I didn't hesitate to ask.

"I guess you're Ms Wood. Your father is in the hospital, he's badly injured and your presence is needed."