A Masterpiece In The Making

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The thorns and branches were ripping at her flesh yet she still ran. Her heart jumping with every thump of his feel pounding upon the ground. His breathing rasped loudly behind her. The coppery taste of blood slowly formed in her mouth. The moon shone through the trees, just giving her enough light to see meaningless forms and shadows around her. Petrified she still ran; her body ached from torturous running. Tears forming because of the welts and bruises that are now apart of her. Darkness was alla round her, everywhere she looked every where she ran. It was feeding off of her fears choking her until she felt so clostraphobic that all she wanted to do was collapse. Giving up her life, surrendering herself to the beast that followed her craving the flesh on her bones wanting her life. 2

Finally she got enough courage to look back, she glimpsed over her shoulder increasing her speed. Coming to the conclusion no one was there she slowed down to catch her breath. There was a burning sensation through her legs, feet and sides. Her breath evaporated before her eyes from the cool night air. 3

Everything seemed to go to an eerie silence, her breathing filled the woods. All of the sudden the silence was broke by something snapping behind her. Her heart jumped, beating frantically; as she whipped around to be acquainted by a sudden flash followed by a sharp pain that filled her head and flashed through her spine. 4

Slowly she opened her eyes, taking a look around her. Sudden flashes of woods streaming past her exploded into her mind. Taking over all of her senses; she could smell the cool night air, hear the pounding of the beast that followed her. Suddenly there was this flash of white light followed by darkness. Breathing frantically she tried to move, no luck. She had been tied down to a chair with an old musty cloth placed in her mouth and another one tied around her head to hold it in one place. 5

“You’re awake?!” yelled a loud booming voice as the door flew open with great force. The light burned her eyes, making the giant figure to be a blur. 6

“hmm mm hmm fm” yelling out words in her mind but were only muffled in reality. 7

“SHUT UP!” yelled the man. His words echoed through the basement, as he struck her in the face. 8

Her wound that was starting to heal, broke open again. Blood slowly tricked down her cheekbone gathering between her lips. It was as if one hundred people cried, their tears were gathered... Only to slowly leak away... 9

“What’s your name girl?!” demanded the voice. 10

“Hmm fm mm...” her voice was only muffled. Blurred out by the object in her mouth so she couldn’t talk. Yet all of the sudden she’s supposed to?11

The man walked away, somewhere’s off in the darkness; a flash of light caught her eye. It seemed to get closer and closer until... There was the man standing in front of her, a knife in his hand. Lunging it towards her chest, yelling like a mad man. The girl screamed closing her eyes tight her nostrils flaring in and out as she tried to breathe. Starting to hyperventilate, choking on every sob a loud booming laugh filled the room. This wasn’t like any other laugh she had ever heard. This laugh was cold and twisted. You could almost hear the cries of helpless people being tortured, abused and ripped away from their freedom. 12

“What’s wrong? Are you afraid of a little knife?” said the man with a twisted voice. He drug the cold metal along the flesh on her arm, leaving a trail of blood where ever it touched. “Down the street to the morgue, across the road to the hospital.” He seemed to sing this like it was a nursery rhyme or a lullaby and he was singing her to sleep. She could feel the sweat slowly drip down her face sending a burning sensation through her body. He brought the knife away from her wrists placing the side of it on he face. “Can you feel the coolness of the blade?” he loosened his grip slowly bringing the knife down to her neck. Not the blade this time, he traced along the curves and lines as if he was creating a sculpture. His own masterpiece, something he would put in a glass case for everyone to see. He stepped back looking at her, tilting his head to the side for a better view. Smiling a crooked smile he turned around whistling the same tune he walked away, closing the door behind him. She didn’t know what was going on how could one person become so evil. The new markings from the man sacred her, how could one person be so pleasured by torturing another. 13

...14

Felt like she was down there forever. She tried desperately to get loose from the ropes and tape that held her there. The dripping noise from a sink perhaps was driving her insane. Drip...drip...drip... The leaky faucet was going to make her go insane. “Night or day, day or night...?” she muttered underneath her breath trying to moisten her dry lips. Her body had few body fluids and had been running off of nothing in what seemed to be forever. 15

“I’m baacckk...”...It was him the monster that had trapped her in here there. “Wow there you are... Looking even more beautiful than 5 days ago when I last seen you.”16

5 days ago, its been 5 days? Is anyone looking for me? She thought as she looked up wondering how he could be such a fool. Her lips were chapped and dry, her eyes blacken, skin white and her body was covered with wounds and scars. She tried so hard to keep the flies from laying their eggs within her. All she wanted to do was weep, but all her tears were dried up. There weren’t any tears for her to cry anymore. 17

“Are you thirsty?” He asked as he walked off into the distance. The dripping noise went to a steady flow and was ended by the turning of a rusty knob. The man walked back with a bowl in his hands “I bet you’re thirsty aren’t you beautiful?” He picked up a small piece of a sponge and let a few drops land on her lips. The water tasted foul but it was something she craved. Her weaken body was so dependent on those few drops.18

“Uh” She moaned wanting more. 19

“More?” asked the man. He finally took the musty cloth out of her mouth. It was starting to harden with the smell of something rotting. He soaked the sponge again giving her some water, her mouth was raw on the inside. “Now what’s your name?” asked the man. 20

“EMMMAWEEEFF” her throat burned her as she tried to speek these few words. 21

“Emily?” the man asked as she nodded her head... “I don’t like that name. I’m going to name you Bella....” Is that okay bella?” Emily didn’t say anything, she was so confused with what was happening around her. “I SAID IS THAT OKAY BELLA!” The man was ful of a sudden rage. He clenched his hand into a fist and struck her in the mouth. “...Now... Is that okay bella?” The tone in his voice was something she had never heard before It seemed to be like a child who didn’t understand what was happening. Looking in his eyes she nodded to scared to say anything else. “Now that a girl Bella.” he said smiling as he got up and walked out closing the door behind him. 22

She was left there alone sitting in the dark for about a week longer. Her body was so frail so weak from living off of nothing. Those few drops of water was all she had in 12 days. The pains in her stomach were unbearable, she would always be falling in and out of consciousness. She sat there humming a song that her mom had sung her when she was only a child. She rocked her chair, so far back that she almost fell out. 23

“Ring a round the Rosie, a pocket full of posies...” She softly sung to herself, as her voice quivered. Her sanity was slowly slipping away with her life. Her stomach felt like there was someone in there peeling the walls of her stomach. Finally she stopped singing, listening to the footsteps coming down the stairs coming closer to her, she could feel its presence. The footsteps got louder and louder, until she started screaming frantically, thumping her chair off of the old wooden floor; she finally lost the last bit of sanity she had. 24

“Hi Bella, are you hungry?” He asked as if he just seen her 5 minutes ago. As if he had done nothing to her. Screaming and growling she rocked her chair trying to get her point across. “Oh, you are? Well I’m sorry Bella this meat isn’t cooked...” screaming even louder she started to swing her head violently side to side. Clumps of her hair started falling out with every thrash. “Do you mind if its raw?” screaming with eagerness she growled rocking her chair until she fell backwards. The man put down the meat and calmly walked over to her. “...Calm down Bella...” she only screamed louder. “I SAID CALM DOWN!” His voice boomed through the basement, she screams went into a deep wheezing sound. It almost sounded like she was hissing at the man. He then took a knife and freed her from the chair. 25

“Food...” Bella hissed, her eyes wide searching the room. The man calmly walked over to the table picking up the meat and throwing it on the floor. Bella glanced at the food then back at the man. She hesitated for a second, until her eagerness was overpowering, no longer could she stand the temptation. She crawled over to the foot, grabbing it with her hands and running over to the corner. Grunting she ripped the meat apart. 26

“Bella?” everything went silent... she leaned forward so her face was in the light. Her skin we so pale, her eyes were so black, showing only emptiness. Blood slowly dripped down from her chin, creating a small puddle at her knees. The man left her down in the basement to live, as he fed her. She never really got to see what was past the basement doors. He kept her down there, torturing her making her into the sculpture of himself. His own reflection, something he could call his own. A master piece in the making. 27

Years later28

Bella never really go to know the man’s name, she never asked him He was always to busy trying to teach her where the children play, teens hangout, and how to mold someone into what you want them to be. 29

Bella sat in the basement waiting for The Man. She waited there, days passed. Slowly she crawled to the door, opening it cautiously, questioning if this would be the right decision. The light burned her eyes, she never felt such warmth. Hissing she ran back into the darkness, she hid there, until the light faded away. The Man always said this was the best time to come out. Slowly she crept up the stairs one by one, not sure of what was beyond this point. There was this weird sound coming from beyond the stairs. She questioned it, following it she passed through two more doorways. At the third she stood there, looking at the man of whom laid at her feet. Small creatures feasted off his body, she shook him... She didn’t understand why he wouldn’t wake up. 30

“...Death...” She whispered. One word the man would speak of every night. He seemed to know a lot about this word. Bella went searching for the bag and tape you’re supposed to use, not really knowing what it was. Only having a brief description in her mind. 31

Carefully she put the man in the bag, taking her time because The Man always took such good care of her. That was another one of his lessons, how good he took care of her. Her body was to frail to carry the man, so she drug the body down the stairs into the basement. The Man told her something about a door, and beyond this door was something big, a room with only one thing in it. Pulling the bag across the floor she came across the door. Within this room there was a huge whit box, with a small yellow light. The box opened from the top, step by step she slowly got closer to this object. Pulling on the top, she gasped as the fog filled the air, making her constantly shake; with no control what so ever. Slowly the fog cleared as she stepped forward looking in, she seen people...death... she thought to her self. 32

One year later33

Today’s the day she will do something in memory of The Man. The Man who fed her, gave her shelter, The Man who was a father to her. The sun was slowly starting to set as the evening fog rolled in she hid in the spot where the man would hide...watching...listening... she slowed her breathing so she could hear the footsteps of a young boy. Her eyes were of no use to her anymore, she traced the paths and landscape through her mind. As the figure moved past her, she walked slowly increasing her pace. She breathed louder than normal, to spook her target... Before she knew it she broke into a run after him. Trees whipped past her, as she took the side route to cut off the boy. She had the exact point marked mentally where he was going to stop. He struggled to see through the darkness, over looking every inch that he ran. Bella was now only a few steps behind him, a rock in hand, and a twig in her other. It was time... In one swift motion she snapped the twig and hit the boy over the head sending him to the ground within seconds. 34

She drug the boy back to the house and into the basement. She tied him to the chair using the same knots and the same cloth that the man had used on her. 35

Days later she came into the basement to see her prize. The boy only sat there, scared for his life as Bella approached step by step knife in hand. Tilting her head she smiled in approval. The boys eyes were screaming out words that she once knew of, but that was along time ago; and this is now. Slowly she drug the knife along his arm.... Whispering...36

“You are my masterpiece in the making.” 37