She woke in a midday fluster, rolling over in bed like a door on a hinge. The light coming in from the window was dulled by the rain spatter on the window, making the room feel as though the color had been drained from it. Straining to keep her eyes open, she decided that the effort wasn’t worth it and closed them again. As she lay there, she listened to the sound of the rain as it gently tapped against the window. She remained this way for a short while, before tuning in to a distant, rhythmic sound. The sound was unmistakable. They were footfalls. Heavy ones, too. The kind made by an adult male. They sounded distant at first, but they were getting louder.
She forced herself to sit up, not wanting to be caught sleeping in the middle of the day. The person came to an abrupt halt outside the door. Her heart thundered with anxiety, deep thuds echoing in her ears and drowning out the soothing sound of the rain.
The door handle rattled as she quickly removed the blanket and rose to her feet. All the feelings of fear and dread resurfaced again as she stood there, trembling. The urge to run was strong, but where could she go? The door in front of her was the only way in or out.
The door creaked open as the man walked in.
“Good afternoon, Madison,” the man said with a bright smile. “I hope you’re feeling a bit better today. Your bloodwork has come back, and it looks very good.” She remained silent as he continued to speak. “It’s good that you’re resting but try to go for a walk around when you have a bit of energy. You’ll feel much better if you do. Lunch will be here shortly. Press the buzzer if you need anything and the nurse will be right over.” He gave her a friendly smile, turned on his heel, and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
She had been in the hospital for almost a week now, having everything about her checked. Every noise she heard seemed to remind her of her former prison. Though she was no longer physically there, would she ever truly be able to leave that place?
Madison’s gaze slowly shifted back to the window, the rain still painting its rhythmic patterns on the glass. Her mind wandered back to her former prison. The memories were like sharp fragments, piercing through the veil of her present safety. She remembered the cold, unyielding walls, the feeling of hopelessness, and the constant fear that had wrapped around her like a second skin.
She recalled the day she was abducted. She was walking home after babysitting for a wealthy couple. It was late in the evening, but the remnants of the sunset were still visible, emitting enough light that she felt safe.
The couple had a beautiful home, and the mother was very friendly, she remembered. She couldn’t quite remember her name, though. Was it… Vanessa?
A cold chill ran through her as she recalled her abduction—the only memory she had was of a strong hand covering her mouth with a damp rag. The world blackened as she fell into unconsciousness, waking in the dungeon where she had spent what felt like many lifetimes. The blackness that had overwhelmed her mind in that moment was heavy and irresistible, and although she had awoken from it, the blackness of her mind had simply transitioned to a darkness of her soul. That darkness had never lifted, and she didn’t think it ever truly would.
In this hospital room, however, with its sterile walls and the distant hum of activity, a strange sense of peace washed over her. The nurses were kind, their smiles genuine, and the doctors, like the one who had just left, were gentle in their approach. It was a different world, one where she was treated with care and dignity. She knew the road to recovery, both mental and physical, would be long and fraught with challenges. The scars of her past would not fade easily.
Madison slowly approached the window, her fingers trailing over the smooth, cool surface of the wall. As she looked out, she saw the rain easing, giving way to a faint shimmer of sunlight breaking through the clouds. In this moment, watching the rain cease and the world outside slowly brighten, Madison felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could start to heal, to rebuild, to find a way to live beyond the shadows of her past.
A faint rainbow appeared in the distance, something she realized she hadn’t seen in a very long time. It was the inevitable sign that the storm would not last forever.
She couldn’t help but smile.
Read Chapter 2 here
Matthew Norman
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