Chapter 5

The past few months in this mansion has been really difficult for me. Benjamin was successful in making my life as miserable as possible, like he had promised. Every night was like a recurring nightmare. Fearing the monster, I tried to sleep early before his arrival but every time he would make sure to wake me up, drag me to his bed and rape me, until he felt satisfied. I could no longer feel the pain, since the emotional pain was more compared to the physical one. He took away the mattress and blankets when he became aware that it was given to me by Sheila. She was herself helpless and could only feel sorry for me. My meals were reduced to only two servings per day. I would often glance at my own reflection on the bathroom mirror and I couldn't recognise myself. My skin looked pale, my once shiny dark brown hair looked dry, lifeless and tangled. I had huge bags under my eyes and I had lost so much weight. All the fat deposit from my body was used up making my collar and cheek bones prominently visible. My eyes lacked its usual twinkle. I looked like a walking corpse. I still couldn't give up and accept my fate. ‘It was high time. I had to get out of here, far away from the monstrous man. At this speed, I would meet my death soon.’ I often motivated myself ‘I cannot die here, alone and sad. I still have to find my family and prove my brother's innocence. But where is he, if he really hadn't raped Benny. Why does he have to hide himself? Is he scared of her brother?’. 

Sheila would permit me to have her mobile for a few minutes everyday and I kept trying my parent's and Andrea's number but it would always be switched off. 
One afternoon, Sheila came to me with a plate of meal, which had a dry toasted bread, which was very hard to swallow and some scrambled eggs. 
She sat down next to me, “ You look very fragile, my child.” She said patting my hands softly. “Benjamin has gone to Barcelona for a conference and he won't be back for a few days. You can eat more. I'll bring you three meals like before. You can also have your bed and blankets back. You must be feeling so cold in here.” She said rubbing my arms with her warm palms. Her warm embrace would always remind me of my mother's hugs which my body craved very badly.
Suddenly a thought crossed my mind. ‘What if I plan an escape from the mansion before he returns?’ I kept my thoughts to myself.
“ahm.. when is he returning back?” I enquired her. I had to be fully prepared to execute my plan.
“Not before the next two days, Sammy.” I just nodded my head since my mind was continuously processing a lot of thoughts. I knew the house was heavily guarded but I still had some hope of getting out of here.
“Is it okay if I get out of my room and go downstairs for a while, Sheila? I feel suffocated here.” I requested her holding her hands and squeezing it gently. She was a very kind and frail hearted woman. I knew she wouldn't have the heart to say no to me and I used it for my own selfish ways.
“Alright dear. Be quick okay?” with that she left my room.
I got out of my small room and entered the devils big one. I searched for something, which I could use for protecting myslef against the guards during my escape plan. I walked in to his walk in closet where he had a separate vault for pistols and guns. I carefully opened the drawer and immediately took the colt, which was the only weapon which did not look sophisticated. I also took out a small knife and placed them on either side of my pants and covered them using my long shirt. I also got some cash which was arranged neatly in a stack. I took a deep breath, ‘Come on Sammy you can do it.’ I started walking casually towards the staircase and walked down to the hall. I peeped into the kitchen and saw Sheila giving instruction to the maids. I utilised this time to walk out swiftly through the heavy double doors which was fortunately, wide open. There were two guards with guns, pacing in the porch. I quickly hid behind one of the pillars and waited for them to go away. When they were in a safe distance, I started sprinting towards the main gate. I hid myself near the bushes whenever I saw the guards walking. I was panting and sweating badly since it was a matter of life and death. I finally succeeded in reaching the gate but there still was a problem. There was a guard standing near the gate and I had to distract him to get out of the gate.
I looked around and picked up a huge stone and threw it on one of the bulbs on the compound wall. The light bulb broke with a loud shattering sound. The guards rushed to the sight to see what made such a loud sound and I immediately made a run for the gate with a grin of victory on my face.
‘Yes I did it. No one can stop me now.’ I felt proud of myself but my happiness did not last long. When I crossed the gate, the alarms on the gate went on with screeching ‘pang’ sound , repeatedly. I spotted the guards running after me and froze to the ground. When I could finally move my limbs, I was blocked by a black Mercedes. 
‘Oh no, no, no' I started shivering. 'That's Benjamin's car. What is he doing her?' 

I saw Benjamin getting out of the back seat and striding towards me, his eyes throwing daggers at me. ‘Wasn't he supposed to be out of country for a few days?’ I was standing like a deer caught in headlights. Gilbert who was seated in the passenger seat of the same car, also walked towards me with the same murderous expression.
‘I am so dead'. I decided to dodge them and started running but failed miserably.
“Where do you think you are going?” His hand gripped my wrist like a vice. I started wriggling under his hold. “Don't touch me. Let me go you moron.” I remember about the knife that I was hiding, I quickly fetched it from under my pants and stabbed it on Benjamin's arms. I heard a low growl but he still held me tight in his hands.
“Guards, take this fucking bitch in.” He roared to the guards, who were scared to death since they knew that he would punish them severely for their negligence. They came running towards me and dragged me back to the mansion, all the while I was screaming my lungs out to leave me. Hearing the loud cries, the maids came out from the kitchen. Sheila was dumbfounded to see me carried by the guards. Poor soul, she had no idea of my disappearance. 
“What the fuck were you all doing all this time. She might have escaped if I hadn't cancelled my plans and returned back." He yelled at everyone standing there, blood was oozing out from his arms and staining his white dress shirt red.  Everyone stood there facing the floor, not daring to look at him.
“Where are you taking her?” he questioned the guards who were taking me up to my room. Before they could open their mouth, he interrupted them. “She will no longer stay in her room. Throw her in the basement and do not feed her a single meal for the next three days.” He command his men, who simply nodded and started dragging me towards the basement.
“Please, no. Don't do that. Please I beg you.” My cries were heard all along the wide hall as they carried me away.
Two huge men dragged me down the basement and threw me into, what looked like a cell. It was a closed room and there was no ventilation. Unlike a normal prison door, this one was solid metal door without bars. The moment they closed the door, all the surrounding brightness was cut short and it was pitch dark around me. 
It felt much colder than my room upstairs. ‘How am I even going to survive here without any food for the next three days?’ I cried loud enough for the whole mansion to hear me.

It was after three long days, that I saw a some light falling on my face. Someone entered the room, I opened my eyes to see who it was. Suddenly, my eyes shut tightly in stimulus to the bright light. I did not have energy to even sit up straight and lay there motionless. The smell of ammonia from urine and faeces was lurking around me. I felt the strong urge to vomit my stomach's content out. But unfortunately, there was none since the last meal that I ate was three days back.
“Get up, my child. Look at you. Why did you try to run away. You surely underestimated him.” I kept my eyes shut but I could make out from the voice that it was Sheila. “Get up. I've got some soup for you.” She held my hand and lifted me up, making me lean against the wall. She fed me the soup slowly yet carefully. She wiped the spills from my mouth using a towel and she kept feeding me till I could take no longer. I immediately threw up what I had just ingested and leaned on to the floor. 
I could not see her but I could still hear her talk worriedly. “Oh poor child. What is wrong with you?” I soon drifted of into unconscious state. 
This happened for the next few days. I would throw up my stomach's content after every time she fed me. I heard Sheila running out hysterically calling for help.
‘Okay so this is it, my end is nearing.” A sad smile crept on my lips. I was sad that I was dying so soon. I haven't lived my life to it's fullest. But on the other hand, I was content because I will be soon relieved from all the sufferings. 
I could feel the life in me slowly weakening and drifting away. My lasts thoughts were about my parents, my brother and my happy life with them.
Suddenly, I felt the door being pushed open with a banging sound. I was gently lifted by someone and soon enough placed on the softest bed. I was covered with a warm blanket. I felt like I was in heaven. Safe and warm.
‘So this is how heaven feels like.’