73: Cold

(originally posted 03/19/2012)

The next day... or so Elena guesses...

(I guess my video card and/or processor would melt if the whole "double mirror infinity" thing happened.)

I suppose it's the next day because they brought me fresh clothes and shoes. I don't think they're really appropriate. It's too cold down here and the blanket on the bed is thin.

Oh, John. What am I going to do? Laurie pretty much said that I do what he wants or he'll kill you. Or have you killed. 'I have a man on the inside'? What the hell does he mean by that? One of the officers works for him? S---! You don't even know.

Wait a minute, Elena. Maybe he does. John isn't stupid. He didn't get to where he is by not noticing things like that.

But Laurie said he was panicking! I can't even imagine John really PANICKING. Getting angry, yes. Frustrated, yes. Sad, yes. But people do stupid stuff when they panic, I'm living proof. The very fact that I'm here. Would Laurie have really hurt Xavier? I should've called John even though they told me not to.

I wrap my arms around my knees and duck my head into them. Silent tears roll down my face as I think about what John might be doing. I hear the bass noise start up.


'He won't rest until he finds you'. You're dam* right about that, Laurie. John won't give up. He WILL find me.

I'm so close, John. Right here under the bar! Oh I wish I could communicate telepathically.

I hear the buttons on the keypad being pushed. I momentarily think about darting for the open panel, but when I see it's Laurie and the panel is already closing I change my mind.


I had already halfway crossed the bed towards the "door". Instead of moving back to my spot, I sit there not looking at him.

I put my hands on my hips: What do you want, Laurie?
I haven't given up YET. Not yet.

Laurie sighs and sits down on the edge of the bed: I thought I made that clear yesterday.
I jut my chin in the air: You can't force someone to love you. And taking revenge doesn't bring your brother back.
I feel Laurie sit up a little then lean back towards me: I know I can't bring my brother back.

I now see him out of the corner of my eye. His face is right next to my elbow. I start to wonder if I could jerk it and give him a black eye, but what good would it do me? I take my hands off my hips in a subconscious effort to put more distance between us. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't dare look back at him.

I hear a smile in his voice: As for the other, who says I can't?

I feel a single finger trail a line from the top of my shorts on my hip to the middle of my back. I jerk myself away.

Suddenly, an arm snaps out and grabs me around the waist. I gasp at the snake-strike speed he moved.


He sits up and takes me with him. In a panic, I start hitting him with my free hand while trying to balance myself with the other. Unfortunately, I have to use him for balance. He grunts a few times as he tries to avoid my attack.

He eventually gains possession of the hand that's hitting him. I shouldn't have moved. It had the same effect as when hunted prey makes a sudden movement thereby making the predator pounce. I stop fighting so hard, but I'm still struggling a little.

Laurie pulls me towards him: Now now, it's not polite to hit.

As*hole.

The room is so cold. Laurie is warm. I curse my body for wanting that warmth.

Me: Go to hell.
Laurie smiles down at me as his fingers caress mine: Aw, c'mon Elena. Surely you can come up with something better than that. Not very creative of you.
Me: Go away.


His eyebrows raise and he kisses my fingers once. He ignores my look of disgust.

Laurie: I'd have thought you'd be starved for company. Here I am taking time out of my busy day to visit you.

I try to pull my hand away, but his fingers close around mine painfully.

Me: Let me go.
Laurie: Okay.

I gasp as he lets go of me and stands up. I fall off the bed and land painfully on my elbow and forearm. He bends down to help me to my feet.


Me: Jerk!
Laurie: For helping you up?
Me: No! For dropping me like that!
He reaches out a hand to place on my hip as he circles around me: Oh? So you'd rather I not drop you and hold you instead?


I gasp again at his gall.

Laurie: Whatever my lady desires.
Me: Get your hands off me!
Laurie laughs: But you just said you didn't want me to drop you!

I push against him.


His arms secure themselves around me.

Laurie: I have to say I much prefer the you without the tons of makeup. (He looks down at me, then back up.) My dear, you're shivering.
Because you're scaring me to death!
Me: It's freezing in here!
Laurie scowls: I apologize for that. When I bought these clothes I'd thought it would be summer. Also, we didn't have enough time to properly ventilate these rooms.
Me: Rooms?
Laurie smiles now: You didn't think it was just this one room did you? I needed others of course.
I decide to play nice to get him to talk: For what?
He shrugs: Storage mostly.
I look down: Mhm.


I start to worry that maybe playing nice wasn't such a good idea when he acts encouraged by it. His face moves in closer to mine. To hide my fear, I turn my head away from his cold eyes.

He speaks low in my ear: My dear Elena, if you would just give me a proper chance, I could show you how very much I love you.

Oh no. I close my eyes tight.

Laurie: You're too good for those two.
Greg. This man killed Greg.
Laurie: Give ME a chance.

He takes one hand and grabs my chin to jerk it to face him.


I start to say no and lean backward, but his lips are on mine before I can finish the word. Just like before, I'm sure he's bruising me.

I'm terrified. If I try to fight him off, he'll get angry. I shudder to think what might happen should I show the slightest bend to his will. So, I stand there in that hard-to-find gray area and just wait for him to finish, and hope he finishes soon.


Clearly aggravated by my lack of response, he angrily jerks himself back and almost glares at me. I'm hyperventilating and already thinking about how I could defend myself should the real need arise. My options are few.

He jerks his head slightly: I see.


Me: What?
He walks around me with an unreadable expression.


Me: What are you doing?
Laurie: So this is how you're going to play it. Fine.

Holy crap, what is he talking about?!

He walks over to the panel and opens it. It wasn't locked!

He speaks to someone apparently at the top of the stairs: Okay, boys. You win. Kill him.

I spin around and scream at him: NO!!!!

Laurie looks at me expressionlessly. 


(Note: I didn't consistently number my chapters originally, and somehow, when I started numbering them again, I had to skip the number 74 in order for things to make sense. So, there's no chapter 74 lol. )