6. Emily - Storm

A heavy storm started a few hours ago. I’ve been listening to it since then. It comforts me in a way I can’t describe, but it also brings me pain as it reminds me of all the time I spent cuddled up in bed with Stefan when it rained. Sometimes, we would make love to the point of exhaustion; other times, we would daydream about our life together after I became his and his blood-brothers wife.

I have no right to keep thinking of him, especially since he and his blood-brothers moved on and are happy with the woman they married, but my heart refuses to forget them. If only I had trusted Stefan, then everything would have been different. I would be their wife, not that other woman. I’m sure she doesn’t deserve them. I bet she doesn’t know them like I do.

But what does it matter when she’s with them and I’m here?

There are moments when I wish Stefan had never found me in the facility. Then he would never have found out about what I did, and he would still love me—or at least cherish the memories we made together—not hate me.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t forget how he looked at me at the hospital, like I was the world’s biggest piece of trash. After letting me know that he knew everything and throwing me a credit card, he left without letting me explain anything.

Since then, I’ve been wondering how he found out about Jason and me and that Nikolas is dead because of me while I was being operated on because he was so loving before he took me to the hospital. It gave me hope that everything will return to normal. I always knew my past will catch up with me but I foolishly thought that the love Stefan had for me was stronger than anything.

All I wanted was for Stefan to take me back. I know I could have made him so very happy. I still can.

It doesn’t matter if I still care about Stefan. He hates me. And Alekos? He will kill me. Reyes is the one who will torture me until he’s sure that I have told him everything that I know, which isn’t a lot, since Jason has always kept me in the dark.

When 514 kidnapped me, all I could dream of was how to escape, but it would be for the best if I stay in this basement for the rest of my pathetic life.

A strange sound comes from the window. A hole in the bottom left corner lets air in, and sometimes, insects will make their way in. Most of the time, they become food for the spider who lives next to the window, which I call  Miss Long Legs.

A bright lightning illuminates the sky.

I wrap the quilt around me. It’s strange how lightning has always frightened me when I love rain so much. Probably because Stefan was always with me during a heavy storm like the one from tonight.

A loud thunder follows. It doesn’t bother me. It never did. Only the lightning.

I close my eyes, trying to sleep, when another sound comes from the window.

It sounds like…a bird? Did it get inside?

I sit on the mattress and squint my eyes, but it’s too dark to see anything.

The bird lets out a strange sound. It sounds like it’s in distress. Or so I think as I know nothing about birds. Probably the thunder must have scared it and is looking for a place to hide from the rain. It must be cold.

Poor baby.

I clap my hands, trying to catch the bird’s attention. If only the chain were longer, I could have reached it and seen what was wrong with it.

When I don’t hear another sound, I start questioning my sanity. It’s not the first time I wonder if I’ve gone crazy. Anyone would crack, given my circumstances. There’s nothing in here to keep myself busy. No books, no music, no TV. Time always passes agonizingly slow. I can’t even talk.

The only thing I can do is remember the past and lament all the mistakes that brought me here.

A bolt of lightning falls close to the house, allowing me to see inside the basement for a few moments. A shivering white bird is in a corner, close to the window. Maybe it got in here wanting to find a dry place away from the raging storm.

The storm stops in the early hours of the morning.

The bird hasn’t moved at all, and I’m starting to think that it’s hurt.

I clap my hand, wanting to catch its attention. The bird looks at me but doesn’t move. I don’t expect it to come to me, but I’ll let 514 know about it when he brings me breakfast.

My stomach churns at the thought of having to drink another smoothie. I’d rather have a burger and fries and dark chocolate or a bowl of warm soup, which would be perfect for this weather.

I let out a long breath. The truth is that I’ll probably die in this basement. The sad part is that no one will know. Jason made everyone think that I died years ago.

The morning passes, and 514 doesn’t come with the smoothie. There have been instances when he was away for an entire day, so I make nothing of his absence.

I continue to watch the bird.

Hours later, the bird starts moving closer to me—a few inches at a time. It waits before moving again.

It’s getting dark by the time the bird reaches my mattress. From up close, I can tell it’s a crow. Since I’ve never seen a white crow before, it crosses my mind that someone might have painted the bird’s feathers, but a closer inspection lets me know that it’s her natural color. Its eyes are pink.

An albino crow. They must be very rare since I’ve never heard about them before.

I tentatively reach out my hand to touch it. When it doesn’t move, I pick it up and immediately notice its left wing is broken.

Oh, poor baby.

There isn’t a whole lot I can do, but 514 can. He might be willing to take the poor bird to the vet.

I look to the top of the stairs, at the door. 514 hasn’t been here since yesterday. He didn’t even bring me dinner. It’s not like him to stay away from me for a long time. Maybe he finally got bored of me and he it planning to set me free.

It’s just wishful thinking. I’ll never be free of 514. Not while I’m alive anyway.

I take advantage of the dim light to look for something in the boxes to make a sling for the little crow, which I put on top of the quilt before getting up.

The bird looks at me while I look inside the boxes.

I find an old shirt and rip a few strips from it. The bird is calm while I work on her wing. It’s like it knows that I’m trying to help. It’s no wonder since crows are one of the most intelligent birds in the world.

After I tie the crow’s wing as gently as I can, I cuddle with it under the quilt and wait for 514.

And wait.

And wait.

The next day, around noon, the door finally opens.

I’m so hungry and thirsty that I don’t care that 514 is bringing me another smoothie. I’m just happy that he didn’t abandon me here to starve to death. Plus, a vet needs to see the crow, which I named Phantom.

However, the one who climbs down the stairs is not 514 but a man I’ve never seen before.