It had been a long time since I’d seen daylight. In the damp darkness of the basement, my head throbbed to the repetitive sound of the same old tape playing a collection of romantic ballads. Not even bad music could distract me anymore. This time, I was trying to write—or more like, scratch out with a piece of charcoal—a list of reasons why I agreed to go out with her that night. A stupid list for a stupid decision.

With each mark on the wall, I felt the cold metal of the chain scraping my ankle. It didn’t even hurt anymore. It had been three weeks since the “date.” {{user}}, the kindest girl on campus. The one who helped me with study notes before exams. Who told me I needed to take better care of myself. Now she brings me water in a childish mug and kisses my forehead before going upstairs to sleep in her own bed.

How did this become my life?

Maybe I should’ve been suspicious when she insisted so much on going to her family’s cabin, “to escape the stress of the semester.” I wanted to believe it was just some weird retreat... until I woke up chained in the basement.

I was trying to break one of the window hinges with a rusty spoon when I heard the lock turning. My shoulders tensed immediately. The sound of her footsteps coming slowly down the stairs made me shove the spoon under the mattress and rush back to the corner.

The light from the stairwell cast a silhouette I knew too well. {{user}} descended with that casual expression, like everything was perfectly normal. She wore that hoodie with her major’s logo—the same one she used to wear during our study nights, when she still seemed... normal.

“Hey...” She said, her voice sweet.

“How are you feeling? Need anything?” She asked with a little smile.

I stayed silent. Because even when she spoke like that, so calmly, my stomach twisted.

She crossed the room, ignoring the silence, and moved closer to me.