Boxed In

 She was trembling with fear.  She could feel her heart racing in her chest, her knees weak with hunger. 

 She had been locked up in this horrid apartment for how many days now?  She felt her breath quicken as the events of the recent past came back to haunt her.  The meeting at the bar, the charming stranger, the one night stand.  So unlike her.  And then again, he was easy going and she had been feeling so lonely lately.Some human contact was welcome. Any human contact really.

 And, now, this.  He had shown his true colours as soon as they entered his place.  The sex had been forced and painful.  She was tossed around as a soulless doll, at least that's how she felt.  And when morning came, before his departure, she was told, in no uncertain terms, to stay put or else...

  So, that's what she did, living in fear and hunger ever since.  The cupboards were empty, no sight of food around, her belly filled with nothing but water.  She could feel bile coming up her throat and rushed to the bathroom.  She came back out, unstable, filthy.  She had all that she could take.  She had to fight , if  it was the last thing she did.  Fight with all she had left in her, claw herself out  if it came to it.  She rushed to the door, began banging on it, kicking it, screaming at everyone, at anyone, at no one, for all she knew.  She yelled and yelled until she could yell no more, bruises in her knuckles and feet, drained and helpless.

 And then she reached for the  knob and turned it.  And the door opened.

 It was never locked to begin with.

                                                  Written by Ms Paragon