Shatter Pieces

Chapter 21: Home Sweet Home

Elvira

For the first time since I could ever remember I woke up and didn't feel exhausted. My mind was quiet and my body felt relaxed in a way it hadn't ever been before. I was able to push myself into a sitting position, but my hands seemed to sink into the bed as did the rest of my body. I hurriedly tried to crawl out of bed before it could eat me.

"Woah, calm down Elvira. You're okay!" My terrified eyes met with Mateos. I glanced from my sinking body to his face and.

"Sinking!" I whimper again attempting to get off the bed. Instead of growing distressed Mateo laughed, I had thought he wasn't like them and he was now laughing at my imminent danger.

"You are going to be okay, it's a memory foam mattress, it's supposed to sink so that you can sleep better. It won't go too far relax you need to let your body rest. Though hopefully, you aren't as tired now, after all, you've been asleep for 36 hours." My eyes grew wide at this and I glanced out the window and noticed that it was indeed still dark outside as it had been when I had left, though the light was beginning to start to peek through the windows.

"Speaking of which I am sure you must be hungry. My mom brought some food for you to eat, she said you really liked pudding so...." Mateo held up his hand revealing a container of the delicious brown stuff and I scrambled off the bed to grab it from him. Again he began laughing at me, but this time I knew that it was merely amusement at my antics that caused his laughter.

Opening the container I looked around for a spoon so that I could dig into the yummy food. I couldn't see one anywhere and with sad eyes looked up at Mateo. He seemed to notice my dilemma and reached into his pocket producing a plastic spoon. A smile grew on my face as I carefully took the utensil from his hand and worked on opening up the package.

"Wow, Mom wasn't lying when she said you really liked that stuff. I'll have to remember that," I blushed a little at his words knowing I probably looked like a starved animal.

"Hey, it's not a problem I knew that you would be hungry. Don't be embarrassed I've definitely done the same thing before, probably even worse when I was a kid." He told me while I dug into the pudding enjoying the taste though I still had no name for exactly what the flavor was. Hoping Mateo could answer the question I gestured towards the container I was eating furrowing my eyebrows.

"You have a question about the pudding?" He guessed looking slightly confused. I nodded this time pointing at my throat trying to communicate my question without words.

"I know that you don't like speaking because you feel like your going to get in trouble for it, but I need you to talk to me. I have no clue what it is that you are trying to ask me and I really want to be able to help you little one." I looked around the room trying to figure out whether or not I wanted an answer that badly. After a few moments of silence, I decided that he wouldn't hurt me if I asked.

"Little one?" I asked not recognizing the name and one anyone had called me before.

"Yeah, because you are so small. I hope you don't mind." It didn't bother me and I shook my head.

"What d...does this taste li...like?" I asked him quietly, not looking at him while I ask the question. He was probably going to think that it was a ridiculous question.

"Oh, it's chocolate. I assume you've never really had the opportunity to taste any have you? If you think that's good wait here for just a minute." He hurries out of the room. I wonder what he could be grabbing.

I had used chocolate before when I was cooking, but I had never tasted it and I loved it. Chocolate chips were the only real experience I had with the stuff and I wondered if it ever looked like anything else. Pretty soon Mateo came back in a wrapped package in his hand. I had seen some of the children carrying them around back when I had still been with Master.

He handed it to me taking his seat staring at me intently. I gazed at him for a moment before looking down at the plastic in my hands. I knew that I was supposed to open it, I had watched the children rip them apart easily. However, as I pulled at the material I found it to be as strong as the metal door that had kept me trapped inside my room back at the house.

"It's okay if you can't open it, You've been through a lot. I'm sure that your body is exhausted and I am sure you've never been in proper shape." He rose from his chair and approached my own, for some reason his towering shadow scared me and I began to curl into the arm of the chair. He was going to hurt me, he was trapping me so I couldn't get away.

As if realizing that I was no longer comfortable he stopped and lowered himself to the ground. I had no clue what compelled him to do such a thing, but he did it anyway. I felt stupid when I figured out that he had probably read it on my face. He reached his hand out from his new vantage point and somehow my being taller than him made me feel better. I placed the wrapped food in his hand and he deftly tore the packaging away from the food inside.

It was brown as the pudding was and I vaguely wondered if they would taste the same. Taking the stuff back from him I brought it up to my nose and sniffed. It was sweet and rich making me close my eyes and relax as I took my first bite of the stuff.

I moaned at the taste and let my head fall backward. It was the most amazing thing I had ever tasted in my whole life. I felt as if I had eaten it before and yet. I could not remember where I would ever have gotten it. That didn't matter right now though because all that mattered was the amazing things in my mouth. I opened my eyes to find Mateo staring at me with a wide smile on his face.

"Elvira your smile is beautiful." I hadn't even noticed that I was until he had said something and lowered my head in embarrassment.

"No, don't....it's cute and I love seeing you smile. I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything like that I was just....well you're just so amazing and I couldn't help but say something. I wasn't trying to embarrass you or anything like that I was simply trying to say....that well I just meant," He stumbled over his words running his hand over the back of his neck while trying to form a coherent thought.

A giggle escaped me before I could stop it and a hand immediately flew to my mouth to cover the sound. Mateo's face lit up once again and I studied him carefully.

"Little one you don't have to worry about doing the wrong thing around me I promise I am not like him. Laugh, smile, talk back to me do whatever you want so long as it is something you want to do." His face held such desperation and genuine care that I couldn't disbelieve his words.

"Mine," I said pointing to the candy bar and he nodded smiling as he recognized where this was going. It seemed to be becoming a game of ours.

I stood from my seat on the chair and ran my hands over the bed then glanced back at him.

"Mine?" Another nod and I moved on to the other objects in the room.

The lamp in the corner, the throw pillows on the couch, the desk, the paper laid out on top of it, all the books on the shelf, all of it belonged to me. Content with myself and these discoveries I sat back in my chair and Mateo studied me.

"Someday I will be yours too Elvira, and you will be mine. But all of that can wait for a thousand tomorrows until you are ready for it." Mateo told me, hope gleaming in his eyes. And with that, he stood and left the room leaving me to contemplate what he meant.