Reduced to Ruin

Chapter 10

I awoke on the couch to the jiggling of keys at the door. I bolted straight up, as if I had done something wrong. James came strolling in, beaming with energy.

"Hello, Corrine. Good to see you up and around." James headed into the kitchen and put down the groceries. I looked at the wall clock, and it was 5:25. I had missed lunch entirely. He then came over to the couch and gently put his hands on my shoulders.

"How are you doing, Corrine?" He tried to make eye contact with me and looked genuinely concerned, but I avoided his eyes. Instead, I sat down. He sat next to me.

"You okay?"

I couldn't believe my rebellion in rolling my eyes, scoffing, and looking away.

"You're not handling this too well, huh?"

"I don't get it!" I yelled right into his face. "What the hell do you want from me?"

James simply replied, "Companionship. Love. Friendship."

I scoffed. "You are nuts," I whispered to myself.

"Listen to me," he continued gently. I was still looking away. He grabbed me firmly by the shoulders, forcing me to look at him. James was stronger than I thought.

"Listen to me." His voice was firm, yet gentle at the same time. "I realize this is hard. I realize you don't want to be here. But you are, okay? This is it. There is nothing you can do about it."

I looked at the carpet. He bent down, regaining eye contact with me.

"I know you want to go home, but that's not possible. Not now, not ever. Period." He gripped my shoulders a bit harder. "The sooner you accept your fate, the better. I'm not here to hurt you but to love you—if you let me . . . And, if you don't, well, it'll be a long and bumpy road."

He gave it a few seconds before he let me go. The words lingered in the air, but I couldn't give up yet. My survivalist instincts had kicked in. There was no way my future was with this psychopath.

James got up and went into the kitchen, presumably to start dinner. I walked into my bedroom and slammed the door. I didn't care if it made him upset or not. My anger had to come out in some ways. My rage seeped through every crevice of my body.

Who is he to redefine my life? Who is he to steal my future from me?

I saw an angel figurine on my dresser that I hadn't noticed before. It was one of mine from the old apartment.

"I don't want you here!" I screamed at it. I threw it against the far wall, and it shattered to pieces, its wings split in two. With no other objects around, I pulled out a dresser drawer and threw it as hard as I could across the room, sending my old clothes flying.

I screamed with all the energy I had left, tears burning in my eyes.

"I hate you!"

I threw another drawer.

"I hate you!"

I threw a third drawer.

"I hate you!"

I threw the drawers one by one until they were all out of the dresser then ran into the bathroom, slammed the door, climbed into the bathtub, and pulled the shower curtain all the way across. Surely, James wouldn't find me here. I could disappear from all reality, transport to wherever I wanted. I was a blip on the screen.

I collapsed into the tub and unfolded in my agony.

* * *

I didn't know how long I stayed in the bathtub or if James even came in during that time. I was in my own world, and between my sobbing and screams, I probably wouldn't have noticed him come in anyway. At some point, I shut down, stopped crying, and lay there, numb.

Eventually I heard the bathroom door open. "Corrine? . . . Corrine? . . . Are you okay?"

James slowly pulled the shower curtain back and sat on the ledge of the tub. He let out a big sigh before talking.

"Listen, I know you're not happy. But, I'm going to treat you well. You'll see."

Silence.

"Come on, it's late. And you haven't had any dinner. You must be starved."

Silence.

"Corrine, this isn't a request. I need you to get up and come have dinner. I ate already, but I saved some for you."

"I'm not hungry. Leave me alone," I said drily.

"Then you can come and sit in front of your food."

"You eat it."

This time he wasn't taking no for an answer. He reached down, grabbed my arm, and yanked me up.

"Ow! That hurts."

"Then do as you're told, and I won't have to assist you, will I?"

I yanked my arm away, and he held out his hand toward the door. I let out a big, irritated, teenage sigh, then climbed out of the tub and out to the kitchen. I noticed then he had cleaned up the mess I had made in my bedroom.

My plate of food was on the kitchen nook, so I sat on the first stool and stared at the food. Like hell I was going to eat.

I could hardly see the food in front of me from my swollen eyes, and my body still ached from the highway run-in. My head throbbed and pulsed.

After a while, James meandered into the kitchen and stood by the sink, facing me.

Please don't talk to me. Please don't talk to me.

"Obviously, you're having a hard time coping with this change. I understand and expect it's going to take time." He paused, waiting for acknowledgement I refused to give. "I'm going to give you some time alone tonight. This is your place, so feel free to watch TV, read one of your books. Whatever you want."

How generous of him, I thought.

"But starting tomorrow, I'd like to get a new start on things. Did you notice the equipment over there in the corner? You and I are going to start an exercise program together and get in shape. So, I'll be here at eight o'clock sharp. I want you dressed and done with breakfast. There are gym clothes in your dresser and your favorite bagels in the fridge."

None of these instructions were voluntary.

"Rest up, Corrine," James concluded as he unlocked the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

He walked out and locked it behind them. His footsteps trailed farther and farther away. I sat there, staring at my food. Time stood still. My ears rung from the silence.

After a while I slid off the stool, leaving my food in its place, and jumped in bed without changing my clothes again. I climbed in as far down as I could, disappearing from the madness.

So, what did you think of Chapter 10? What's up with James, and what should Corrine do? Continue to chapter 11. Thank you!