After the awkward photoshoot that I only scowled through, no matter how much Rosik begged for a smile we were actually allowed to have a second meal of the day.

Well it was everyone else's second and my now much anticipated first.
After shuffling through the drawers and looking at the basic rations we decided to make ham and cheese toasted sandwiches over the stove.

After they were prepared two of the plates were then served to Rosik and Axel.
We were then led back to the bedroom by Rosik with our plates and locked back in the bland prison.

The sandwiches were pretty phenomenal though, if I do say so myself.

Now we've been in this room for what I'm guessing to be well over five hours. Dana thankfully was invested in Pride and Prejudice and remained captured by the stained pages for the last few hours.

I however am far too distracted to be tempted by the inked tales and I'm lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. The key to freedom is still burning into my hip.
I wanted to reveal our ticket out of this hell the moment the bedroom door was closed behind us but I held myself back.

I needed a solid plan before raising Dana's hopes and finally after all these mind numbing hours of plotting I'm finally confident in our slither of a chance at escape.

Sitting up using my elbows I glance down at Dana who has the novel very nearly pressing against her nose.
I've had suspicions for the last few months that Dana's vision is starting to deteriorate and I make a mental note to talk to her Dad about getting glasses the moment that we're out.

"Dana, can you come up here?" I barely murmur the words but Dana still jumps at the sudden noise piercing through the thick silence.

Dana wordlessly puts down the book, doggy earring the page in the process. Which I choose to ignore seeing as there aren't exactly a stash of bookmarks hidden somewhere in the room.

As Dana scoots up on the bed until she is leaning on the pillows next to me I let a small smile lift my features. Positivity is vital in this situation and thankfully with a vaguely filled stomach I can feel my overall view on the world become brighter.

"Who do you prefer? Mr Darcy or Mr Bingley?" Dana's eyes light up at the innocent question that I mainly use just to make sure that Dana doesn't look too closely at my smile which is ignoring my positive thoughts and is already dulling.

"Umm, Mr Darcy! He's mean and degrading but that's just how he portrays his feelings toward Elizabeth. He doesn't mean it, surely!?" I shrug my shoulder nonchalantly, not wanting to give away the plot and Dana groans in response, she's never been the patient type.

Leaning closer to Dana I reach into the waist band of my jeans and pausing to make sure that no noises can be heard outside of the door I eventually pull out the hidden object and raise it to Dana's eyesight.

"Dana, I have a plan to get us out of here." I state, Dana's reaction is what I expect it to be and that's pure confusion and disbelief.

In my left hand is one solitary candle, no handle or anything.
Just a cylinder of wax with the string at the top.
It does look pretty sad but I'm confident in my plan.

"Both the men reek of cigarettes. Which means that they're bound to have a lighter or better yet a match which we can use to light the candle."
I begin and Dana reaches out to hold the candle which I let her.
I sit up and make sure to block any view from the door if someone decides to barge in.

"Then what? Sway with the lit candle while you serenade them to let us go?" Dana quips and this time a smile finds its way onto my face easier.

"No, we'll then use it to open the window in the lounge room. The hatch is covered in multiple layers of thick paint. We could melt the first few layers then we can use my car keys to force the window to open and badda-bing badda-boom, freedom."
I click my fingers at the end and now that I've finally voiced my plan I now have no doubt that it will work.

"How will we get the lighter?"
Dana mutters keeping her face straight but I can see a glint in her eyes, hope is fragile and now it's so important to keep that glint growing.

"Don't worry about that. I'll try and get it before tomorrow and I'll figure out how to get some time in the lounge unsupervised. We'll be out of this by tomorrow afternoon."
I bite back the words 'I promise.'

I may be confident but I'm not stupid, this is going to take a lot of luck and as of late we haven't been graced with a lot of that.

"Just try not to get hit again, okay?" Dana implores and I resist the urge to touch my cheeks.
I know that they're an unattractive bright red and any contact will simply bring back the pain.

Dana's cheek has faded thankfully and for the first and only time I'm grateful towards Rosik.
He obviously didn't use as much strength behind his hit as Axel.

"I should be saying that to you, that little quip from the carpet earlier almost got you hit again." I remind her but I'm really quite proud of her.
Something as simple as correcting the brutes means that Dana is shaking off her fear of the men.

She's not looking at them like bogeymen anymore and is taking them off their intimidating pedestals.

"I'm just trying to be more like my role model, you're never scared of them." Pulling Dana close I mould her body against mine and stroke her hair as her eyes well with tears.

"I'm always scared, they just don't deserve to see my fear. They certainly don't deserve to see yours, save your fear for the people you trust." I hum into her scalp and Dana nods loosely and sighs against my body.

"Dad must be so worried." Dana sniffles as I stand from the bed and use my half of the sheets to cover her body.

"Flynn got away and has most likely given a full description of Axel and Rosik. I bet your dad is out there with his team right now."
I tuck the edges of the blanket around Dana's small body and a yawn bursts from her lips, smiling softly I gently push her shoulder until she lays down on the pillow.

I'm guessing it's around three or four in the afternoon and if I'm going to have a chance at getting this lighter then it needs to be when Dana isn't involved.
I can't be worrying about her while trying to remain blasé.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It only takes Dana around half an hour to fall asleep and while I waited to hear her soft snores I stared at the ceiling and counted the spidery cracks.

Finally after her breathing steadies and her body finally falls limp I take a deep breath of my own before grabbing the candle from Dana's limp grasp and tuck it back into the waistband of my jeans.

I can't trust Dana to guard it in this state and there isn't anywhere in this room that I trust either.
Squaring my shoulder's and running my hands nervously through my curls I drag my feet over to the heavy wooden door and pressing my ear to the wood I can vaguely hear the tv playing softly from the lounge.

Holding my breath I knock briskly on the door two times, not too hard to wake Dana and just to make sure that I've gotten someone's attention I turn the door handle silently backwards and forwards three times.

I take a handful of steps backwards and close my eyes tightly as I hear the sound of keys on the opposite side of the door.
I'm going out there for Dana and I,
I can't let her down.

I'm going out, getting what I need and then getting out, simple.
Those comforting words do little to stop my shaking though.

The door finally opens and if I wasn't so high strung then I most likely wouldn't have heard the faint creaks coming from the hinges.
I open my eyes seconds before the warm light from outside the room hits my face, partially blinding me momentarily.

"You must have sensed how much I was missing seeing your lovely face." Rosik hums and as my eyes clear I see him leaning against the doorframe with a smirk.
Taking a deep breath I take a few steps forward and keeping my eyes down I stiffly reply.

"I need to use the bathroom."

Throwing his arm in an elaborate sweeping gesture I take his direction and walk out of the room, ignoring his sharp gaze the entire time.

As soon as I step out of the room his meaty hand rests on my shoulder, I suddenly miss his shirt and the protection it provided.

I hear the door close behind me and it's quickly locked once more.
I glance into the lounge and Axel is nowhere to be seen, a part of me is glad thanks to the constant dull throbbing in my face but another part of me is suspicious.

I didn't hear him leave through the front door, so where is he lurking?
On the box tv I can see a game of AFL football playing, judging by the discoloured tape and unfamiliar uniforms I'm guessing that it's an extremely early season.

"Axel is trying to teach me about the Australian way of life. I can't seem to get used to Vegemite however I like this game quite a lot, it's nice and rough.... Just like the Australian girls."
Rosiks hand grows heavier on my shoulder and I fight the urge to gulp obnoxiously.

"Where is Axel?" I question and immediately I know that it's the wrong thing to ask because I'm suddenly spun around and grabbed on either arm. Rosik tuts as he stares into my eyes and I fight to hide my extreme anxiety at our closeness.

"Why do you care? You are in such great company and yet you still ask for Axel? Even after what he did to you?"

"I don't consider either of you to be great company." I mutter under my breath but Rosik still manages to catch onto my words.

Releasing a sudden and quite honestly terrifying laugh Rosik hugs me to his chest and rests his head on top of my curls.
If possible my body becomes even stiffer and I begin using my bony elbows to my advantage and start digging them into his stomach.

His displays of so called affection are becoming more and more elaborate, one minute he's a silent hulking mass and the next he's nothing more than a love sick pup.

I honestly can't say which one fills me with more dread.

"You are so different to other girls. Like a sparrow, always chirping and fluttering around. You believe yourself to be so sneaky and strong. You'll try to peck anything that gets too close and yet you can still be contained in my hands."

Proving his point Rosik suddenly tightens his grip on my arms, so suddenly and so powerfully that I halt all movement and gasp out loud.

Feeling as though my arms are seconds from snapping I can't help but go weak at the knees and whimper.
Just as suddenly his grip loosens and I very nearly sag to the floor in relief, Rosik is the only thing keeping me standing.

There can be no sounds heard for a few minutes as I fight to gain control of my body from the trauma, my slight panting can be heard but Rosik still doesn't move an inch.

I'm glad because it means that he can't see the tears in my eyes.

I slowly begin to feel a slight pressure building on my head and no longer being able to ignore my curiosity I tentatively begin to lift my head.
As I do so the pressure slowly trails closer to my hairline and as the pressure reaches my forehead I realise that it's Rosiks lips.

Fireworks shoot through my veins and with strength that I didn't know I had I rip myself from his grip and take four large steps backwards towards the bathroom.
My eyes are undoubtedly wide and distraught, my panting has only gotten louder and I can't stop my body from shaking.

This is going really badly.

"Why don't you like me?"
Rosik abruptly questions and a chill enters my body.
With a look of determination Rosik begins walking towards me and I match his strides and continue backwards.

"I-I don't like being t-touched by hands that hit children." I stammer out as I try to keep my stumbling in the same direction as the bathroom door, hoping to just walk right in and slam the door.

"I barely touched her. I did that for you Kitty." Rosik replies quickly and noticing the desperation in his eyes I break out in a cold sweat.
This man is unhinged.

"I can make this situation so much better if you just let me...
Let me Kitty. Let me in."
I begin shaking my head frantically and hold my hands out behind me, expecting the door to be just a few more strides away.

"Letting Dana and I go will make the situation better. It's not too late to do the right thing, you'll be a hero."

"The villains always get to have more fun."
Rosiks smile has turned deadly and finally feeling the firm wooden door behind my palms I practically throw myself in the room and barely manage to slam the door in Rosiks leering face.

Glancing down I curse loudly as I remember that there isn't a lock on the door.
Bracing myself tightly against the frame I expect Rosik to attempt to come in straight away but instead he pauses outside the door.

"I'm not sorry for touching you, I'm actually quite proud of how much restraint I've been showing. But if it eases your heart then I promise not to touch you for the rest of the day, just come back out." Rosik murmurs and once again I'm left confused by his mood switch.

"I really do need to use the bathroom." I state, proud of myself for not stuttering.

Thumping his feet unnecessarily loud I hear Rosik take five steps away from the door and I breathe a sigh of relief.

Quickly doing my business and washing my hands I stare into the mirror and slowly count to forty to gain control of my breathing and to ease my expression.

I've already been out here for too long, I need to speed up the process so giving myself a hard glare I make my way over to the bathroom door and refusing to give my doubts a chance to speak I rip open the door and face Rosik.

We both seem to have calmed down and now I cross my hands across my chest.
My scripted words are already bitter in my head but actually voicing them makes me nearly want to gag.

"I will take you up on your offer to not touch me for the rest of the day and.. I'm sorry for acting the way I did.
I'm just really tense." Rosiks eyes fill with false understanding and unconsciously he begins gravitating towards me again but I quickly hold up my hand to stop him.

"Do you smoke?" I question and after a brief hesitation Rosik nods and pulls out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket.
Wordlessly he opens the packet and offers one to me which I stare at blankly for a few seconds.

"My Mum would kill me if she caught me smoking."
Lie.
She was an avid chainsmoker.

"It can be our secret can I trust you not to run away?" Rosik replies as he begins to stroll slowly down the hallway toward the front door.

Following a good length behind him I brush my hands softly over the bedroom door where Dana is hopefully still fast asleep.

"I'm not going anywhere without my cousin."

"That's what Axel and I are counting on." Rosik replies before unlocking the door with his chain of keys and ushering me back into the real world.