The Doll's House

43

They stared at each other, neither saying a word. Ruby was still furious at being dragged from the warm cocoon of her dream and enraged by her captor’s patronizing kindness.

‘I’m sorry to have left you alone for such a long time.’

He clearly wanted a response, but she wasn’t going to give him one. What right did he have to wake her up? To keep her here? He was a sick fuck, who deserved nothing but her scorn.

‘Summer?’

Still she stared at him.

‘Are you feeling ok? You look pale.’

‘I’m fine, how are you?’ Her tone was withering and she was amused to see that she had hurt him.

‘I’m trying to be nice, Summer.’

‘Go to Hell.’

She had wanted to sound angry, but her voice wobbled slightly. She cursed herself for her weakness.

‘Well, aren’t you going to say something?’ she continued, eyeballing him.

He looked at her for a long time, saying nothing in response. Then with a small shake of the head, he rose and walked back to the door.

‘Don’t go.’

Ruby found herself rising, the thought of being alone suddenly too much for her to bear.

He paused at the door to look over his shoulder.

‘You brought this on yourself, Summer.’

Then without another word he left, slamming the door behind him. The first bolt was pushed firmly into place. Then the next. Each one seemed to go right through Ruby.

‘Please. I didn’t mean it. Please stay.’

Ruby could hear him walk away. Then the dull sound of another door closing in the near distance.

‘Please,’ she moaned.

But there was no one to hear her now. And Ruby knew as she lay there that it was she who was in Hell, not him. With him, she was scared and uncertain, without him she was desolate. Like it or loathe it, there was no escaping the fact that he was her world now.