Jack In The Box novel Chapter 21

I’d taken ample amount of rest that evening and when I woke up it was already dinner time. I was served white rice, boiled veggies and some gravy on the side.

Any motivation I had about life had already left the building. I couldn’t imagine how during the time I worked here, fed this particular dinner to patients and thought nothing of it. I felt sympathy for all those people I’d forced to eat it, day in and day out.

I’d forced most of the food down my throat when Aaron entered the room. He had a worried expression on his face as he took a seat next to the bed. “How are you feeling now?” He asked.

“Better.” I lied.

He nodded. “The antibiotics will make you drowsy but it will help you with the pain.”

What about the pain stabbing in my heart? Will the antibiotics make that pain go away too?

“I hope so.” I said, pushing the carrots back and forth in my plate.

I wasn’t liking the look that Aaron was giving me, it was filled with so much pity. I didn’t want anyone’s pity. All I wanted was for everyone to leave me alone and not act like I was a broken porcelain doll.

Suddenly he left his seat, closed the door of the room and was back in his seat. “Riley,” Aaron said in low voice. “I’ve noticed that you’ve been very closed off since morning when you woke up. This is unlike you...”

If anyone could read me well, it was Aaron. Before I could open my mouth and answer, he went on, “During the one week that you were with him. Whatever happened there, if he’d kept you captive and put you in...” he shrugged. “Well...in a compromising position, we understand. You are not to blame yourself for that. Often the victims of rape and abuse blame themselves for the situations that they were...”

Aaron blabbered more of his philosophical bullshit which I’d already tuned out. It’s like no one was trying to understand me. No one had bothered to ask me what actually happened in that cabin, and had let their imaginations run wild. Granted, Jack had a criminal record, he had the reputation of being the most notorious patient locked in the asylum, but if he’d wanted to hurt me, if he really was the person behind those killings, I would have already been dead.

Everyone suspected Jack without a shadow of a doubt, and they weren’t wrong to assume it. I’d been in a similar mindset before I went to his cabin. After staying with him for over a week, I’d known in my heart that Jack couldn’t be the killer.

“Riley, are you even listening to me?” Aaron asked. He seemed concerned.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

He shut his eyes and sighed, closing his hand over mine. “If Jackson assaulted you, and that’s the reason you’ve been so depressed then you need to talk to me. I will help you, Riles.”

“He did not assault me, or hurt me, Aaron. I already told you this before.”

Aaron didn’t believe me. He ran his thumb over my closed fist. “He threatened you, didn’t he?”

I stared at him incredulously. How was he even coming to these conclusions when I hadn’t even said a word?

“He threatened to kill you if you told us anything. But you need to rest assured, you’re in safe territory now, Jack can’t hurt you here. There’s a twenty four seven police surveillance outside. No one can come inside without passing the officers first.” He assured me. “You can tell us the truth. What happened after that night when Jack kidnapped you?”

“Nothing.” I said calmly. “He gave me a room, there were plenty of clothes in the wardrobe, there was a flat screen, food and everything one needs for a short vacation.”

It was Aaron’s turn to stare at me like I’d spoken in Chinese and he was in need of an urgent translator. “I’m not in a mood for jokes right now and the sarcasm is not appreciated.”

I laughed. “I’m not being sarcastic. What did you expect me to say? That he bound me to a chair in a shabby underground basement? Or that he used my body to satisfy his carnal urges by keeping me locked away in said basement?”

When Aaron didn’t answer, I went on. “Clearly you’re aware Jack doesn’t need classes when it comes to seduction. He could have any woman he wanted, he doesn’t need to resort to tying them up in a dungeon.”

“Are you defending him again?” Aaron asked, and this time fury was clear in his eyes.

“I was speaking the truth. Nothing that you guys have been assuming happened. I lived with him in the cabin for a week and...” my throat clogged up with the memories. “And I’m not ashamed to say that it may have been some of the best days of my life.”

He narrowed his gaze at me. “What did he do to you?”

“I said...”

“Do you know what you sound like, Riley?”