Why the fuck did I agree to this? I don't want her around me. Whatever manipulation she used on her son to make him insane, I didn't want to give her the chance to use against me.

The past five minutes had been an uncomfortable silence between the two of us. She had come in quietly and then sat down a couple yards in front of me.

She didn't try to talk to me. She didn't try to touch me. She didn't try anything. She sat there staring at me silently with a knowing look on her face. What did she want?

Seriously. I'm not a mind reader. If she wanted something, she'd have to tell me.

...

Should I...

Should I say something? Is that it?

"Umm... Do you want something?"

She smiled and tipped her head to the side. "No, Sweetie. Is there something you want?"

"Please let me go home..."

"Now, Hun, this is your home now."

I gave her an exaggerated sigh to let her know how exasperated I was.

"Don't be like that, Sweetie. You are going to be here for a long time, and it won't be very pleasant until you learn to vocalize what you want."

I kicked the floor absentmindedly. Three things. There were three things I wanted. Even if she want going to let me go now, I'd find a way eventually. That left two things.

"Can I see my parents?"

"Not until you turn 18."

"18?"

"When you turn 18, you legally become an adult and they can't stop you from staying here."

"But I don't want to stay here," I spat out hatefully.

"You will," she reassured. "Think of something else, Raiden."

Three. "Can you take off the chain around my ankle?"

''I..." She looked around the room and then up, as if for guidance. When she stood up, she took a wary step forward and asked, "May I approach you?"

I nodded. Anything if it would get me out.

She walked slowly and cautiously towards me and kneeled in front of me with her eyes on my ankle. "May I touch you?"

"Sure."

She reached forward and moved the chain farther up my leg so she could see the painful chaffing.

"Oh, poor dear. Does it hurt?"

"I don't know..."

"Communication, dear. Communication."

I bit my tongue. I couldn't blow my one chance. "Yeah, it hurts, I guess."

"There we go," she stated with a blunt contentment in her voice. "One step at a time."

"So you'll let me out?"

"Your grandmother-in-law had something that helped with chafing. She passed it on to me... Now if I can remember where I..." She trailed off and walked down the stairs.

Wait.

What. The. Actual. Fuck. Did. She. Just. Say? 'Grandmother-in-law?'

In-laws are, like, relatives by marriage. Right? No, I must not have heard that right. Or maybe I heard wrong. Yeah, that must be what happened.

Because last time I checked, I wasn't married to anybody. Or even engaged. I think I'd remember something like that.

"I found it, Raiden! It was right where I thought it'd be. Now, it may sting a little, but it really stops the pain and helps heal your skin. Do you want to try it or not?"

"Uh... Yeah, sure."

She'd already started opening the jar and dipped a small, tattered rag into the yellow substance. She set down the jar and rag and pulled out a small key. Slowly, she started unlocking the chain as she talked. "Now, don't try anything. When I let you out, you'll stay sitting there obediently while I apply the gel to your ankle. Afterwards, we can sit and talk for a while with the chain off so you have a little rest from it. Okay?"

I nodded vigorously. She smiled sweetly and the lock clicked. I pulled it off and grabbed the raw skin, stupidly.

"Oh, God. Fuck!" I screamed as pulled my hands away to stop the searing pain.

"Oh, Hun," Adam's mom sighed while holding my hands up and away from my ankle. Like I'd do that again... "Let's...not do that, okay? Here, let me get the gel."

The moment she was no longer holding me and was bent over the jar, I made a break for it. I jumped up, pushed her off balance, and sprinted for the trap door. My feet pounded against the wood in time with my racing heart. I skidded to a stop in front of the door and dropped to my knees. I clawed at the handle, unable to get a good grip in my fervent haze.

"Damn it... Open!"

Suddenly, I was face down on the floor with a knee in my back and an arm around my neck, cutting off my air.

"Raiden, now, you know that's not nice. You agreed to behave while I was here. I'm very disappointed in you."

"Ah... tchh... gh..."

She loosened the pressure against my neck and allowed some air to return to my lungs. "If it were up to me, you'd be punished for that. But it's not up to me. It's Adam's decision, and he will be hearing about this from me. I can do that now, or, if you apologize, we can put this behind us for the moment and continue where we were."

"I... I-I'm sorry...?"

"Apology accepted." She pulled me to my feet by the back of my neck and walked me back to the mattress.

I sat there quietly until she finished applying the sickly smelling gel. I couldn't run again. She had reflexes like a cat.

"Are you done? I don't want you to run off again."

I nodded in silent confirmation. There was a way out of the attic and I knew it. It just wasn't that way.

She sat with me for a couple hours, making awkward small talk. Eventually, she decided she was done and left. Not before chaining up my ankle though. At least she switched the side so the chafing had time to heal.

Once she was gone, I laid down on the mattress and closed my eyes. It couldn't have been later than noon (not that I would know, mainly because of my lack of a clock) but I was worn out for the day.

If I was lucky, Adam would leave me alone for the rest of the day.