The Basement | Teen Ink

The Basement

December 31, 2018
By DJAlyss GOLD, El,paso, Texas
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DJAlyss GOLD, El,paso, Texas
12 articles 1 photo 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
Practice doesn't make perfect,
Practice makes Permanent


I was down to my last twenty dollars. I was in a deserted foreign place and I didn’t have anywhere to go or any family to go to. Then I stumbled upon a deserted gas station (or what I thought was deserted).

I walk in and an elderly man was sitting behind the counter. He sits up straighter when I walk in. “How do you do?” I ask when I enter. “As good as any man can be in these times.”, he tells me. “Well, I was wondering what is something efficient I can get with twenty dollars,” I tell him.  “The only thing I have that is ‘efficient’ is probably my whole store”. “Something for twenty dollars, please,” I tell him. “I’ll sell it to you for twenty.” He says. “Are you serious?” I ask in disbelief. “I’ve been wanting to get out of this dump.” He tells me. I give him the last of my money and take the key he gives me. “Just be careful, don’t spend too much time in the basement.” He warns me. “What there’s a basement?” “Yessum’ and if I were you I wouldn’t even go in there.” He leaves before I can reply.

                Alone, I sit there eating the leftover food in the in the store. I take a nap. When I wake up it’s night time and I get up and stretch. I hear a rasp at the door. Still groggy and not really in my right mindset my feet led me down some stairs as I went farther the rasping got louder and louder. I feel this weird falling sensation the deeper the stairs go.
                Finally, I reach what I thought was the bottom and open the door in front of me now. When I look inside it’s more stairs. Out of curiosity, I keep going down. After the around the fortieth time of this repeated cycle, finally, reach a door that leads me to the basement. I look around blindly for a light. Failing to find one in time I slip on something slimy and I smell it. It smells like…………. caramelized sugar?

                 I try to get up but, the slime covers me. It was submerging me into darkness.

I felt as if I was drowning. The slime completely covering me head to toe all the way, down to my bones it seemed. I was desperately trying to free myself but, the wondrous smelling slime would refuse to let go of me. I sat there barely able to breathe. I was just about to give up when I heard a loud Boom! The slime fell off my body as fast as it had overcome me. I was gasping for breath when I hear the sound again. Foolishly I slowly pick myself up as I stagger across the floor to reach the sound.

I am both physically and mentally exhausted. When I reach the sound I am standing in front of another door. My God if I see another door I swear imma- Before I could finish my mental threat the door swings open and hits me in the face. I scream in agony and stumble backward before I hit the ground.

I think I black out because I can’t remember much after that. The next thing I know I’m in a room hanging upside down on some kind of pulley. This is like a scene from The Outlast video game series. I remember that game. Back before the zombies invaded my home when I was only thirteen. When I lost everything. My family, my home, my friends, and I was left to wander until I found safety.

I thought all was lost, but now hanging here now I realize how lucky I was to have escaped the massacres that happened in a once known as such a wealthy gated community. I saw the news and knew what was going on, but I didn’t realize it was this bad of an epidemic. I never thought I would lose everything over a disease.

I had no sense of time in the room. It was completely dark except for a fluorescent light in the corner of the room. Now I’m absolutely terrified about finding out where I ended up and who has put me here. All this hanging around here is making me feel light headed. I realize how hungry I am. I probably haven’t eaten in two or more hours; I think to myself.

I was really getting light headed and thought I was going to pass out again, but then a couple of people-men or women I’m unsure of- covered in hooded masks come in and untie me. I would have tried to run but, I was way too weak and tired. They lay me on the cold, hard ceramic floor. They bring in a chair and sit me down in it. They gag me and tie a rope around my body and chair. One of the masked savages pulls out a camera. “Smile!” they say in a smug voice. I blink as the camera flash blinds me for a minute.

When I am able to see again I wince as another person flashes a different camera in my face. They take a couple more pictures and mock me and laugh at how dumb I was to have come down here. I feel foolish and ashamed. How could I have done this? Why didn’t I listen to the man? I think to myself. I feel regret and wish I could go back and listen. That’s always been my weakness. Curiosity. I am like Pandora and her box.

They untie me from the chair and one of the monsters pulls out a chain. He puts the ankle bracelet on me and then ties me to a weird post that is made of concrete. I want to desperately escape their grasps, but I am far too weak to try.

Needless to say, I am still starving so when they came in with what I would assume was soup, only it was just broth, I horked down my food, and almost choked in the process might I add. As happy as I was to have eaten I was dying of thirst. They did not come again, however, not even to pick up my plate.

The ‘bathroom’ was as far away as my chain would allow me to move. I have not the slightest of ideas of the time. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. It’s not like anyone would look for me either. So I went and got used to the repeated cycle. The gagging, the tying, the mocking, the leaving, the waiting the food, and ready to start the cycle again.

The author's comments:

This is to be continued....

I’ve been here God knows how long. I have been giving up hope on if I were to ever escape. I become anxious scared to see if the cycle will repeat itself. I have just about lost around forty pounds in the time I’ve been here. I was around one hundred forty pounds when I came unto this place. I now probably weigh around ninety to one hundred pounds.

I’m mentally drained and I feel like I’m going psychotic.  I have no idea how much more I can survive this hellish life. I know I’ve been here for more than a month. Maybe It’s only been a week, with the ability to determine time impossible I don’t even know if I’m sane right now.

Sane or not I know I need to find a way out of this nightmare. I have been here for long enough- no matter how long that is. I must get out of here. If I die on the way out so be it, at least I can say I tried. These monsters have held me captive long enough. I will build up my strength, I will improve my mental state, and I will escape.

I have survived this long not getting killed by the disease. I will not get killed by measly savages, I will make it through.  I can do this I need to grow up and deal with this the right way, fight until the end.



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