I don’t know how long it goes on. I don’t know when it stops, but at some point, I look at the screen, and she’s no longer on it.
That’s when I collapse again. I fall into the darkness of sleep, and that’s where I plan on spending the rest of my life: swimming in the dark.
19
Liesel
I’m barely conscious as I’m dragged out of the room, but I survived.
Now, I get a break. A hot bath and warm food. I won’t be watching any of the other rounds. I don’t care. I just need to refocus before my next round.
A door is opened in front of me, and I’m pushed inside.
There is a body on the floor.
“Sorry, we went to the wrong room.” The men start to turn and lead me away.
“Stop. I want to stay here.”
The men look at each other and shrug. Then they leave me barely able to stand on my own two feet. Langston better not have eaten all the food because I’m going to need something to eat.
As soon as the door is locked behind me, I stumble forward to Langston’s body on the ground, and I collapse next to him.
I can hear him breathing. He’s alive, just passed out.
He looks so beautifully broken lying on the floor. I reach out and stroke his hair back off his forehead. I want to press my lips to him. I want to feel him moan against my mouth after everything we’ve just been through—I need something warm and comforting.
He opens his eyes.
“Are you real?” he asks.
I smile. “I’m real. I survived, just like you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“A room mixup, but it worked out in my favor.”
He finally smiles. “Mine too.”
“Think you can sit up?”
“Do you think you can?”
I sigh. “As long as you promise to feed me lots of pizza.”
“That I can do.”
We both inch up slowly until we are in a sitting position leaning against the base of the tub. Langston reaches back and grabs a towel and hands it to me. It’s only then I remember I’m still naked.
“Thanks,” I mumble as I wrap the towel around my body. He ties a towel around his waist.
Then he pulls the tray of food in front of us. I grab a slice of pizza, and he grabs the burger. We both eat, trying to regain some strength.
“You care about me,” I say.
He stops mid-bite.
“No, I don’t,” he says.