Captive

(Sensitive Content Warning: Neglect, Emotional Abuse)

“I’ll see you later, babe.”

John leaned down and kissed Mimi on the forehead, but she didn’t move. He waited, watching her expectantly, but she continued to ignore him. 

“Aw, come on. Don’t be mad at me, girl. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Mimi looked forward defiantly. She wanted him to know how upset she was. It was a gorgeous day outside. The sun shone brightly, and a crisp spring breeze balanced out the heat. It was the kind of day where you could sit in a field and release your cares to the wind. 

Mimi desperately wanted to go outside, but John had forbidden it. She stared longingly out the window.

He ran his fingers through her jet-black hair, trying to rouse her. She remained silent. Resolute. Her eyes were fixed on something beyond the glass. John squinted to see what it was, but all he perceived was a vast nothing. He let out a disappointed sigh.

John hated when Mimi gave him the silent treatment. He knew it was silly and that he should just give her some space, but he loved it when she was enamored with him. Her eyes had a way of piercing through the facade that he maintained to keep the world at bay. 

She’d come around. She always did. By evening, they’d curl up on the sofa and binge-watch newly released seasons of their favorite shows. They just had to get over this current hurdle.

As much as John wanted to stay and find some way to appease her, he was going to be late for his meeting. He walked to the door and grabbed his keys off the wall. He took one last look at her before leaving. The sound of the lock clicking shut reverberated through the house.

Mimi broke her gaze on the outside world to take in the emptiness he’d left behind. Her annoyance with John bordered on rage. He didn’t understand what it was like to be locked away in a house all day. Sure, she was safe and wanted for nothing. Somehow though, Mimi still needed more.

Life had significantly improved since she’d met John. The past five years with him had been everything she could’ve dreamed of. He was so attentive and kind to her. His tenderness soothed all the emotional scars that occasionally still bled. Everything was perfect, except John was overprotective. He didn’t let Mimi do anything outside the house without him being present.

“I know you want to go out there, Meemz, but it’s too dangerous. There are things about this world that you don’t understand. I want to keep you safe.”

She’d listen attentively, but to her, it was nonsense. Mimi saw herself as capable and self-assured, sharp and instinctive. Her only flaw was the men that she ran into. 

The first guy she lived with scolded her constantly. She could never do anything right. When he kicked her out one snowy winter night, she went home with the next guy she saw. He was no better. He took joy in terrorizing Mimi. He found her anxious personality amusing and relished how easy it was to upset her.

The day the police burst into their apartment with an arrest warrant in tow, Mimi cowered in the corner. She watched as they threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. There were no goodbyes. Just the sound of him being hauled off to the cop car waiting downstairs. An officer with kind eyes made sure she was okay.

Mimi was unemployed and destitute, so she wasn’t going to be able to stay in the apartment. She ended up in a shelter, which wasn’t bad but wasn’t that good either. When she met John, they hit it off immediately. He sometimes volunteered at the shelter and immediately fell in love when he saw her. Three days later, he moved her into his home. They’d spent every day together since then.

Bored with looking out the window, Mimi headed toward the kitchen. Her footsteps were light. They barely made a sound on the maple floors. She walked past the mahogany grand piano with golden wheels, golden pedals, and ivory keys. Mimi would spend hours listening to John play classical concertos while lounging on an ostentatious purple settee. He’d dedicate each piece to her before he commenced. 

Their home was fit for a queen. And even though Mimi took her spot on the throne, she felt like a prisoner. John wanted her to be the prim and proper lady of the house, but she had the proclivities of a fugitive. 

Why did he want to keep her bound while he moved through the world so freely? Wasn’t love about setting the loved one free? Mimi couldn’t understand his motivations.

John was a pillar of the community. He worked long hours and spent much of his free time volunteering. It was great when he was home, but when he was gone, it was awful. She spent most of her hours snoozing, staring at the ceiling, and gazing longingly out the window. She would pretend that she was sprawled out in the grass, smelling the breeze and soaking up the sun. 

It was a life of loneliness. Although if you’d asked her, she wouldn’t have used that word to describe it.

Mimi desperately wanted what John had. The ability to come and go and roam around as she pleased. Maybe one day, he’d be patiently waiting at home for her. Then he would appreciate the hell she lived. If only she could turn the tables.

Was it petty to have such desires? Mimi never considered it. She was never one to overanalyze things. In fact, she was never one to analyze anything at all. Mimi didn’t consider. She simply lived and did what she wanted. Consequences were the concern of the future.

Without John there to bear witness, her anger meant nothing. His presence is what gave her silence life. His absence made it a weightless thing dissipating into the ether. The thought of it made Mimi tired. She decided on a nap and let out an audible yawn on the way to the room. No one was there to hear it.

Someone was at the door, and they had a key. Mimi woke up on John’s side of the bed as the front door unlocked.

“Hello? Mimi?”

Samantha, the cleaning woman, called out to her.

“Mimiiiiiiii. I know you’re in here. John told me you were upset with him. Do you want to talk about it?”

Silence. 

Mimi typically enjoyed Samantha’s visits. She’d watch her clean and listen to her tell strange stories. Mimi had no idea what they meant, but company was company. Samantha was Mimi’s closest friend outside of John. However, since he paid her to be there, Samantha followed whatever rules John set. She took special care to make sure Mimi stayed in the house. 

On days when Mimi looked particularly pitiful, Samantha sometimes snuck her out on the back patio. She’d give her a long lecture about following the rules and wink as she opened the sliding glass door to let her out. Mimi would savor the sunshine while Samantha cleaned the windows at the rear of the house. Occasionally, she’d get the desire to run, but she knew that if she betrayed Samantha’s trust, this small joy would be taken from her.

When they went back inside, Samantha’s instruction was always the same, “Don’t tell John. This is our little secret.” She’d smile warmly at Mimi and then pack up to leave.

But today, the sound of Samantha’s voice and footsteps approaching the room made Mimi feel panicked. Her heart pounded in her chest. She quietly got down off the bed and slid underneath it.

The bedroom door creaked as Samantha stepped in. Mimi saw her dingy white sneakers come into view. Her breathing slowed.

“Mimi?”

She watched as Samantha turned around and left, her footsteps moving deeper into the house.

Mimi crept out from underneath the bed. She had intended to go back to sleep, but a strange idea crossed her mind. Maybe this was her chance.

Samantha was a great cleaning woman, but she was pretty forgetful. It wasn’t uncommon for her to misplace her keys, forget where she parked, or leave a door unlocked. Today, her forgetfulness went a step further. She left the front door wide open.

Mimi tiptoed into the living room. Various bottles filled with colorful liquids that gave off pungent odors littered the entranceway. Mimi was careful not to disturb them as she inched towards the door, drawn to the breeze and the promise of adventure.

Her instincts told her to run for it, but she paused as her bare feet touched the threshold. There was nothing she wanted more than freedom, but John’s voice boomed in her head, warning her of the grave consequences of disobeying him. He wasn’t there, yet somehow, his hold on her remained.

“Mimi!”

She was so distracted that she didn’t hear Samantha enter the living room. Panic welled in her belly. Act fast, it said. There was only one moment to make a momentous decision. She could liberate herself from the life that John kept her trapped in or allow Samantha to lead her back to the safe and familiar.

“Mimi! No,” Samantha screamed in horror as Mimi bolted out the door. She had lunged forward to grab her, but Mimi was too fast.

Mimi ran as hard as she could even though she had no idea where she was going. Her gut told her to run, so she did.

“Stop her!”

Samantha called out to a man jogging down the street. Mimi had run past him before he could grasp what was happening. She was in a full-on sprint, and she knew that he wouldn’t be able to catch her.

Her soul took flight. Mimi’s feet were air as she zoomed past perfectly manicured front lawns. A sensation welled deep inside of her: pleasure mixed with excitement. She was finally free.

Age brought wisdom, and Mimi was determined for things to be different this time. No more depending on the charity of strange men. She’d look out for herself now. When she reached the corner, she cut down the intersecting street. There was a house with a for sale sign on its front lawn. Mimi ran towards it and darted into the backyard. She stopped along its side wall to catch her breath.

At least, that was her plan. While trying to recover, Mimi spotted a dog at the far end yard. He was watching her with intense, devilish eyes. They betrayed his intent to harm her. Part of her hoped that she was mistaken. Maybe this creature would be different from all of the ones that she’d known. But instead, it charged directly at her.

Mimi let out a scream as she willed her legs to distance herself from the dog. It echoed through the neighborhood. A few birds flew out of the branches of nearby trees.

Running back towards the front lawn, Mimi could feel the beast gaining on her. Its collar playfully jingled as it closed in for the kill. She was so preoccupied with fleeing to safety that she didn’t notice she was running toward danger.

A distracted driver in a rickety blue car was cruising down the street. By stepping into the road to escape the predator, Mimi rushed right into the path of the oncoming vehicle. The sound of the engine roaring put her under a spell. Her legs locked up. She stared at the car as it closed in on her, the mad dog still at her heels.

The tires wailed under the pressure of the brakes. Mimi watched the car careening towards her. She knew she was supposed to keep running but couldn’t move.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Samantha stood behind Mimi. She held up a hand like a telekinetic superhero.

“Lady! Are you crazy?” 

“Sorry,” Samantha reached down and wrapped her arms around Mimi. She gently lifted her off the asphalt like a piece of fine china, holding her tightly and stroking her back as she returned to the sidewalk. Mimi held still.

“I could’ve killed the both of you! Are you willing to die over a stupid cat?”

Samantha didn’t know how to respond, so she smiled and waved at the incredulous driver. He shook his head as he pulled it back in the car and drove off. Samantha exhaled audibly.

“You could’ve gotten hurt, Meemz. You know you’re not supposed to be outside.” 

Mimi looked up at her with wide eyes. She was grateful to still be in possession of her nine lives.

That night, when John returned home, Mimi waited eagerly at the door. She purred and rubbed her face against his leg.

“I heard you went on an adventure today.”

Mimi looked up at him adoringly as he kneeled and scritched her ear. John could feel his heart melting. Finally, his favorite girl was back.

“You see now? It’s dangerous out there, just like I’ve always told you. I’m not trying to be mean, Meemz. I’m trying to protect you.”

She still didn’t know what the words meant, but somehow she understood.