Comfort

This one isn't related to my other stories, just a little piece I wrote as part of a writing exercise.

Brian shifted on the thin mat, the bars of the cage starting to dig into his hip. He stretched his 5'9" frame as best he could in the cages five and a half foot length and then sat up cross legged, the top of his head pressed just a little against the upper bars.

Peering out into the darkness Brian wondered just how long he had been here. He narrowed his eyes and studied the area where he thought the window was. Was that a narrow band of light showing near the top?

He stretched out again, on his stomach this time and felt along the bars of the cage until he found the water bottle. Wrapping his lips around the metal straw he took a few careful sips. There was no way to know how much water was left, or when, or if he would be allowed out for the restroom.

The room was cool but not cold and he could here the click click click of the clock on the wall. He lay his head on his arms and concentrated trying to hear what was going on beyond the closed door. For a moment he thought he heard the tapping of her heels on the hardwood floor but then realized it was only the hypnotic rhythm of the clock. With a sigh Brian lay his head on arms and let ticking lull him to sleep.

Brian woke some time later to the insistant fullness of his bladder. He shifted again trying to get more comfortable. His throat was dry but he didn't dare take another drink. He ran his fingers over the bars, counting them again, eighteen along each side and eight on each end.

He tried to think of something, anything else, but it was like trying not to think of pink elephants. Frustrated he searched the cage again, his fingers combing every inch but finding only the mat on the floor and the bottle wired to one side. He wondered for a moment if he could get the lid off of the water bottle but gave that idea up when he realized he had no way of righting it.

The clocks ticking taunted him and he shifted and tried to sleep again but wasn’t able to this time. After what seemed like forever his discomfort growing with each breath he began to wonder just how much a puddle on the floor would cost him.

Finally when he began to think he couldn’t wait any longer, the door to the room opened and closed behind him. He heard the sound of her heels tapping across the floor and the cage door was opened and something tossed in, bouncing off of his crossed legs. Then the sound of her heels retreating and he turned straining for a glimpse of her. He was rewarded as the meager light from the next room momentarily silhouetted her long legs, then without a word she pulled the door shut behind her.

Brian ran his fingers over the object on the cage floor. He laughed out loud when he realized what it was, a plastic bottle lid and all. Moments later, very much relieved he curled up as best he could and went back to sleep.

The next time he woke the curtains were opened and soft evening light filled the room. Brian rolled over and looked around. The cage door was open. He crawled to it, then paused, stroking the bars on either side. Finally with a sigh he wriggled through, leaving the comfort of its steel walls. Time to face the world again.