https://Voice.club - Parker entered the room carrying the food and looked over at the cage. His heart jolted, waves of nausea sweeping over him, and he dropped the meal in his rising panic. The cage was empty, the door ajar. Raven had gone!
He started looking around but couldn’t make sense of Raven’s disappearance. He sat on the floor and held his head in his hands. When was the last time he had seen her? Last night, he thought, when he had said good night and closed the cage. But had he closed it properly? He had been drinking. Why couldn’t he be more careful?
He felt heavy with sadness, an overwhelming feeling of loss. For five years, he had watched her grow into a silky, dark beauty. He had named her, fed her, kept her clean, and taught her to sing, but most of all, he loved her.
He remembered the day he’d found her. She had seemed so small and vulnerable. He had picked her up and taken her home to the cage he had made especially for her. At first, she seemed nervous of him, but over time she’d become more responsive and seemed to look forward to his daily visits.
In that instance, his thoughts turned to anger. Why had she gone? Didn’t she love him too? Where was she now? Who was she with?
As if in answer, the sound of approaching sirens penetrated his thoughts. A cacophony of crashing doors and shouts followed as armed police swarmed into the room where Parker was still sitting on the floor. Raven had sung.
Five months later, Parker stared out from his prison cell. He was now the captive. The jury had shown no mercy. He had abducted and abused Raven, denying her five years of her life. He had caused abject misery for her family, who, until her escape, had no idea what had happened to their little girl, whether she was alive or dead. The judge sentenced Parker to life behind bars, and no one would leave the doors of his cage unlocked.