Page 77 of Adam & Eve

her brown ones. I erased every hint of human emotion from my face. I gave her nothing. Treated her

like she had treated me, for years.

At least a minute passed before she got up from the floor then glanced toward the bathroom.

She wanted to isolate herself again, but instead walked over to the bed, got in and she pulled the

covers to her chin.

“Goodnight, Adam,” she whispered.

Closing my eyes, shutting the image of her out, I responded, “Goodbye, Eve.”

N I N E T E E N

I was still asleep. I must have been. I closed my eyes and opened them over and over again, hoping

each time the room door would still be open. When I saw that it was, I called out to Adam and got no

response.

I got up from the bed and walked cautiously to the door to peek out. Outside the room was a

fully furnished basement. I saw stairs that led to a door which was also opened. I realized I’d been

locked inside some sort of panic room.

Was I free? Was this another one of his games? I wondered if I would step outside the room

just to have him tackle me and drag me back in. I hated to admit it, but I was scared. I turned back and

called for Adam again before walking over to check inside the bathroom. When I turned back around,

I noticed a bag at the foot of the bed that had jeans and a t-shirt draped across it. I rushed over and

grabbed the heavy bag. I unzipped it and my eyes bugged out when I saw all the hundred-dollar bills

inside. There was more money in that bag than I’d ever seen or probably would ever see in my whole

life. I pulled out stack after stack. A note fell out of the bag. I picked it up and read it.

I’m sorry. This should help you get a new start somewhere.

-Adam

I was free, but I didn’t know how to feel about it. So many emotions were running through my

mind. Did I stay, or did I go? I was going of course, but something held me there, trapped. When the

answer for what I was feeling didn’t come, I pushed everything to the back of my mind, grabbed the

clothes and put them on. Bathing and brushing my teeth never even crossed my mind.

Hurriedly I walked to the door. Apprehension hit me again before I stepped over the

threshold. Was he really letting me go? Did I want to go? Would I ever find a man willing to go

through so much trouble for me? The insecurities and fear of being alone threatened to drown me.