THE CAPTOR AND THE PRISONER

Emma Skyte

‘The cage is open,’ I say, pacing the length of the room.
        I’m clutching my hair, tugging on the unruly strands. You’re sitting cross-legged, facing me, shoulders pressed against the steel bars. I feel your eyes on me as they trace my wild footsteps. You’re watching me in silence, like you always do.
        ‘The cage is open,’ I say again, this time louder.
        Your silence thickens. I spin to face you, infuriated.
        ‘Do you hear me?’ I cry out.
        All you do is blink.
        I charge forward, clasping my hands around the bars of the open door. They groan beneath my forceful grasp. ‘It is open,’ I seethe, looking directly at you. My teeth grind together. I’m snarling my spit and fury. ‘You can leave anytime you’d like.’
        You just stare right back at me. So, I concede. My shoulders sag, and I sink down to the unwashed floor. I cross my legs and hang my head low.
        ‘Why are you still here?’ I whisper.