Luke didn't come out from his corner until I was almost asleep. He trotted over, head hung low, nudging my side hesitantly. I reached out and rubbed his head, pulling the plate over for him.

Luke cocked his head up at me, wondering if it was meant for him.

I pushed the plate closer, smiling gently at me. Sleep fogged my vision, giving me an unclear picture as to what he did exactly. I didn't need it though.

I'd always had a good relationship to cats growing up. Apparently the same relationship ran with the dogs too. At least this one did.

Luke sat down, dipping his head to eat my leftovers. I knew I was going to get very hungry soon. I was barely getting anything to eat as it was, now I

was giving up part of my meals to this poor thing.

I just hoped Clayton would start feeding me more.

I leaned on my side, getting a curious look from Luke. I assumed that I posed little threat if any, for he quickly went back to eating. Maybe it wouldn't

matter how big of a threat I was. Hunger was hunger and food was food.

Breathing had begun to hurt. With every inhale, I found a pain. I didn't want to breath. It hurt. Badly. Worse than anything yet.

And I had thought the ankle was bad enough.

To not want to breathe, it was a feeling barely explainable. I began to wish to die right there than to have to take another painful, ragged breath in.

It didn't take long for the puppy to notice this.

He rubbed his nose against my arm. I groaned slightly at the pain. And then again at the pain of groaning. Luke whimpered slightly, getting under my

arm to snuggle with me.

I lightly stroked him, trying hard not to put any pressure on my already painful stomach. Luke fidgeted, trying to make himself comforted as well. I

groaned louder than expected at the pain.

Oh gosh. I took shorter breathes to see if that would help.

A bomb of thunder rattled the room. I jumped, surprised at how suddenly the storm had started. I could hear the faint fall of rain from the outside.

Luke jumped as well, catching my arm with his paw. I cussed under my breath at the additional and unnecessary pain, trying to calm him down.

It didn't work.

By the second crack of thunder, Luke raced off to the corner, cowering in fear. I couldn't see him after that.

I was alone in the first thunderstorm since being kidnapped.

And I was scared as hell.

~*~

"Ellie?" I heard a deep voice call. I didn't move, finally in a position where I got the least amount of pain possible.

"Are yo...." A crack of thunder sounded, drowning out the rest of his words. As soon as it stopped, my ears picked up feet walking down the accursed

stairs.

"Ellie?" the voice called again. I was breathing in and out slowly, hoping to fool whoever it was into thinking I was asleep.

Unfortunately, I wasn't so sure how well that plan would work considering the fact that the thunder was unbelievably loud down here.

I opened my eyes; jus t slits though. I could barely make out the form of the supposedly nicer one standing before me.

He knelt down, brushing a hand across my forehead.

I opened my eyes a little more.

"Hey" He smiled at me.

I blinked once to acknowledge his existence. I could barely breathe, let alone talk. I didn't want to bring upon any more pain then I had already

experienced.

"You look painful" He grimaced, examining me. I wished I could move and cover myself up. I felt so exposed with him looking over me like that. I

would rather me down here alone.

Thunder sounded once again, startling us both.

I said a silent prayer that Luke stayed safe and hidden during the storm. I hadn't seen him since he scampered away, but I've heard the whimpers.

"I'm not going to let you stay on this hard floor while you're like this, Ellie" He whispered.

"No" I whispered. My voice was drowned out by the thunder.

"What?" He asked once it calmed down

"No..." I repeated, weaker.

"What?" He leaned forward, tilting his ear towards me

"No"

He turned back to me "I can't let you stay here."

"Can't...move..." I panted out. It hurt worse to talk. Unbearably worse.

"I'll carry you" He said, sliding his arms underneath me. Clayton rose, picking me up.

I screamed in pain, eyes watering immediately.

"Oh shit! Sorry sorry!" He said, putting me down again. I sobbed, trying hard not to move at all.

I closed my eyes, wishing he would just go away. He didn't.

"Alright. I need you to tell me if I'm hurting you ok?" He asked quietly. I moaned, letting him know that I understood. I would cooperate. Though I'd

rather not.

He slid his arms under my back. I groaned as he touched a tender part of my shoulder. Quickly Clayton moved away from that area, sliding down my

back further. When I didn't make any sign of discomfort, he moved the other arm under the back of my knees.

I scrunched up my face slightly, but nodded, saying I could tolerate it enough. He gave me a weak smile before lifting me up slightly. Clayton paused,

my butt still touching the ground.

"Are you in pain?" He asked

I shook my head weakly from side to side. Clayton pulled up a little further, pausing.

"How about now?"

I gave another pathetic shake of the head. Clayton pulled me entirely up off the ground.

He waited. I was only a foot away from the ground.

"I'm fine" I breathed out. He gave a nod before lifting me up more. I wrapped an arm around his neck to hold on, clasping my hands together. Without

realizing it, I had leaned my head against his chest, closing my eyes. His arms were hard, but much better than that horrible floor.

I knew I could fall asleep like this.

Clayton started up the stairs. That got a little painful. I groaned slightly at the first step, his arm hitting my tender part of my stomach.

He stopped "You ok?"

"Fine" I whispered, a tear leaking out the corner of my eye. Clayton didn't see it as he continued up the stairs.

Once on the main floor, I finally noticed that he was grunting under my weight. I was slightly offended. I didn't weigh that much and if anything I was

even less than when I had first been kidnapped. My logical mind told me that Clayton just wasn't used to carrying a person up stairs.

It wasn't a typical work-out for most people.

I closed my eyes, not looking where we were going. I knew one thing. The thought floated in the back of my mind. Where ever I was going, Luke

would still be trapped in the basement. Without any food. Or water. Until I got back. If I ever got back.

And even if I didn't go back, I would never tell them about Luke. He was my puppy now and I wasn't going to risk him getting hurt.

He was the only thing I had now.

A door opened. Clayton moved forward a little. I heard the door close, sealing us in wherever it was.

I opened my eyes and took in my surroundings.