Fragile Truths by D. H. Sidebottom, R. M. James

ripple of unease to tickle my senses with something quite ominous.
    “Toilet,” he barked out as he took a step back and rested his backside on the edge of the large porcelain sink.
    I stared up at him, my eyes wide. He lifted a brow in question and I huffed. “Surely you don’t expect me to go with you stood there watching.”
    “That’s exactly what I expect, Princess .”
    I knew he wasn’t kidding, his nickname a derisive ridicule and far from a pet name, so gritting my teeth I struggled to stay perched on the edge of the bath and pulled my leggings down. I accepted that I was still in the same clothes from… well, however many days I had been here but the thought of wearing the same knickers for that amount of time coiled my stomach slightly.
     
    “Can I get a drink?” I asked quietly when I had managed to struggle across the bathroom to the toilet.
    Niko stared ahead at the shower cubicle whilst I pee’d. “I’ll see what I can do,” he answered simply.
    I cringed at the world’s longest wee, the sound of it loud in the harsh quiet. I almost wished he would strike up some conversation just to cloak the embarrassment heating my cheeks. “Are you going to help that man? You can’t leave him like that for much longer.”
    He sighed and I watched his jaw clench, “Do you ever shut up?”
    “But he’ll die.”
    “Not my problem,” Niko shrugged as he lowered his eyes to me. “Are you done?”
    I nodded as I wiped myself and pulled everything back up. Niko grabbed my arm again and I scowled at him, “I need to wash my hands.”
    “Jesus Christ!” he mumbled in frustration at my pestering but stepped back and waved his hand to the sink.
    I kept my back to him as I ran the hot tap and eyed the small cup containing two toothbrushes and toothpaste. Who the hell were these people? Most of all, what the hell was this place? Who kidnapped someone and provided them with a clean bathroom and oral hygiene products?
    I glanced over my shoulder and found him staring at the floor as if bored. My eyes flicked to the cup again, then to the steam curling around the sink, then back to the cup. I picked it up slowly, my nerves initiating little bubbles of nausea in my stomach and held it under the stream of water until I could barely hold it with the scorching heat soaking through the cheap thin plastic. I turned around quickly just as Niko looked over at me and flung it in his face.
    Without waiting for his reaction I ran from the bathroom. My footing stuttered when I caught sight of the crucified guy while Niko screamed a string of profanities from the bathroom. “I’ll get help,” I cried to him as I shot towards the door. His jaw dropped as he stared at me in shock.
    I grabbed the handle and pulled… and pulled again then slammed my fist into it angrily.
    Stupid, stupid, stupid.
    Of course the door would be locked. As if professionals like this would leave a door open for someone like me to just waltz through.
    “No, no, no…”
     
    I squealed when an arm came around my waist and I was flung backwards, my back thumping the floor brutally and a severe pain charging up the centre of my spine. Niko growled loudly and I squinted as his fist came hurtling towards my face.
    “Niko!” Jesus shouted.
    I gasped as I opened my eyes after a stagnant moment and found his coiled fist hovering above my face. His blood red face was full of his wrath but I wasn’t sure whether it was the boiling water that caused it or his anger. “You stupid cow,” he hissed in my face as his body straddled mine on the floor and I struggled beneath him.
    The door opened and someone I couldn’t see stepped inside. Niko closed his eyes for a fraction then climbed off me and dragged me up by my hair. The tall dark haired guy glared at me, his eyes piercing mine as he looked at me with a deep loathing.
    I gulped at the fury he was radiating and cursed myself inwardly once more for my stupidity. Why was I always so reckless? I’d always