The icy bathwater was precisely what I needed. I lay silently, my gaze drifting across the ceiling, attempting to count the intricately designed boxes – a futile exercise.

"That's all I have to do," I mused, Rex's face, handing me tea, flashing in my mind. "I wonder when I can escape this prison," my inner voice boomed, louder than the suddenly-noticed running tap.

Alice wouldn't see me, wouldn't hear from me. Even knowing her love was feigned, she had her reasons.

"I know the history," her voice echoed in my head, a chilling premonition. "Don't let him do it to you," Rex's warning followed, jolting me awake. The air crackled...