No. No windows. They open the door, and the light hurts my eyes.
Look around the room. Is there anything you can identify?
Just gray. Cold, dark, gray.
And then someone opens the door, and there’s a sliver of light?
Yes.
Who comes down?
He feeds me.
Yes, the one who’s missing a toe on one of his feet.
Yes, that one. He always wears his mask, but sometimes, when the others don’t come, he doesn’t wear black.
What is he doing today?
My eyes adjust. He brings me a sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly, I think. He sets it on the floor in front of me, and then he takes the bucket upstairs. He brings it back empty.
Does he say anything to you?
No. Not when he comes alone. He only talks when the three of them are together.
Are you going to eat the sandwich?
Yes, I always eat what he brings me. Even if I’m not hungry. I’m never really hungry.
So there’s nothing in the room itself that you can recognize?
No. Just dark, cold, and gray. Dark, cold, gray.
Look at the steps. Look at them the next time someone enters. What do you see?
Just steps.
Are they carpeted?
No. Just wooden steps. They’re painted gray, I think. Everything is gray.
Remember the day you escaped. The one when he left the door open.
Yes. I’m so tired. Weak. I can hardly walk. All I have is my T-shirt. No pants. But I have to try. So I get up the stairs.
And what do you see when you get to the top of the stairs?
I’m in… Is it a kitchen? A little kitchen. I don’t know. I look around a little. I think I pick something up…but then I run. I’m so scared, and I run. I run out the first door I find, in the kitchen.
Go back. Go back to the kitchen. You said you looked around. Do you see anything in the kitchen? Anything unusual?
I… I see a briefcase.
Good. What color is the briefcase?
It’s brown. Brown leather. Like my saddle at home.
Anything else?