captured
my heart securely caught
can barely breath
the lesson has been taught

A section of the heavy drapes began to bulge with the tell-tale sharp corner of a door opening behind cloth, accompanied by a slight whine of un-greased hinges scraping against themselves. The girl closed her eyes again as a human-shaped shadow appeared on the floor inside the room; inky black and surrounded by brilliant light spilling from the outside.
A well-dressed bookish sort of looking fellow followed his shadow into the room and scanned the room with far sharper eyes then most would credit him with. Apparently finding everything to his satisfaction, his eyes gaze fell on the slim girl still lying on the floor in front of him, unmoving still.
“Keladi.”
he said gently, though the cruelly expectant smile playing on his lips belied the sound of his voice. There was no response, then more abruptly;
“Get up, child.”
This remitted an immediate action. Keladi sprang to her feet and landed much farther away from him than she had first been; nearly to the back wall of the room. Fear was evident on her face, and longing. The man raised a thin eyebrow.
“You have a question. Speak it.”
“I am merely ‘child’?” she queried. “Would that not be more accurately ‘daughter?’ Or perhaps, for you less sentimental people, ‘creation’ or even your version of Frankenstein’s monster?” her hands began to tense into fists and the set her of jaw indicated an attitude nowhere near submission.
“Enough!”
She shrank against the back wall, hiding from the anger that radiated from him, but rallied enough to speak again.
“I would know for what I was created, sir.” she said deferentially, with a bit of cringing. “For what purpose? Why did you undertake...me?”
He lifted his lips away from his teeth in a parody of a smile. “Why because I could, Keladi.” he stated warmly. “No one knows you exist, therefore, you are solely mine. No one to regulate what can and cannot be done to you.”
“So I am your prisoner?”
His black eyes flared and he seemed to grow taller and more menacing.
“Dare you question me, creation of mine?” He stepped towards her, every bit of his movement foreshadowing anger and danger. Keladi was frozen in place, trembling uncontrollably. He locked eyes with her; she began shaking harder, terror written on her countenance.
“Please, sir!” she cried, not know what she was requesting, only desperate for him to stop. Maliciously he smiled and leaned forward more.
“You are not my prisoner, but an extension of my will.” She stopped breathing, unable to draw air into her lungs. Black spots began to float in her vision but she remained mercilessly conscious.
“Whatever I want, you will do. My commands you will follow without thinking. It is the way I created you.” he stepped back and was suddenly nothing more than a thin, bookish-looking middle aged man again. Keladi collapsed onto the floor, almost sobbing with relief as she once again breathed normally.
“Stand up.” Keladi pushed herself to her feet and leaned on the wall slightly for balance; her face bloodless.
“I am sorry you made me do that to you.” he said regretfully. Keladi’s eyes widened.
“I apologize....Master.” she bowed her head and tears slid out of the corners of her eyes. He turned around and pulled the door open again, letting in a flood of light.
“Come with me.” he commanded without turning his head and walked out of the room, confident she would follow.
Instantly she pushed herself away from the wall and tentatively stepped forward, leaning on each foot before committing her weight to it. She followed him out the door and into a bright hallway lined with lamps set into the walls. Instinctively, she raised a hand over her eyes to shield them, but her wrist was caught in a surprisingly gentle grip.
“Let your eyes adjust; it will be less painful,” she was instructed, and she lowered her arm back to her side as he released her. She blinked rapidly until her pupils contracted from enormous orbs, to tiny circles of black surrounded by pure blue.