Rude Awakening

At 2:00 a.m. I heard the same sound, but I didn't panic. Instead, I took my hammer and flashlight from the nightstand and stepped into the kitchen.

The beam illuminated a fist sized hole in the floorboards. Kneeling down, I hammered the splintered wood into place once again.

In the morning, I would repair it with a proper plank and long nails.

Maybe I needed a better option. A cage? Tighter restraints? Maybe I could simply quit this life? But, who was I kidding?

They always tasted better after marinating in fear.

I smiled as I walked back to bed.