CaughtInTheTrap by Unknown Page A

her leg might cease flowing to her foot. Carla felt the heat from his body radiate up her leg. Natural reflexes caused her leg to jerk when he touched the bottom of her foot with the tip of the knife.
    He worked on her foot for less than a minute and released her leg.  He stood up from the bed and faced her. “The splinter is out.”
    He didn’t stay in the bedroom long enough for her shock to wear off to say anything to him.  Carla felt the remnants of his hard hand throbbing around her ankle and pulsate through her toes. She stayed put for several minutes and then got off the bed and hobbled to the dresser to see what was on the plate he’d left.
    Plump green grapes, red apple slices and a cup of strawberry yogurt with fresh granola to spoon over it opened her eyes wide and made her mouth salivate.  She plucked a grape and chewed it slowly savoring the freshness as it smothered the hunger pangs that gripped her stomach.  She took another grape and then another before they were all gone. She started on the apple slices and then the yogurt and granola; it was gone in minutes, too.
    The fruit was filling and satisfying as Carla took the plate to the kitchen.  Zach was seated at the kitchen table eating a sandwich.  She lowered her head to think of something nice to say to him—nothing came to mind. Standing at the sink, she saw the kitchen counter was cluttered with the items he’d used to make the sandwich he was eating.  Placing her plate in the sink she began to clear off the counter as Zach sat quietly reading a newspaper and eating; not paying any attention to what she was doing.
    Carla shook her head. They were two adults, in the same cabin, not passing a word between them.  She looked over at the table and saw his empty plate. She reached for it at the same time he did, causing their hands to brush together. Carla cleared her throat. “I’ll wash the dishes since I’m standing at the sink.”
    Finally, she saw the color of his eyes; they were the clearest blue she’d ever seen on a man or woman.  It’s not that she automatically took notice of the eye color of Caucasian people.  However, this man was only inches away from her and staring directly at her.
    “OK,” he mumbled as he took a seat at the table to resume reading the paper.
    Carla finished cleaning the kitchen and went to the living room to look out the window. The rain had stopped, but a thick mist hung over the meadow from the humidity hanging in the air. She traced the path of a raindrop with her finger as it slid down the window; she was bored and ready to go home.  As much as she hated her job, she missed going to work.  At least her elderly clients were pleasant people who didn’t bark at her.  Also, tonight would be karaoke night at the bar with Tonya.  They did karaoke every Thursday night at Tino’s Bar and Grille.  It was her stress reliever from her dead-end job and night out with her best friend since high school.
    She flopped down on the couch and drew her knees up to her chest. “Is there a town or something nearby with anything to do there? A movie theater or a bowling alley… anything?”
    Zach didn’t look up from his paper as he spoke. “There is a town but not one you want to visit.  You’re better off staying inside the cabin until we get clearance to leave.”
    Carla rested her chin on the top of her knees. “I see.  I’m being held in a place that isn’t welcoming to Black people…great.  If I’m spotted by a true hater, there are a bunch of trees to hang my ass from.”
    “Really?  Do you think I’d let that happen?”
    “Since you took an oath to uphold the law…no, I don’t think you would.  But, if you somehow got taken out, I wouldn’t go out without a fight.”
    His chuckle could be heard from across the room. “I believe that.”
    Carla smiled for the first time. “I can be a bit feisty.  Look, I’m sorry if I’ve been a pain in the ass.  I don’t understand what’s going on,