ChapterFive:ANewHell
1036 Words
Mia….
Then the sound came again, loud enough to make my eyes snap open.
It came from somewhere beyond the door this time.
The guard left with me tilted his head slightly. His eyes narrowing to that direction.
I barely had time to process it before a second sound followed, it was quick, urgent footsteps.
Then another muffled sound. It was brief, choked off almost as soon as it began.
The nurse. It had to be the nurse I think.
My mind began to worry as all relief I felt slowly vanished and panic coming in slowly.
The guard muttered something under his breath, his voice low and tight, then reached for the door handle.
A heavy thud hit the other side. The impact rattled the metal. Then another. And another.
His jaw clenched. “Stay put,” he barked, yanking the door open and stepping out.
The door swung shut behind him.
The sounds outside turned chaotic and soon there were shoes scraping against the floor, a grunt, the sharp gasp of pain.
My heart was hammering now, my ears straining for every sound.
Then, silence.
It lasted barely a breath.
I sat up taking the thin blanket off at least so I’ll feel prepared.
The door burst open and two men in black masks entered inside.
I froze. They weren’t dressed like the guards here, they were different. no uniforms, just dark clothes and gloved hands. Like assassins.
Was this the end for me?
Why would anyone want to kill me.
One of them walked straight to me, no question, just action.
Like it was premeditated. his hand gripping my arm
“On your feet,” he ordered.
I staggered upright, my legs shaky, but he didn’t wait. The second man checked the hall, then jerked his head. “Move. We’ve got thirty seconds.”
“Who are you?” My voice barely audible in the middle, thin and useless.
Neither of them answered.
The cold barrel of a gun pressed lightly into my back. “Don’t talk,” the first man said.
They dragged me into the hall, my bare feet slapping against the cold floor. The nurse was slumped against the wall,
Her mouth was sealed with duct tape, her eyes dazed but wide.
I began to panic now, whatever this was it was not good and I was not in better hands.
The guard was gone.
We moved quickly, turning down a side corridor I’d never seen before. The air changed, cooler, smelling faintly of oil and dust.
“She’s lighter than I expected,” one of them muttered.
“She’ll still break him,” the other replied.
The words lodged in my chest like a blade. Break who?
I couldn’t even understand anything. And confusion flooded my thoughts
We reached a heavy door. It creaked open, bringing us into a small garage where a black van waited with its engine running.
They shoved me inside very hard and recklessly, the floor rattling under my knees. The door slammed shut behind me, cutting off the light.
“Hands,” one ordered.
I didn’t move fast enough. Rough hands yanked my wrists together, adjusted zip ties tight enough to bite into my skin. Another pair of ties snapped around my ankles.
A thick black cloth slid over my head, plunging me into darkness.
The van moved forward. My head constantly thuddling against the cold metal wall as we turned sharply, tires squealing.
I couldn’t see. Could barely breathe the van smelt like something off.
I couldn’t even perceive it mostly the smell of a fresh polyester material reeking from the cloth over my head
My pulse pounded in my ears, it felt like I was having a heart attack.
My thoughts spinning too fast to hold onto. I’d been taken again.
By someone else. And whatever this was, it felt deliberate, not like a rescue, not like a mistake.
I counted every turn, bumps, the long stretches of smooth road. Minutes felt like hours.
Finally, the van slowed. and it sounded like gravel crunched under the tires. The engine cut off slowly and stopped.
The door slid open, and I was flung out into open air and then into broad strong shoulders.
The night was cool against my skin, the scent of damp earth and somehow gasoline clinged too to the wind.
They didn’t speak as they marched forward.
I was put down with a cold force.
Move!
I stood on the ground, uneven and wet
Someone pushed me forward and I was marched forward.
I was feeling lightheaded now from the lack of proper oxygen and beads of salty sweat had dripped into my mouth from all over my face.
We then stepped into a harder surface, was it tile? Stone?
A door groaned open. Warm air washed over me, carrying with it the faint aroma of cigar smoke and something richer. it was leather, maybe.
My head began to spin and I was now in full panic mode.
We moved down a hall, our footsteps echoing. Somewhere in the distance, a clock chimed.
Finally, we stopped.
Someone knocked, three sharp raps. A deep voice from inside said, “Bring her in.”
They pushed me forward. My shoulder brushed a wall, and then the cloth was yanked off.
Light flooded my eyes and my vision was distorted, making me blink hard.
I took a big breath as if taking in all the oxygen I had lost.
The room was large, warm, the glow of a fireplace flickering against the walls.
They were men across from each other I scanned through like a child looking for his mother in a room full of adults.
And someone sharply caught my eyes. standing in the center, with two other men closely beside him. A face I hadn’t seen in years.
A face I’d never thought I’d see again
It couldn’t be.. There was no way and yet when he turned to look at me.
My breath caught, and I felt a thousand emotions at once.
My eyes widened and my mouth wide open in shock. I felt my knees weaken as I stood. My mouth finally uttered a word
“Theo?”..
- Writer
