Chapter 2-The Captive
1328 Words
Gwynne’s heart raced as the black van came to a stop. She braced herself for the worst — an abandoned warehouse, a dark basement, or some underground cell straight out of a crime movie.
But when the door finally opened, what greeted her was nothing like what she imagined.
The guards led her down a long hallway lined with marble floors and chandeliers that glittered like crystal rain. Her wide eyes darted from one corner to another. The air smelled faintly of expensive cologne and polished wood.
Where… am I?
They stopped in front of a large oak door. One of the men opened it, gesturing for her to enter.
She hesitated. “Am I… am I under arrest or something?”
No one answered.
Inside, the room was breathtaking — a spacious guest suite with silk curtains, soft lighting, and a huge bed that looked far too perfect to be real. A vase of fresh lilies sat by the window, filling the air with their sweet scent.
Gwynne turned slowly, confusion etched all over her face. “Is this… a hotel?” she whispered to herself.
One of the guards spoke briefly. “You’ll stay here until further notice.”
“What? Wait—‘stay here’? For how long?” she demanded, panic rising in her voice. “Why am I here? I didn’t do anything wrong!”
But the men said nothing. They simply nodded at each other, stepped out, and locked the door behind her.
Gwynne rushed to the door, banging on it. “Hey! You can’t just keep me here! This is illegal!”
No answer. Only silence.
She groaned in frustration and kicked at the door once — which only hurt her toes. “Ow! Great, now I’m a kidn*pped i***t with a sore foot.”
For hours, she paced the room, muttering to herself, trying to make sense of what had happened. Every time she thought of her parents, tears threatened to fall.
“Mom, Dad… you told me to be brave,” she whispered to the empty room. “But I didn’t think it would be this kind of brave.”
Exhaustion finally took over. She lay on the bed — too soft, too warm — and slowly drifted into a restless sleep. For a moment, she almost forgot that she was a captive.
Until a faint ringing pulled her back to reality.
Her eyes fluttered open. Someone’s phone was ringing just outside the door.
She quietly got up and tiptoed closer, pressing her ear against the door. A man’s voice spoke in a low tone.
“Copy, boss. Yes, she’s here… Right now, boss.”
Her pulse quickened. Boss?
Then came footsteps — firm, approaching fast. Gwynne scrambled back to the bed and shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
The door clicked open.
“Miss,” a deep voice called. “Wake up.”
She didn’t move.
A second later, a hand lightly shook her shoulder. “Miss, we’re leaving. Our boss wants to see you.”
Her heart pounded violently in her chest. “W-what? Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll find out soon. Please cooperate.”
Fear made her legs heavy as stone, but the guard’s expression was unreadable — professional, not cruel. He simply gestured toward the door.
Moments later, she found herself once again being led through the grand hallway. This time, they stepped outside to a waiting car — sleek, black, and impossibly expensive.
She sat stiffly in the back seat, the city lights blurring past the window. Her reflection stared back at her — pale, trembling, terrified.
This is it, she thought bitterly. I came to the city for a dream, and now I might never see my parents again.
Her hands clenched tightly in her lap as tears pricked her eyes.
All she had wanted was to help someone — and now, it felt like her life was about to end before it even began.
Gwynne’s heart raced as the black van came to a stop. She braced herself for the worst — an abandoned warehouse, a dark basement, or some underground cell straight out of a crime movie.
But when the door finally opened, what greeted her was nothing like what she imagined.
The guards led her down a long hallway lined with marble floors and chandeliers that glittered like crystal rain. Her wide eyes darted from one corner to another. The air smelled faintly of expensive cologne and polished wood.
Where… am I?
They stopped in front of a large oak door. One of the men opened it, gesturing for her to enter.
She hesitated. “Am I… am I under arrest or something?”
No one answered.
Inside, the room was breathtaking — a spacious guest suite with silk curtains, soft lighting, and a huge bed that looked far too perfect to be real. A vase of fresh lilies sat by the window, filling the air with their sweet scent.
Gwynne turned slowly, confusion etched all over her face. “Is this… a hotel?” she whispered to herself.
One of the guards spoke briefly. “You’ll stay here until further notice.”
“What? Wait—‘stay here’? For how long?” she demanded, panic rising in her voice. “Why am I here? I didn’t do anything wrong!”
But the men said nothing. They simply nodded at each other, stepped out, and locked the door behind her.
Gwynne rushed to the door, banging on it. “Hey! You can’t just keep me here! This is illegal!”
No answer. Only silence.
She groaned in frustration and kicked at the door once — which only hurt her toes. “Ow! Great, now I’m a kidn*pped i***t with a sore foot.”
For hours, she paced the room, muttering to herself, trying to make sense of what had happened. Every time she thought of her parents, tears threatened to fall.
“Mom, Dad… you told me to be brave,” she whispered to the empty room. “But I didn’t think it would be this kind of brave.”
Exhaustion finally took over. She lay on the bed — too soft, too warm — and slowly drifted into a restless sleep. For a moment, she almost forgot that she was a captive.
Until a faint ringing pulled her back to reality.
Her eyes fluttered open. Someone’s phone was ringing just outside the door.
She quietly got up and tiptoed closer, pressing her ear against the door. A man’s voice spoke in a low tone.
“Copy, boss. Yes, she’s here… Right now, boss.”
Her pulse quickened. Boss?
Then came footsteps — firm, approaching fast. Gwynne scrambled back to the bed and shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
The door clicked open.
“Miss,” a deep voice called. “Wake up.”
She didn’t move.
A second later, a hand lightly shook her shoulder. “Miss, we’re leaving. Our boss wants to see you.”
Her heart pounded violently in her chest. “W-what? Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll find out soon. Please cooperate.”
Fear made her legs heavy as stone, but the guard’s expression was unreadable — professional, not cruel. He simply gestured toward the door.
Moments later, she found herself once again being led through the grand hallway. This time, they stepped outside to a waiting car — sleek, black, and impossibly expensive.
She sat stiffly in the back seat, the city lights blurring past the window. Her reflection stared back at her — pale, trembling, terrified.
This is it, she thought bitterly. I came to the city for a dream, and now I might never see my parents again.
Her hands clenched tightly in her lap as tears pricked her eyes.
All she had wanted was to help someone — and now, it felt like her life was about to end before it even began.
- Writer
