9. The others
1240 Words
[Emma]
For a long time, I was tongue-tied. I couldn't think, I couldn't focus, I couldn't get the image of the letter from my head. When my tongue was released eventually, only incoherent mumbles escaped my quivering lips.
“No no no no, it was right here. It should be right here.”
I did not stop turning the nighties over even though it was obvious that the letter was not there, and I did not stop hoping to see it either.
I held the clothes to my face, and buried my face in them. Even though I had reasons to doubt the trueness of the letter, I needed it with me still. Who knows what was contained in the part of the letter I didn't get to read, or what it would help me to find out about my mother.
But now it was gone, and I couldn't help but feel bad. I felt like I let my mother down by failing to keep the letter safe.
I got up, and headed for the bedroom where I had taken off the clothes. It must have fallen off somewhere in the bedroom.
I didn't check for long before I realized that the letter was nowhere in the bedroom. It must have fallen off outside the building, or in the car, or back in my father's compound. I let out a sigh at the thought that of my father running into the letter, and realizing that I had disobeyed him, and entered my mother's bedroom.
That could break his heart, but not as much as Zack's claim on me.
“Looking for something?”
I swirled my head around, and faced the door where the voice had sounded from. The name and image that had always haunted me from news headlines in television stood motionless by the slightly opened door, staring at me. His hands folded on his chest. His eyes were ice cold, I didn't dare look at them more than a second.
“N–no. No sir.” I replied with tremor.
“You're clearly looking for something.” He said, heading towards me with slow and measured steps while I bit my lower lip hard, bracing up for the worst. He stopped after a few steps, still looking at me with his eyes squinted, and I let out a relieved sigh. He wasn't coming close at least.
“Why else would you be bent over like that. As if…” He trailed off and I felt a shiver run down my spine. I didn't know exactly what he had intended to say, but somehow I felt it was insulting to the senses.
He was smiling now, I could tell from the way he sounded. He must have noticed my discomfort, and was rather enjoying it. Monster. Heartless monster.
“I–“ I couldn't think of a convincing lie so I trailed off. I'm so screwed.
“Well straighten up. I'll show you to the others.” He said, heading for the door.
The others? I was not sure what that meant, and worse, I wasn't sure whether to follow him or not.
He faced me after pulling the door open, and our eyes met. Although I looked away the next instant, I didn't miss the tightness of his face and lips. He was annoyed.
“Don't make me call you.” His voice was calm in a deadly way, and shook me to my core. I found myself heading towards him before I decided, and I couldn't stop my body from trembling as I went.
I stopped when I got to the door, and faced down. Zack stood, transfixed to the spot with his gaze fixed on me. He still held the door, but he wouldn't step out, or aside.
I felt his gaze hot on my head shortly before it burned my right cheek. Then it swept through my entire body until it rested on my stomach.
I couldn't drag in air or grant passage to the air already in my nostrils. Not when he was this close, and staring closely at me.
My stomach still burned from his gaze, and my chest was threatening to burst if I go another second without dragging in air but this monster, covered in dangerously looking tattoos wouldn't move away from…
“After you,“ he called unexpectedly, making me flinch. It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant, and a few more seconds to walk past him because he wouldn't let go of the door.
The hallway was darker now with only a dim light which flickered on and off at intervals, and deadly quiet. I headed towards the way I had come, led by Zack's men but Zack mumbled, stopping me.
“Not there.”
I turned towards the opposite direction and walked, even though I had no idea where I was headed. There were more doors in this part of the hallway. Maybe each room contained a young woman whom Zack had coerced into living with him, like he did me.
I felt his eyes on me from behind as I took one cautious and fearful step after another while he strolled after me, with that swagger of his I have always hated.
I tried distracting myself with thoughts of where we were going, but it was in vain. His gaze stung like a bite, and left me no room to think of anything else.
But what does he want with us? He didn't have us all brought to him to become his s*x toys, did he?
I heaved at the thought, and quickly wished it away. If that was the case, there was nothing any of us could do to stop it.
The light flickered on just then, and I caught a glimpse of the hallway which was endless, and dark. Am I being led to my death?
My breath caught in my throat at the thought. Zack's mention of others meant different to me now. What if I was being led to my death, and the others he mentioned were the others who also have been killed?
The air was cold now, and tighter too. I wrapped my hands around my chest to ward off the cold, but nothing could ward off the fear I felt, or ease my racing heart.
After walking for what seemed like forever, I began to hear voices from the distance. I should feel relieved now, but I didn't. Voices from the distance didn't automatically mean safety for me, and even if it did, this was Zack's world, and he alone had the power to decide.
The voices increased following the steps I took until I was close to a door I didn't realize was slightly opened until the lights flickered on once more. I could tell that the voices came from the door, but wasn't sure whether to go in or not.
Then the voices died suddenly, and was replaced with crushing silence. I stopped walking by instincts, and resisted the urge to look back at Zack. Something was wrong in the room. Something made the voices cease, and I hated that Zack who I was sure wanted me dead was the only chance for survival I have.
But instead of stepping up to see what could be wrong, he grabbed my butt firmly from behind, and a fearful squeal escaped from my lips.
- Writer
