The Mysterious Kidnap
1277 Words
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Aurora’s POV
As the door creaked open, I jolted upright, heart pounding like a war drum in my chest. The sound was small, almost gentle, but in the suffocating silence of the cold stone room, it was deafening. I didn’t turn around right away—I couldn’t. My eyes were fixed on the wall ahead of me, watching the shadows twist and writhe like the brushstrokes of some horrific painting. The air was thick and heavy, clinging to my skin like a damp shroud. Every breath felt like I was inhaling dread.
Footsteps echoed on the stone floor, soft but deliberate. I stiffened. My fists clenched at my sides, nails digging into my palms.
Then, a voice broke the silence. Soft. Female. Deliberately gentle.
“It’s alright, dear. There’s no need to be afraid.”
I turned slowly to face her. A woman, perhaps in her late fifties, stood just inside the doorway. She wore a simple grey dress and apron, her hands clasped in front of her. Her face was lined with age and something else I couldn’t quite place—kindness, maybe. Or weariness. But her eyes... Her eyes were deep brown, warm on the surface, yet something about them made me uneasy. Like she’d seen things that had stained her soul forever.
“Who are you?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. “Where am I?”
She gave a serene, practiced smile, the kind that never quite reached the eyes. “You’re safe, ma’am. Master Geo is a good man. You’ll be taken care of here.”
My brows knitted. Master Geo? That name sounded like something out of an old Gothic novel. And I didn't like how easily the words rolled off her tongue, as though she believed them with religious fervor.
“What does he want from me?” I pressed. “I need to leave. I have class tomorrow, and my friend Tyra—she’s probably already freaking out. This has to be a mistake.”
She stepped closer, brushing invisible dust from the edge of the small table by the wall. “You’re a student,” she said softly, more statement than question. “Have you… offended anyone? Someone important, perhaps?”
My mouth opened, but no sound came out for a second. Offended? That word settled uneasily in my stomach.
“No,” I finally replied, trying to steady my voice. “I don’t know anyone important. I keep my head down. I stay out of people’s business. I’m harmless.”
The woman—Rose, as I would come to learn—tilted her head, her expression unreadable. “You may not realize it, but sometimes, harm comes in the form of presence alone.”
That cryptic answer sent another ripple of fear through me. I stared at her, trying to make sense of it. “Please,” I whispered. “Tell me who Master Geo is.”
Rose hesitated. For the first time, she looked around the room as if afraid someone might be listening. “He prefers to be called that. And he is… complicated. Powerful. Dangerous, even. But fair. You’ll learn soon enough.”
“That’s not an answer,” I said, biting back panic. “Why am I here?”
Instead of answering, she reached into the deep pocket of her apron and pulled out a small key. “You’re not a prisoner here,” she said calmly, handing it to me. “Your room is yours. The house is open to you. You may explore. But the gates…” Her eyes locked onto mine. “The gates are off limits. Do not try to cross them.”
“Why?” I asked, more sharply than before. “What happens if I do?”
Rose’s expression darkened just slightly, the warmth in her eyes dimming. “Master Geo does not appreciate disobedience.”
That said, she turned and walked toward the door. “Breakfast is served at seven. Dinner at eight. You’ll find that things run smoothly here… as long as you follow the rules.”
And with that, she was gone.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I stood and looked around the room. It was grand, in a haunting way. Tall ceilings with carved moldings, heavy velvet curtains drawn tightly over windows, and a canopy bed that looked like it belonged in a museum. The walls were decorated with antique paintings—portraits of stern-looking men and women from centuries past. And everything was dusted and pristine, like it was cared for by invisible hands.
I didn’t wait. My fingers clenched the key, and I opened the door.
The hallway outside was silent, dimly lit by ornate wall sconces. The mansion was even bigger than I expected—corridors stretched on like something out of a labyrinth, with staircases that twisted and turned in impossible directions.
I moved quickly, trying to memorize the turns I took. Everything inside me screamed run. This wasn’t a home—it was a prison dressed in silk and gold.
Downstairs, the front doors were locked. I tried them anyway. Useless. But the side entrance near the east wing—cracked open. I slipped through it and stepped outside, pulling my coat tight as the night air hit me.
The garden was quiet. Too quiet. The hedges were sculpted with military precision, the flowers unnaturally perfect. As I hurried past marble fountains and trimmed trees, I saw it—the gate.
Tall. Black. Iron bars twisted into the shapes of roses and thorns. It stood like a wall between freedom and the nightmare I was living. I didn’t see any guards. No lights. No cameras.
Maybe this was it. My only chance.
I ran.
The moment I reached the gate, I grabbed the latch.
And then I heard it.
A voice—low and commanding, like a thunderclap that shook the earth.
“And where do you think you're going, Miss Aurora?”
I froze.
Turning slowly, I found myself face-to-face with a man who looked like he could crush me with one hand. Broad-shouldered, dressed in black, and armed. A holstered gun rested against his hip, and his eyes—steel gray and unblinking—held no trace of warmth.
“I—I was just…” I stammered. “I was admiring the garden.”
His eyebrow arched, amused. “In your slippers? At midnight? Near the off-limits gate?”
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath. “I couldn't sleep.”
He took a step closer, towering over me. “Let me give you a piece of advice,” he said, voice low. “This place… it's not what it seems. Obey the rules, and you’ll be left in peace. But cross that gate again, and he will come.”
He.
I didn’t need to ask who he meant.
The man stared at me a moment longer, then turned and walked back toward the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he had come.
I stood frozen, heart hammering, the image of the gate etched into my mind.
Back in the mansion, I wandered through the halls, tracing my fingers along the cold, stone walls. Secrets lived here. I could feel them watching me. In the cracks of the paintings. Behind the silence in the air.
Master Geo.
Who was he? Why me?
One thing was certain—I had to get out. But not before I found out what I had gotten myself into.
Because something told me this wasn’t just a k********g.
It was the beginning of a game.
And I had just made my first move.
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- Writer
