Fortress

Chapter 3

Mina

“You are delusional!” I yelled as my back came up against a wall. s**t! I was stuck in this room with this lunatic and nobody was coming to help me. This can’t be happening to me.

“Let me go please” I could have sworn his eyes changed colors for a second but it happened so fast it was as if I imagined it.

“I can’t. I need you to listen to me. We aren’t safe here the people you work for are not who you think they are.” His words were slow but he paced the floor with insane speed. There was a vibration coming from my apron and I quickly pulled out my phone forgetting that I had it this whole time. I’m saved! I answered the phone while he was caught up in his pacing.

“Niyah!” I yelled and Rome’s head snapped in my direction.

“Mina..you have to get out of there something is happening! There are men here they have guns! We were evacuated! Get out now!” My eyes shot to the window and Rome read my mind. He said serval curse words under his breath before running back into his room.

“Mina! Get out of there now!”Niyah yelled frantically before the line went dead. I stood frozen for a minute before grabbing my bag and running into the next room to find the man I was desperately trying to get away from.

“Here I know you know how to use it” Rome placed a .9mm in my hand. My mom’s boyfriend taught me how to shoot a gun during my junior year of high school in our backyard.

I checked the clip and it was full before looking out of Rome’s window. Serval black SUVs were parked outside the Elliott's mansion.

“Shouldn’t we call the police and wait for help that seems like the logical thing to do!” I said trying to keep my voice steady.

“Stay away from the windows, the police are no good here I trust no one with your life but me and my brothers”. Rome grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bathroom. He had more guns on him than I could count.

“Stay in here until I get back don’t go near the windows and don’t open the door. I’ll be back”. He looked me up and down before speaking again.

“You could change clothes we do have time for that” he smiled. Why was he treating this so lightly was I missing something?

“You are just one man! There could be twenty men out there are you serious right now?” I knew he was delusional but having a death wish is just too much to fathom right now.

“Oh, I’m hoping there’s more than that.” His stupid grin did strange things to my heart. The lights went off with a loud click. I couldn’t see anything my hand tightened around the gun as I reached into the darkness with the free one.

“Rome”, I didn’t like the desperation in my tone but I couldn’t deny the fear creeping up my spine.

“I'm here. This is just a scare tactic don’t worry I’ll be back stay put”. Rome’s lips brushed against my ear as he spoke and then strong arms wrapped around me. My body relaxed without my permission and then he was gone closing the door as he went.

I felt around for the doorknob leading into my room and shut the door behind me. There was little light coming in from the window and I could just make out the outline of the bed. I made my way over to the dresser and pulled out a few shirts. I was scared to use my flashlight on my phone so I chose to get dressed in the dark. I felt along the wall until I reached the closet and pulled several pair of jeans and tights down from the hangers. After dressing completely I crawled back into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. With both doors shut I felt safe enough to use my phone. I redialed Aniyah’s number but it went straight to voicemail my heart dropped as I dialed it a second time and it did the same thing.

I sat the phone down and tried to get my breathing under control. What are my options here? Am I just going to wait to be rescued by some guy who thinks he has some claim over my life? Those two children popped into my head and I smiled. No, you i***t! Those are not your kids it’s some type of mind game it had to be some type of illusion.

If there was any shooting going on I couldn’t hear anything. I looked down at my phone it has been ten minutes since Rome left. My mind began to wonder what if he was dead. What if they were coming for me right now? What was I going to do?kill them? This doesn’t happen to girls like me this was something from the movies something that’s not supposed to be real.

I tried my best to try to hear something but it was useless. Should I call the police? Rome said no police but who the f**k was Rome again! No one to me. Well maybe he was someone who could get me out of this. I needed to think clearly and this tight bun was not helping at all. I ripped the hair tie from my head allowing my wild hair to hang freely. I was getting anxious I crawled toward the door leading to Rome’s room and pushed it open. I crawled over to the door leading to the small hallway and pressed my ear against it. Faint gunshots rang out on the other side and I bit my lip a little too hard drawing blood.

I shut my eyes and took several deep breaths, he’s fine everything is fine.

I needed to know he was fine! The unknowing was killing me and now I was so nervous for this man I didn’t know. The knot in my stomach grew bigger and bigger he has to be okay because I am going to get out of this.

I decided to crawl back into the bathroom and wait where it felt safe to me. I looked at my phone again realizing it’s been more than thirty minutes now. I closed my eyes and tried to relax my body just as the door opened. I held my breath.

“Mina let’s go we have to move now,” Rome said urgently. I jumped up and he grabbed me pulling me into his arms I let out the breath I was holding loudly. My body was trembling and I struggled to get ahold of myself. Rome held me by the nape of my neck and pulled us into his room towards the door.

“I can carry you it’s extremely slippery down there” he suggested while turning his head into my neck. I pulled myself from him and shook my head before realizing he couldn’t see but he spoke before I could.

“Okay then just hold my hand once we hit the first floor we head for the back door and into the woods.” The woods! This place was surrounded by over two hundred acres of land. There were bears and all kinds of animals out there.

“Are you serious we can’t survive out there!” I whispered as he dragged us forward. I couldn’t see a thing and I couldn’t figure out how Rome was able to navigate us through this mansion with such ease.

“Yes it’s our only chance to escape hold onto me tight it’s wet right here” his voice was soft and reassuring it caused me to lean into him more. Once my foot hit the first step it skidded forward and he was right the stairs were covered in something extremely wet. Blood. I knew for a fact it was blood which meant there was a body somewhere close. I couldn’t hold my whimper in as I practically tried to morph into Rome’s side.

“Shh it’s okay just one step at a time” he soothed as he took another step down. With his warm words and tight embrace, we managed to make it to the back door without slipping or tripping over anything which spiked my curiosity.

“How are you able to see so well”, I questioned and was only greeted with another shushing sound.

The back door allowed a small amount of light in and I caught a glimpse of a figure laying across the threshold.

“We are going to step over him. Stay with me” Why was he so calm? There is a body right in front of us and he just wants me to step over it like it’s a toy. I couldn’t bare to look down as we stepped over into the bitter night.

“The ground isn’t even we will head east until we reach a main road let’s go”. My body shook as I followed Rome into the night.