Throne of Obsession

Chapter 5 : The Dungeon

I am shell-shocked.

Tears spill down my cheeks, slow at first, then faster-until they're falling in an unstoppable torrent, blurring my vision and soaking into the rough fabric of my cardigan.My body trembles uncontrollably wracked with, silent heaving sobs that I can't contain. The cold, damp air of this godforsaken place seeps into my bones, amplifying the shivers that wrack my frame.

I don't belong here.

I don't have the foggiest clue why as was captured like a wild animal and dragged here against my will and locked away in this dark, soulless dungeon. What could I have possibly done to deserve this? My mind spins, searching desperately for answers, but nothing makes sense.

I don't know how long i've been here.

Time has lost all meaning in the suffocating darkness. The only thing anchoring me to reality is the sharp pang of hunger gnawing at my stomach. It growls loudly, a cruel reminder of how long it's been since my last meal.

Last night.

I was with Chase, laughing over takeout, curled up on our worn out coach like it was just another ordinary evening. This morning, I left for campus and after nothing but an iced coffee, thinking the day ahead would be just another uneventful day.

Now, I'm here.

A prisoner. Forgotten.

A fresh wave of despair crashes over me as I wonder if Chase has even realised I'm missing.

Probably not.

He's always out late, tangled up in whatever mysterious things he refuses to tell me about -and the irony, the only person who can tell him that I was taken, who can point him in my direction is James.

James, who despite his arrogance and infuriating presence could have stopped this, but Chase and James although equally gorgeous in their own ways, despise each other. I have never seen them speak, never once seen an interaction between them that wasn't charged with a silent hostility.

Would James even care to tell Chase?

Would Chase even go to James for help?

The thought sends a another shiver down my spine, because if James doesn't tell and Chase doesn't realise I'm missing...

No one is coming for me.

I am doomed to rot in this place.

I realisation sinks deep in my bones like the cold itself-unyielding, merciless. A violent shiver runs up my spine as the chill of the dungeon deepens, seeping through my skin like an unrelenting force. The air is damp, thick with the stench of mildew and something metallic-rust or perhaps something worse. A faint smell of smoke lingers as if a fire burned here long ago, leaving behind the ghosts of its embers.

The walls are a sickly shade of grey, made of rough uneven stone looks ancient as if they've absorbed centuries of suffering. Cracks through them like veins and patches of dark moss clings to the crevices, feeding off the moisture that drips lazily from somewhere above.

The floor is cold and unforgiving, it's surface worn smooth in places, yet rough enough to scrape my skin raw. A single rusted torch holder juts out from one from one of the walls, though no fire burns within it now, leaving the cell swallowed in heavy shadows.

The air feels thick suffocating, pressing against me with a quiet heavy, menacing weight. How many people have been locked away here before me? The thought drives me insane with fear and I instinctively reach for the only comfort I have-my little white crochet cardigan-it's flimsy, practically useless against the dungeon's relentless cold, but I wrap it around myself anyway, desperate for even the illusion of warmth. The delicate fabric clings to me, a sharp contrast against the rough brutality of my surroundings.

I feel hope slipping from my grasp, draining away like the warmth of my fingers.

Then-

Lightning strikes, cutting through my despair like a jolt.

My backpack.

It's still with me.

My pulse spikes as my hands scramble for the straps, yanking it closer. My breath catches in my throat as I fumble with the zipper, my fingers numb and flimsy and then like a beacon in the darkness I see it.

My phone.

A choked sob of relief escapes me. My heart pounds loudly as I clutch it to my chest, barely daring to believe my luck.

"Yippee!" I whisper, the sound almost hysterical. I can call Chase! I can tell him where I am!

Suddenly I'm not entirely alone.

Suddenly there's a way out.

Ten missed calls from Chase.

My breath catches.My hands tremble as I stare at the glowing screen, my heart hammering against my ribs. Chase never calls this much.

Never.

A surge of relief crashes over me, so powerful, it nearly steals my breath. He knows. He must know I'm missing!

My heart leaps with joy, a fragile ember of hope flickering to life inside me, chasing away the crushing despair that had begun to settle in my stomach. I am not forgotten, I am not alone.

Chase is looking for me and if anyone can find me it is him.

With trembling fingers I clutch the phone like a lifeline, my pulse thundering in my ears. The dim glow of the screen flickers and my heart sinks-2%battery.

Just my luck-of course.

I swallow hard, forcing my shaky fingers to dial Chase's number. The phone barely rings once before his voice explodes through the speaker.

"Faye! "

His tone is raw, frantic-so sharp it cuts straight through me.

"Where the f**k are you! I've been calling you the whole damn day! His voice is horse, filled with an urgency I've never heard from him before.

"Faye answer me right this instant! "

He's shouting, he's panic so fierce it sends a fresh wave of emotion crashing over me.

Chase knows. He's looking for me.

Hearing his voice-even if he's shouting-floods me with relief so overwhelming that, just like clockwork, the tears start again.

"Faye..." Chase's voice softens, the raw panic still laced in his tone. "Baby,please-tell me where you are so that I can come and get you."

I freeze.

Baby.

Chase has never called me that before. He's never sworn at me out of frustration, never spoken to me with this kind of tenderness-soothing coaxing, desperate to calm me down.