Chapter 2
1129 Words
ARIA
My eyes fluttered open to the sound of male voices.
Cold, hoarse and unfamiliar.
For a brief, stupid second, I wondered if it had all been a nightmare, if I was still in my bed, wrapped in blankets, safe. Then my head throbbed, my body felt heavy and wrong, and the stale smell of metal rushed back into my lungs.
I had fallen asleep again.
I hated myself for it. But somehow, it was as if I couldn't stop myself.
The van had stopped. I wasn't sure how long we had been moving for. A sharp metallic clang followed as the doors were thrown open, and icy air flooded in, stealing the little warmth my body had left. Outside, the sky was still dark, painted in deep blues and greys, the kind of darkness that came just before dawn. It had to be early. Around four, maybe.
Too early for mercy.
"Come here." A man walked into the van, a gun hanging casually in his hand like it weighed nothing at all. His voice was flat, bored. He reached in and grabbed the girl who had been beside me.
She screamed and fought, clawing at his arms, kicking wildly, begging through sobs I couldn't fully understand. Panic exploded inside my chest as I watched her struggle.
The sound didn't last long.
He struck her.
Hard.
Her body went still instantly, her cries cutting off as if someone had ripped the sound from her throat. She didn't fight anymore. He dragged her out like she was nothing more than luggage.
I shook violently where I sat.
I didn't know where they were taking her.
I didn't know what they were going to do to her.
I didn't know what they were going to do to me.
Footsteps approached again.
Another man climbed into the van. He was dressed in black, his face hidden behind a mask and a black face cap. I could only see his eyes. A gun was strapped across his chest.
"Get up," he said. His voice was deep and cold.
I shook my head before I even realized I was doing it. "P-please," I whispered, the words tumbling over each other. "Please help me. Where are you taking me? What did I do?"
The questions poured out, desperate and useless.
He let out an irritated groan and grabbed my arm, yanking me up with one hand. Pain shot through me as I cried out, instinctively fighting against his grip.
"Let me go!" I sobbed, struggling wildly, my fingers clawing at his sleeve.
His hold tightened around my arm. I knew it would leave a bruise.
"Shut up," he barked and I froze instantly.
At least he didn't hit me.
That thought alone made my chest ache with terror.
I whimpered softly as he dragged me toward the open doors, my feet barely keeping up. Outside, more armed men stood waiting, their silhouettes dark against the faint light of dawn. At the corner of my eye, I could see some other girls being dragged out of vans.
I was pulled out of the van and into a building.
***
I was thrown into a room.
It was dark and cold and smelled nothing like my bedroom. Nothing like home.
There was a single bed pushed against the wall and a chair beside it. That was all. No pictures. No warmth. No comfort.
Just emptiness.
The room had one window. I rushed toward it, but I was too small to see through. Panic clawed at my chest as I dragged the chair across the floor, the sound scraping loudly in the silence. I climbed onto it, my hands trembling as I pressed my face close to the glass.
Trees, fog and hopelessness. That was all I could see. We were definitely out of the city and I had no idea where this place was.
I climbed back down, my legs weak beneath me, and ran to the door. I twisted the handle, rattled it, then slammed my palms against it.
"Hello?" My voice cracked. "Hello...please!"
No answer.
That was when it truly sank in.
I had been kidnapped.
I didn't know where I was.
I didn't know what they were going to do to me.
No one knew I was here.
This was going to be my end.
My knees gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor, sobs ripping out of my chest as tears burned down my face. I cried until my throat hurt, until my body ached, until I had nothing left in me.
After what felt like an eternity, I dragged myself onto the bed and curled into myself, pulling my knees to my chest, trying to take up as little space as possible.
Then I heard the rattle of keys and my breath hitched.
The lock turned, and the door creaked open.
I wrapped my arms tighter around myself, my heart pounding so hard it hurt, dread sinking deep into my bones.
Two men stepped inside.
I recognized them immediately.
One was the masked man who had dragged me out of the van. The other was unmasked. He was the one who had taken the girl.
Both carried guns. Both radiated the same cold authority.
The unmasked man walked toward me and crouched down until we were eye level. I flinched, shrinking back instinctively. He reached out and ran his hand through my hair.
I whimpered.
He scoffed, clearly amused by my fear.
"You have beautiful, long hair," he said casually.
My skin crawled with disgust each time his fingers brushed against my hair.
Straightening, he stepped away and turned to the masked man standing by the door.
"You're in charge of number five," he said.
Then he left.
The door shut behind him, leaving me alone with the masked man.
He didn't touch me.
He didn't speak.
For a terrifying moment, I almost thought that meant he was nicer.
Foolish of me.
I forced myself to stand, my legs shaking as I faced him.
"Please," I cried, desperation spilling over. "I didn't do anything. Please let me go."
"Be quiet," he said, a British accent rolling off his tongue.
"I'll do anything," I sobbed. "I'll give you all the money I have. I'll sell my books-"
"I said be quiet!." He warned again, stepping closer. But that didn’t stop desperate words from spewing out of my mouth.
"I beg you," I continued. "Just tell me what you want,I-"
Smack!
Pain exploded across my face.
The crack of his gloved hand against my cheek echoed through the room as I fell back onto the bed from his slap.
"What I want, is for you to be quiet," he said coldly.
That was the last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me whole.
- Writer
