Captured {Moderately Slow Updates}

Chapter Twenty Three

Allison

I wandered down the endless hallways in search for Richard, my hand skimming the wall silently as I tiptoed my way through. It took a while, but I was able to pick the lock of my bedroom door with a bobby pin that I found in my disheveled hair.

Now I was worried for Richard, I should have never threatened Jack the way I did. Only God knows what that horrible man is capable of.

I reached the staircase that Richard and I ascended not so long ago, and I slowly crept down, making sure to be as silent as possible. As soon as my foot touched the cold, icy tile of the ground floor, I heard deep male voices.

Frightened of being caught, I ran quickly to a dark corner and pressed my back against the door that inhabited the area. My heart rate slowly began to return back to normal until I heard what the voices were saying.

"You want to go to the bar with me tonight? There's some hot chicks that I'd like you to meet."

"Nah, man. I got to watch over John; Jack's got him in the basement."

My heart dropped and I found it difficult to breathe.

"Are you serious? Jack threw John in the basement?"

"Yeah, apparently he was screwing around with the boss's pick for the night."

They both chuckled at this statement, and it was almost enough to send me lunging after them. Almost.

"Wow, that's rough. He literally infracted the first rule in the contract."

"I know, and now Jack's got him on some torture method; step one is starvation."

My breathing faltered and my worry for Richard was taken to a whole new level.

"Geez, he's gonna get it good. He should have never done that, Jack's got a tight hold on him now."

"I know, I know. But hey, I have to check on John in about a half an hour so why don't we get some lunch first?"

"Sounds good to me, I'm starved. No pun intended."

I heard their laughs fade away and decided that it was now safe for me to continue my search for Richard, if I could only find the basement.

I quickly tried to map out the mansion in my head by thinking of the passages that Richard took in order to take me from one room to another.

Hmm, he took me to a room that first night, then he left the door unlocked. I roamed around for a while until I ended up in his bedroom after hearing voices, then he brought me to Jack's office, then to the grand soundproof room. The only problem is that I don't even know what side of the mansion I was on while I was roaming around; Richard never took me back to my first room, so I couldn't catch my bearings.

Exasperated, I leaned my head back on the door behind me, causing a loud bump to reverberate through the hall. I didn't even care if anyone heard the sound of my head hitting the wooden door behind me, I knew that this was it. I wasn't going to find Richard, I didn't even know where I was in this damn house!

I squeezed my eyes shut and let a lone tear run down my cheek. I shouldn't have let him down, he was trapped in the basement and it was all my fault.

Suddenly, I heard a voice coming from the door that was behind me.

"Hello?! Who's there?"

The voice was muffled, and I almost couldn't make out the words. I wiped my tear away and leaned my ear against the door, listening for another sound.

"Listen, I need to get out! Help me get out of here!" the voice cried.

It was Richard.

Oh my God. Richard is right behind this door! I was in front of the basement the whole time!

My heart rate immediately picked up and I could feel the adrenaline flooding my veins. I threw my hand at the doorknob and began to twist it, but it wouldn't budge. The door was locked.

"No, no, no, no, no." I whispered repeatedly.

I kept jiggling the doorknob, wanting so badly to just break down the barrier that was keeping me from Richard.

I ran my hands frantically through my hair and came across another bobby pin. Words could not even begin to explain what I felt when I pulled that bobby pin out of my hair. I stared at it graciously and immediately began trying to unlock the door.

After a while of lock-picking, I brought my ear close to the doorknob and heard a familiar click. Last time, the click meant freedom. This time, the click meant so much more.

The click meant hope, happiness, and a chance to escape; but most importantly, it meant that I would see Richard.

I pressed my palm onto the round knob and let all of my emotions run through me as I heard the door creak when I pushed it open.

I stepped inside and shut the door behind me, allowing the darkness to engulf me completely; but I knew, that until there was sunlight, the darkness must have to be endured.