Captive

Chapter Twelve

It was really hard to stay awake. I was in and out for a while now. Now whether awhile was an hour or three days, maybe longer, I didn’t know.  It was dark where I was, but the only dark colors wer swirling around me, making me feel nauseated. The last thing I remembered was being turned to my back before a thick leather whip snapped against my back, shredding my shirt. I remembered the pain before nothing else.

But it was so loud. My head was aching. I closed my eyes and listened to the muffled speech in the room above me. It was all I ever heard, that or the silence made me go crazy. But it was a lot louder this time. I also remember screaming. A lot. I could barely make any noise now because I had tried to get someone’s attention other than the three men. The screaming of pain also made my voice hoarse.

I just listened, hearing a few yells every so often, but not enough that I thought anything was actually happening. I let out a little breath, giving the leather cuffs a little tug. As usual, nothing happened except a slight pain through my upper arm where the man had cut me.

A very small, quiet squeak moved through my mouth as I lifted my head a little. Though once it came up, I felt dizzy and quickly dropped it back down. I let my toes flex, feeling them crack. I swallowed as the murmuring upstairs started to increase. Someone yelled loudly and my attention snapped into place, even though it took a lot of effort. It suddenly went deadly silent.

I jumped, my body shocked as a loud BANG ricocheted throughout the house. There was a scream and several thuds before another BANG flooded the house. There was more slamming around and the sound of something cracking and shattering before I heard a door slam shut, the sound of footsteps heavy. My eyes were flickering around wildly.

I swallowed, feeling dizzy. I just realized I had been holding my breath most of the time, so I quickly let it out and breathed in. There was more slamming around and pounding filling the house though, and I quickly tried to figure out what was going on.

A small layer of light filled the room at the door where a figure was standing. The door quickly slammed shut and my eyes were burning. I couldn’t even tell where the person had moved to. I held my breath again, unsure of what they were doing down here. Maybe the men had decided they were finally going to kill m after all the pain.

I cried out when something sharp dug into my wrist, but I was cut free from the strap. But then it dug into my other wrist and then my two ankles. A cry escaped my mouth with each cut. I was yanked up and something cold and sharp was pressed forcefully against my neck. My breath became heavy, my eyes widening, but nothing more happened. My back was just pressed to his chest, his arm wrapped around my neck with the blade resting against it and a handful of my hair in his fingers.

That’s when the door opened once more and was left open. The second figure hurried down and suddenly light flooded the whole room as the man stood next to a light switch on the wall. “Sage!”

I immediately tried to take a step forward to them, but the blade quickly pressed into my neck more, and my hair being yanked forcefully. “Uh, uh, uh, don’t think you should try that.” A voice was right in my ear I froze, letting out a whimper. My eyes moved to the familiar man who was holding a silver gun steadily in both of his hands, pointing it at me. Was he trying to kill me? The light was stinging my eyes, so I just closed them, a pounding in my temple,

“Let her go and I’ll make your death easy. If you don’t, I’ll make it long and painful.” I was pulled back with the man who was using me as coverage. “Don’t make me shoot a bullet straight through your head.” Zaleck growled again, taking a step closer to us slowly.

“Don’t come closer, or she dies.” The blade shifted and I let out a screech, feeling a light flow of blood trickle down my neck.

“I don’t think so. You’ll die.” I closed my eyes once more, pressing them shut tightly. I could’nt even think.

“Look, I’ll slit her throat even if you shoot and we’ll both die. So why don’t you put the gun down.” The guy behind me hissed and I let my eyes open once again, watching Zaleck, whose eyes trailed across mine briefly.

“Why don’t you just put your knife down?” I swallowed, my throat feeling wet. Obviously it was, there was blood trickling down it.

“No.” The man behind me said flatly. “You should have brought others if you wanted her back. You didn’t think this would happen?”

“Actually, I had a feeling it would. Nice hide out by the way, it was really hard to find.”Zaleck snorted and took a small step forward.

“Shut up! Stop moving forward!” The man yelled and tugged me back.

“A little nervous?” Zaleck asked as I kept my eyes on him, taking in a careful breath. His arms shifted slightly and I felt like if he fired it the bullet it would hit me right between the eyes.

“I will kill her.”

“I’m sure. Why don’t you just put the knife down.”

“Why don’t you put your gun down?” The man snapped, his voice shaky. I’d be scared of Zaleck too if I didn’t know him.

“How about this, I put my gun down, you let Sage move to me, I let her go, and then you can try to kill me.” What the hell is wrong with him? That isn’t going to work.

“We’ll see.” The man behind me muttered and Zaleck slowly took the clip from the gun and set it on the ground, standing up with his hands out in surrender. This made me beyond nervous.

“Okay.” Zaleck said lightly, shifting his weight to his left side. “Now you let her go.” He said, his eyes held on mine now. “Let her go.”

“I don’t think so.” Well no shit, I would have called that!

“I swear if you don’t let her go I will chop you up piece by piece while you’re alive.” Zaleck hissed, taking a few steps closer as I sucked in, feeling the cold blade on my skin.

“You have no weapon. I’ll kill her now and then kill you.” Zaleck took a few more steps closer again.

“Please…” I whispered, unsure of if Zaleck could hear me or not.

There was a loud crack and my head snapped to the side where it had come from. I felt pressure on my wrist as I was and the blade was lifted as I was pulled away.

Zaleck’s arms wrapped around my waist as I was pulled into his arms and yanked backwards, away from the man. He let out a scream and rushed forward, knife pointed straight at us. I let out a scream and closed my eyes. I felt hands on my back as I was flung to the side, tripping over my own feet and falling to the ground. I quickly looked to the side to see aleck struggling with the man to get the knife free.

I tried to get my fighting instincts to kick in and I quickly spun my legs around and caught the man from the streets ankles, forcing him to the floor. The blade spun across the room and the two of us scrambled for it, I think Zaleck was still dazed from what happened. Being weak, the man beat me to it easily and let out a laugh. He pointed the knife at my chest as he moved over me. I reached for his wrists, yanking it, trying to get it free.

“No! Sage!” My eyes flickered to Zaleck, my grip faltering before I let out a horrific scream as the blade sank just above my navel. What is wrong with this whole situation? Everything. I groaned as the blade was jerked from my stomach and I looked up to him, watching it raise it over me again and starting to bring it down.

BANG!

“Sage!”

And that is the last thing I heard.