Levi's Secret

CHAPTER 30

Axky's eyes fluttered open as he strained his neck to look around. His hands were tied behind his back as were his legs. He felt disoriented by the sharp pain on his head, and it took him a while to realize a horrible stench was emanating from his body. As he blinked in the darkness, he recalled how his meting with Gavin Walters had gone south.

That lying piece of shit.

He didn't know how long he'd been unconscious, but his limbs felt as though he was being stabbed multiple times. He rolled on to his side to aid blood circulation to at least one half of his arms and legs.

Tiny droplets fell by his feet as he lay sprawled out in the floor. A few rays of light trickled in through the high window over his head while everything else was dark as night. Cold air ghosted over his body as he squirmed to limit contact with the stone floor.

Damn it. Why is it freezing in here? Where the hell am I anyway?

It looked like a basement of sorts, underground and possibly abandoned. He couldn't move his hands or feet. The rope was thick and already cutting into the flesh of his wrists and ankles.

Why does shit keep happening to us?

Axky sighed. What on earth was he going to do? He decided against screaming bloody murder and causing a ruckus. There had to be a reason his kidnapper hadn't gagged him. His attacker probably wanted to be notified when he gained consciousness.

Well too bad for him. Axky wasn't going to play into his plan. He knew all too well that if he called for help Gavin Asshole Walters could show up instead.

His stomach growled in hunger as he bit his tongue to keep from exclaiming. He missed home, the warmth, the hot meal, cuddling with Paula, teasing Brielle, hanging out with Jack, picking on Vicky's male friends...

All these prople would definitely worry if he went missing.

24 hours. That's how long he needed to stay alive.

Axky closed his eyes. He needed to keep the faith.

***

Vicky and Jack stared in awe at the empty dumpster.

"Here?" asked Jack looking around gingerly covering his nose with a handkerchief.

Vicky winced at the stench and nodded.

"I know the route the garbage van takes." she said pulling out her phone and showing him her map. "It reaches the deposit center and the organic waste gets sorted through and recycled or biodegraded."

"Right," said Jack hopping back on to his bike. "Get on Vicky, we'll follow that truck. We need to get to Axky before they turn him into manure."

Vicky couldn't giggle at the half hearted attempt at humour. She knew Jack was worried, almost as much as Paula, who was working with the police right now.

She hopped on to the bike.

"We'll find you Dad." she said to herself.

***

Jason's bike screeched to a sudden halt by the dumpster, as Gary scrambled to keep from crashing into him. He couldn't stop in time and both of them hurtled head long into the waiting dumpster.

"GARY!" yelled Jason making faces at the liquid muck covering his clothes and hair.

"What?" defended Gary. "You're the one who stopped all of a sudden."