The Six Month Contract

Sacrifice

Water hits my face. I panic, gasping for air. Again, the water splashed across my face. The strength of the water knocks my head back, forcing me to take in air I no longer have access to.

Someone's hands grab a fistful of myhair and yank me forward. It's the same man from before. He looks me dead in the eyes. "Start talking."

I open my lips but I have nothing to say. Whatever I say will get me killed anyways? I was okay with that – with death. I accepted my fate...until I saw that rose.

Now I have to get out of here alive, if not for my sake then at least for hers.

He watches me. "If you don't start talking then there is a way to make you talk," he says. "Tell me where Rocky has the folders to Paul's secondary business or else," he pronounces with such fiery before signalling to the man by the door.

My heart pounds when I hear the scream. They drag her forward and drop her on her knees in front of me. Her white t-shirt is stained red. The left sleeve is hanging by a thread. She has a busted lip and a bruised right eye. Her jeans are cut where her thigh is and I can see it's because they've taken a knife to her thigh.

"Daniella," I whisper.

Her eyes open wide as she notices me. I can tell dread takes over just as it took over me. We had both given up, ready for death but suddenly seeing the other as helpless as we ourselves were suddenly burns the fire in our eyes.

"Daniella," I whisper again taking a step forward.

The man pulls me back and slaps Daniella hard. She winces from the impact and I watch a tear slide down her face.

"Don't!" I shout. "I'll tell you everything."

Daniella shakes her head. "Sky, please," she protests.

The man pulls me up onto my feet, another man holding the knife at Daniella's throat. "Speak," he says.

I know nothing. Whichever file Rocky had and held as insurance and possible evidence of Paul's crime would be locked away somewhere that no one would know, me included.

I won't let Daniella pay the price though. If Paul was in jail because of me then there is no way I could let anything happen to her.

"Third floor," I whisper.

The man pulls me forward by my hair and I almost scream from the pain, my head already throbbing from what I imagine was yesterday but lack of light and my ability to go out of consciousness has rendered me useless in figuring how long I've actually been here.

Daniella closes her eyes and the man holds me up close to Daniella.

"Third floor," he says through gritted teeth. "That helps me in no way!"

He presses the knife a little deeper into Daniella's throat, drawing blood.

"Second office," I quiver. "Down the corridor there is a second office. It's secure and only opens with fingerprint access. Only Rocky can get in."

I lied, so obviously, but it was the only way they would keep us alive. If they need to get into that office then they need Rocky's fingerprint and they'll use us to get it. The only thing is, I really haven't seen much of Rocky's office and what I have just described is not true. Who knows if the third floor has a corridor that leads to a second office.

Daniella opens her eyes and watches me. Confusion is written all over her face and before I can see it register on her face, I am pulled back and slammed against the floor.

Pain shoots up my elbow as my bone slams against the concrete. I bite my tongue to hold back the shock and the possible screaming.

"Dammit," He says watching me. "Paul won't be pleased. How on earth will we get in there."