Wolverton Falls

08. And so the Wildfire Rose

MAGGIE'S EYES FLUTTERED, letting the noises fall deaf and instead listen to her own internal battles. Her mind constantly ran; she was mentally and physically exhausted.

She was incredibly thirsty as if sandpaper had been shoved down her throat. Her lips were tinged with a blue hue from the lack of warmth and her legs continuously trembled from the lack of nutrition and hydration.

Terrible, sharp stomach pains caused her to groan in pain every few minutes. It felt like something was clawing at her insides with the intent of shredding her vital organs.

Her tender midsection was littered with ghoulish bruises from the tight binding rope fastened around her. Her wrists were bleeding from yanking at the rope; the rough material chaffed her delicate skin. The wound on the back of her head had stopped bleeding but throbbed every time she moved her head.

As her stomach tightened again, Maggie face flushed in humiliation as the urge to go to the toilet was intense.

She knew that she's been tied up for a few hours now. She was frightened at the thought of how long she would remain captive there.

The slow screech of legs of a chair scraping against the ground startled Maggie. Her eyes shot open instantly; she hadn't realised she closed them.

Maggie struggled to stay conscious. The overwhelming need to sleep swelled by the minute but in the presence of her captor, she did not want that to happen.

Through blurry eyes, Maggie watched helplessly as Emmett skid the chair along until its legs slammed on the ground. He was mere metres away from her.

Emmett sat down slowly with gracefulness, his predatory eyes never leaving her.

Her chained body jerked away instinctively; the sound of her erratic heartbeat reached her ears.

Emmett sat comfortably in the steel chair, hands hanging causally between his legs. It was as if all of it was normal for the man.

His suffocating and dangerous presence fulfilled the small space, managing to make her breathless. Fear gripped her tightly. The way he so easily evoked such intense fear from her from a simple glance unnerved her greatly. She watched his mouth move, but the words were muffled as she slowly tried to escape her stunned state.

A sly smirk played on his lips as he assessed Maggie's bruised, weakened form. Eyes roamed down her body before returning to her pale face.

"Maggie? Did you hear me?" Emmett's taunting tone accompanied with the brisk coldness in the room sent her shivering.

Maggie thought over the question he'd asked a moment ago that she only faintly heard.

What do you know about fire, Maggie?

Snippets of Max's haunting screams echoed loudly. Flashes of the orange flames that swallowed up her home burned deeply in her mind.

Her breathing suddenly became heavier, her heart constricted at the agonising reminisces.

She could barely lift her head to glare at him. She couldn't even keep her stinging eyes from seeling shut. Emmett and the paranoia proceeded to wrap itself around her like vines that prevented her from the mercy of sleep.

Despite her arid throat, Maggie managed to croak out an answer, "F–Fire destroys everything,"

"I agree," He slowly started, his twisted smirk etched on his face. "Fire is undoubtedly a formidable element; almost always leading to a destructive path, but –" He cut himself off, seemingly in thought. Emmett stood up from his seat and walked up to Maggie's exerted form.