2031┊ORIGINAL

Chapter 01

𝔽𝕆ℝ 𝔸 𝔽𝔼𝕎 𝕊𝔼ℂ𝕆ℕ𝔻𝕊, 𝕁𝕌𝕃𝕀𝔼𝕋𝕋𝔼 merely made a muffled grunt. Someone had pulled a blindfold over her eyes — and at once she knew she was being kidnapped. 

She knew that a sedative was about to come any moment now, but she wasn't going to let this person — whoever he was — take control of her. So she channelled as much energy she could muster into her leg and swung it backwards.

The impact seemed to hit him right away. He stumbled backwards, and the sound of him falling echoed across the water. Juliette turned quickly, pulling off her blindfold, arms at the ready. But she was surprised to find a boy barely her age scrambling to get on his feet. 

Then he looked like he was getting ready to run.

"Oh, no you don't," Juliette shouted. The boy halted immediately, eyes wide and frozen to the spot. "Stay where you are."

The boy gulped. Juliette narrowed her eyes. Such determination and confidence to kidnap a girl, yet scared of her when they realize their smarts? In fact, she wasn't surprised; he was a boy, after all; not a man, as a man would've sedated her quicker and maybe even stick a rope in her mouth. And yet he had no satchel, and all he wore was a thick brown coat, like the rich men up in Paris wore. So what was he doing down here below the topmost hill?

"Who are you?" She asked cautiously, rearing forward slowly as if trying to tame a wild animal. "And why are you here?" When no answer came, she folded her arms and halted. "You hadn't come to kidnap me, had you?"

The boy finally sighed, his shoulders sinking. But he still did not answer.

"Do you speak?" Juliette asked.

"Yes," the boy then said. Juliette had not expected this turn of events, but the boy looked directly at her eyes. "M-My father," he started, "a businessman. There is a family here, they owe a debt to him... He told me that they have one daughter, and so to take her to... show them. The family, I mean. I didn't want to do it. I mean... I haven't ever taken somebody before."

"I hope you are not expecting me to sympathize with your ways," Juliette said coldly, her arms still crossed. "This is not how you treat financial issues. The world is already waste as of now, why bring it towards another battle of filthy money! Who owes the debt you speak of?"

The boy shuffled again. "Linville."

Juliette never lied, as it was a sin and there was no need for any more sins in this putrid world. But if she said that she knew the Linvilles; better yet, she was a Linville, she might get her entire family killed in the dead of night.

"I've never heard of him," she decided flatly. "I doubt he's in Guernsey. No one visits here. Well, I guess that means you're off to Paris, then."

The boy blinked. "How do you know I am from Paris?"

"You have it written all over you."

The boy laughed. "Well, are you sure there isn't a Linville here? Anywhere?" He looked up. "That cottage up on that beautiful hill?"

Juliette was dumbfounded. Walking around like he owned the place, oh for Mars, talking like they were old friends, asking a girl if she knew a family to which he could steal a girl and take her hostage? 

"Well, I'm sorry," she said heatedly, not the bit apologetic, "but if I'm mistaken, no one here has ever heard a whisp of the name 'Linville', and that is my cottage you are pointing at!" 

"O-oh." The boy fidgeted with his feet again. "Well, erm, is there a way I can apologize—?"

"Apologize?" Juliette normally remained calm, but this boy was such an ache. "I-I just — you're still on to kidnap that poor Linville girl?"