Unlawfully Confined

06- It's Not What It Looked Like

Sarah's Bedroom

I slowly walked out of her room and closed the door behind me. I decided to take a walk before going back to my cottage. Putting my flip-flops on and adjusting my dupatta over my head, I stepped outside under the moonlit sky and was hit by the breeze. 

I started taking slow steps down the driveway, enjoying the night view of the hill. The constant chirping of crickets reminded me of the summer nights back home. The sloped driveway was illuminated by light poles but something was different. 

There were not many guards tonight like the other nights or days. I know that the guards work 2 shifts. So, there would be the same number of guards at night-time as during the day-time. I only saw 3 guards inside one of the security booths but they didn't notice me walking past them. 

It was supposed to be way more than 3 though. Maybe I am thinking too much. Maybe they are busy with something else. Soon, I found myself approaching the main gate of the estate and there were no guards near the gate?

Maybe they are standing outside, I thought. 

"Ahhhhhhh!"

A loud shriek made me stop in my track. I tried to look for the source of the scream when another scream hit my ears, making me turn my head to my left. It was coming from the barn. Before I could think of anything, back-to-back painful shrieks erupted from that direction. Someone was in pain. That person needed help and I could see no one else there, not even a guard. 

Where are they?

Should I go there and check?

What if it's dangerous? 

But what if I can help that person?

Are we under attack?

Are there robbers inside the estate?

Is that why the guards are nowhere to be seen?

What should I do?

My line of reasoning was soon interrupted by another loud scream and then it all fell silent. All I could hear was the sound of the crickets and my own rapid heartbeat. 

Why did it stop?

Is that person alive or...?

Without thinking anything else, I ran towards the barn. As I got closer, I saw that the barn gate was wide open. Slowing down my pace, I fast-walked inside the barn. Looking around me, I only saw horses inside their stables. 

Taking a few steps further in, I stopped hearing some voices coming from the stable at the end. Slowly, I got close enough to get a full view of that stable but I was not ready for what I saw.

There I saw Billy with 5 other guards, standing in a circle, looking at the ground. On the ground, there was a man, lying on the stable floor, soaked in blood. He was barely conscious, crying in pain. His fingers were cut and his head was severely injured. It looked like someone had hit his head with extreme force. He was withering in pain while the guards kept staring at him.

Why aren't they helping him?

Why isn't Billy helping him?

To increase my state of shock, another man appeared in my view. He had a different appearance than the guards. wearing a hoodie, his back facing me, and he held a GUN. Horror took over me, my forehead and palms drowned in cold sweat drops.

What are they going to do to him?

I wanted to run away from there but my legs felt like they became glued on the spot. I was standing there like a statue, scared that they might notice my presence.