Damned (on hold)

Chapter 19: Mayhem

As I continued my search, a sound finally broke through the silence. It was a woman's cry, muffled and pleading. I felt my heart race as I followed the sound, my footsteps echoing through the empty halls. The cries grew louder and more desperate the further I walked, until finally, I came to a locked door. My gut told me that things were about to get even more dangerous.

With a swift kick, I launched myself at the door, expecting it to burst open, but instead it refused to budge. I took a step back, drew in a deep breath, and charged at it again, slamming into the wood with all my might. The rusted hinges of the door let out an unsettling groan as I pushed it open with a heavy shove, causing it to splinter and creak under my weight.

As the door swung open, the room was enveloped in complete darkness, and the only source of light was a dimly flickering candle that cast eerie shadows on the walls. In the corner of the room, my eyes were immediately met with a hauntingly eerie sight that sent a chill down my spine and made my blood run cold. A lifeless body dangled from an exposed beam with a bag over her head, ominously swaying in the dim light. The sound of Kaylani's voice filled the room, amplified by a Bluetooth speaker that sat on the dresser, replaying her screams of agony and despair. Once the scene finally hit me like a ton of bricks, I crumpled to the ground, my mind reeling with shock and pain.

I had failed to save her. I slammed my fist into the nearby wall, most likely spraining my hand.

As I gasped for air, my chest tightening with each wheezing breath, I knew something was terribly wrong the moment the dogs were gone. My father wanted me to see this.

The pain was tight in my chest causing me to stumble backwards, my vision blurring as I clutched at my chest. The world seemed to spin around me, and I felt myself lurch forward, heaving up the contents of my stomach onto the cold, hard ground. I never in my entire life felt this helpless and emotional.

After what felt like an eternity, I managed to steady myself, wiping the sweat from my brow as I took a deep, shuddering breath. But as I reached for my earpiece to contact Wyatt, a searing pain shot through my skull, causing me to cry out in agony. My vision went black, and I crumpled to the ground, the sound of Wyatt's voice fading into nothingness as I slipped into unconsciousness.

*********

When my eyes fluttered open, the first thing that hit me was the searing pain in my head. As I tried to blink away the disorientation, I realized that I was bound to a chair, with my hands behind my back, in one of the empty guest rooms of Asher's massive farmhouse. The room was lit by a set of bright overhead lights, casting a harsh glare on me, and making it hard to see anything beyond my immediate surroundings.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust and for me to take in the situation. I was a mess. Blood had pooled on my forehead, and some of it had matted my wild blonde hair. I was dirty, disheveled and pissed the hell off. As my vision finally focused, I saw the figures of two men in the room. Carl's burly silhouette was hunched over, while Asher stood tall and imposing.

It was clear that they had no idea I was awake. Asher was livid, berating Carl for his actions.

"You stupid motherfucker! I should fucking kill you!" he snarled. "You fucked up the plan by calling Kingston prematurely. I had a plan, and you fucked it all up!"

Carl, for his part, rolled his eyes and brushed off Asher's anger. "The plan is everyone dies! I didn't mess shit up."

Asher seized Carl by the lapels, slamming him into the wall with a loud thud. "Because of me, we aren't dead. Do you even know Kingston? Taunting him like that was a sure way to getting us both killed." Asher tightened his grip on Carl's shirt. "You're lucky I came up with a fast plan to slow him down before he got here!"