Lives Change

Chapter 30 - Reality

Terra's P.O.V.

Unfamiliar surroundings are making it hard for me to be comfortable enough to pretend to sleep. Then again, the fact that a gang leader is on his way to kidnap me probably isn't helping my nerves either. I told Raya that I was spending the weekend out of town for a festival involving books, lots and lots of books. She just shook her head and called me a nerd, trying to hide a smile. I felt bad lying to her, but I didn't have a choice. 

I swallow and feel my eyelids flutter. I want to open my eyes, but I have to keep them closed. Derek lied too, he told Raya he had one final appointment to make sure his arm had healed properly after the car crash. Raya believed him, even though he's been sling-free since the end of December and his last check-up was the 3rd of January. It's the 30th now. 

Creak. Creak. Pause. Creak. My breath catches in my throat, someone's coming. Derek is "sleeping" in a room down the hall, he must hear them by now, too. I try to calm myself down. This is the plan, Terra. I think, Derek and Asher have it all under control. Just keep your eyes closed.

The bedroom door slowly creaks open. Closed. Keep them closed. I hear footsteps softly approaching, muffled only slightly by the cheap carpet. I feel someone stop by the bed, looming over me. It takes every cell in my body to keep me still in that moment. All I want to do is get up and run.

The stranger gently tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. What the heck? Everything is quiet, unmoving for a moment that seems to last forever. Then everything changes. 

The stranger presses a blindfold to my face and I "wake up," ready to scream, but I feel another person hold my arms down at the elbows as the first one presses duct tape to my mouth. All I can get out is a muffled, "Mmph!" Stranger 2 keeps holding my arms down while Stranger 1 wiggles a hand between my back and the bed, lifting me into a sitting position. Stranger 2 twists my arms behind me, too strong for my struggling to mean anything. My wrists are fastened together with a zip-tie, then another. They do the same to my ankles before dragging me off the bed. They hold me between them like they're two palm trees and I'm the hammock, one at my shoulders, the other at my feet. I try to wiggle free a few times but it's no use. I go limp and let them carry me down the stairs, through the living room, and out the door. 

Cold metal makes me gasp, but the tape stops it from getting past my lips. My hands are lifted up and one of the strangers slides another zip-tie through the 2 already around my wrists, linking it to something above me so my hands hang loosely in front of my face. My heart beat pounds like a drum in my ears, my senses are on high alert.

Heavy doors close with a thud and I hear footsteps circle around me before two more doors creak open and slam closed. My best guess is that I'm in a van. I hear an engine start and the world begins to slide or, more accurately, I do. With my hands cuffed to a metal bar above me while I'm sitting on a cold metal floor, I can't do much to keep my balance as the vehicle whips around curves and slams on the brakes several dozen times before we finally stop. I realize I'm crying when the doors are thrust open and my wet cheeks feel the wind rush in.

My heart pounds as I wait for someone to untie my wrists so they can move me, but nothing happens. I can feel someone watching me, I know they're there, they just opened the doors! But no one moves. I strain my ears, trying to hear something, anything, just a breath to let me know I'm not alone! Finally, I hear a rough voice mumble, "What are you staring at her for? Let's go."

Suddenly, my wrists are yanked free from the bar, someone having cut the zip-tie securing them there. The two zip-ties binding my wrists to one another remain and I struggle to break free, though I'm not sure what'd I'd do if I did. I hear a low chuckle and freeze. I recognize that sound. Condescending and superior. Things that voice said come rushing through my mind, making my blood run cold.

"Don't even think about screaming."

"You're nothing!"

"You're lucky I love you!"

The chuckle gets louder, vibrating through my ears, consuming my mind. I feel like a statue, paralyzed by fear. He's here. He's the one who kidnapped me.

I'm slammed onto a hard chair, jolting my mind back to reality as my wrists are fastened behind my back. I feel hands on either side of my face, slowly peeling back the blindfold. I'm terrified of what- who I'll see in front of me. I close my eyes and lower my head, refusing to look up and see Jake smirking at me. I take deep breaths, trying - and failing - not to cry. A hand roughly grabs my face, squeezing my cheeks so hard I'm sure they'll bruise. "Look at me, Terra."

My heart sinks. That confirms it. The people who kidnapped me know I'm not Raya. I look up, my eyes burning angrily through the tears, and stare into Jake's sadistic eyes. He stares me down and I last two minutes before finally I duck my head. That low, condescending chuckle sounds again, making my skin crawl. I snap my head up to look at him, but my gaze stops on something much more terrifying.

"Raya." I whisper, tears streaming down my face.

Raya is bound to metal chair just like mine, her brown hair a silky waterfall covering her face as she's slouched over, clearly unconscious.

"No." I cry, starting to sob. "No, no, NO!" I angrily kick out at Jake, feeling the chair wobble. I'm losing my balance but I don't care. I shake and struggle and rock the chair back and forth, just trying to get to Jake, but he merely moves an inch away from my grasp and laughs at me, his dark eyes glinting with glee.

I fall sideways and Jake calmly steps out of the way as my left arm is crushed under the metal bar of my chair and my head cracks against the cement. I cry out in pain, which only makes Jake's smile bigger. I sob quietly, feeling my arm start to go numb as Jake steps over me and exits the dimly lit room, a wicked chuckle serving as his goodbye.

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Derek's P.O.V.

As soon as I hear the engine start outside, I leap out of the dirty, unfamiliar bed and rush down the stairs, throwing the door open and jumping into the black SUV that Asher's already started. The tires start to squeal before my feet are even in the vehicle and I swing the door closed, hurrying to fasten my seat belt. Asher keeps the headlights off and a subtle distance between us and the gray utility van in front of us.

Neither of us speak, we just follow the van intently, never glancing away for even a second. I don't think either of us even blinked once the whole way there. "There" being a gravel lot next to an abandoned barn that looked like it starting falling apart years ago. We pulled in halfway, staying out of view. We watched as two masked men got out of the van and ripped the doors open. We each got ready to open our doors, expecting them to carry her somewhere so we could sneak after them.

One of the masked men went to grab Terra, but the other one stopped him. They just stood there, staring at her, for a good 10 minutes. Asher and I shared a confused look.

"What the heck are they staring at her for?" Asher whispered, clearly ticked off and worried.

I shook my head, "Got me."

Asher narrowed his eyes as one of the masked guys took off his mask.

"I don't recognize him." Asher said, "Do you?"

"Jake." I whispered, panic washing over me in waves stronger than they were before. I felt the blood start to drain out of my face. He knew. He was in on it.

"Jake?" Asher stared at me, starting to realize who he was. "Jake as in the guy who tried to rape her Jake?!"

Asher's eyes were wide and I nodded, holding my face in my hands. This was bad. This was really bad.

Asher sucked in a short breath, "Derek, if Jake told them she's not Raya..."

My head shot up to meet his gaze. "Raya!"