Gabriella

Chapter 14

The Red Envelope.

My life flashes before me as my vision is blinded by red drops of blood covering my entire face and suddenly memories take me to a very disturbing world of flashbacks.

The metallic taste of blood finds its way into my mouth . The blood of a person who was responsible for keeping me safe. The blood of a trader, a decoy. A paid off cop set out to see me suffer but was that really the case?

I do recall him giving me a secret cry for help, he did set us free after all. Was he being threatened? Does he have a family out there? I guess now we'll never know.

Shocked as could be, Toby leads me into the car where my mom was seated in the front seat, both not saying anything because they know I warned them about this shit.

"I'd like to go home now." I say under my breath and without hesitation he starts the car, quite surprised that he heard me.

The car ride was awfully quiet and awkward, awkward because I caught a quick glimpse of Toby and my mom holding hands. I quickly brushed off any romantic thoughts that wondered around my head.

***

Finally get home and I cannot wait to soak my body in a nice warm bubble bath, something I know that'll surely help me get a tad bit of rest before school tomorrow.

I get into the bathroom that's literally down the hall from my room and open the warm water and add foam bath, as I almost undress myself I realize that Toby is still in the house and I cannot be running around in just a towel after this soothing bath I'm about to take, so I rush to my room and find my windows open, which are never opened. My bed is messed up, my uniform is wrinkled on the floor and on my dresser there's a red envelope with something that looks like black writing on it. I take a few steps towards my dresser until I can see what's written on it. To my realization it wasn't handwritten but typed.

Gabriella is the only thing written on the envelope.

The envelope wasn't sealed, therefore making it easy to take it out. So like any person, I did. I took the note out and the words weren't in writing nor was it typed.

The wording on the note was several different magazine letters, cut out and pasted together to make words, kind of like how kidnappers make their ransoms look.

The note reads as follows:

Gabriella Montez or should I say Emily Torez? You and your mother are seriously dumb if you thought you'd live a simple life or better yet run away from Big Brother and I -

I stop reading because I was interrupted by the slamming sound of the windows closing, I quickly run toward the windowsill and no one is there.

I make my way to the door basically running like a maniac, before I could reach the door, the handle starts moving and the lights go out.

It's dark and I can't see anything at all. The door creeps open and it's so quiet. Darkness and silence don't mix well, it always results in great terror.

Could this be my last day on the hell hole?
Suddenly I feel a pair of hands around my neck, squeezing me harder and harder until I have no breath left whatsoever.

I become drowsy as I don't have any source of oxygen, kicking and trying to break free is not even an option right now because I don't have the energy nor the strength.

I've tried tapping out, I don't know why I did that, that only made him tighten his grip. What a move Gabriella, this isn't WWE.

With the little bit of energy I have left, I moved my hands from this mans arms all the way up to only dig my nails into his face and scratch him, causing him to loosen his grip on my neck and I kicked him where the sun don't shine.

He fell to the ground. It was difficult to try premeditate his next move because we were in complete darkness and trying to look for the light switch was just another mission.

I no longer hear this man groaning over the pain he was in and I switch on the light only to be terribly distraught of my finding.

This guy is "Toby!?" gosh I really need to stop saying my thoughts out loud.

"Toby, open up! She's had enough." my mom screams from the other side of the door.
At this precise moment I feel so betrayed and speechless.

"Mom?" I say as I open the door with the most confused facial expression ever.

"Baby I can explain."

"Explain what mom? That this was your plan and that you knew the cops were working with Charlie and Chester?" I rudely blurt out.

"No Gabriella, that's not what this is. We just needed you to be prepared for what you could encounter on one of these good old days. You need to stay woke and always a step ahead, just like what you did with the scratching but what if he was wearing a mask? The kicking was a nice touch but you took your time. Chester or Charlie would've snapped your neck. Never let your guard down. Never." Toby says.

"So under my understanding this was just a test or better yet a practice run?"

"Yes."

"Well that means the red envelope and the messy room was also your plan? To spook me, right?" I ask.

Toby and my mom look at each other as if they have seen a ghost.

"The envelope was a little bit extra don't you think?" I give out a small chuckle but it seems like they're still looking at each other with the same amount of seriousness as before.

"Uhm, mom. It was part of your guys practice run, right? Come on, someone speak to me!"

"Honey, what envelope are you talking about?" my mom confusedly asks.

I hand her the red envelope, before she can take it Toby grabs the envelope and reads the note then looks back at me.

"Gabriella this is serious. We didn't leave you this envelope. I'll have to take it in. Don't forget you have school tomorrow." Toby says.

Great. Just great.

Authors Note: Is Chester still trying to prove himself to his older brother Charlie? Comment your thoughts about this chapter don't forget to vote down below. Xx