The Six Month Contract

Sacrifice

"We can't even let them go to get in there because they'll both run to Rocky the second we do," the man next to him says.

Suddenly Daniella is dragged out of the room. One of the men grab my hands and twist them behind my back. I attempt to put up a fight but I hate that I'm so weak. I hate that I have no ability to save myself.

He pushes me forward. "Move it!" He shouts.

The other man drags the chair forward and he forces me into it. They're going to tie me up to the chair again. I try to free my arm but it's of no use. All I manage to do is take up their time as they struggle to tie my up.

Once my arms are tied with the rope, they begin with my legs. I try to kick and thrash about, hitting one of them in the face. They fall back only to get up and growl at me. It doesn't register because he is fast but my face swings to the side from the impact of his slap.

When they've securely tied me up, they exit the room. I let the tears fall. I kept brave for Daniella's sake but also because I didn't want them to think they won.

I have no idea what they plan to do to Daniella but I cannot let anything happen to her.

———————

The water across my face stings the patches of roughed up skin on my face. I crinkle my nose from the pain and force my eyes open.

Paul stands looking at me. "A game," he said. "We'll play with you two, just like you played with me."

I look to my left to see Daniella also tied to a chair.

"I didn't play the game!" I shout. "You did when you tricked my family."

Paul grins. "All is fair in love and war."

I frown looking at Daniella. She doesn't look worse than the last time I saw her. They must've let her rest.

Paul holds up the knife. "For every answer you know get right, we'll harm Daniella," he says as a matter of fact. "And for every answer you get wrong, we'll carve a little out of you."

"We're not playing, you sick bastard!" Daniella shouts.

I have expect him to stab her then and there but he merely smiles.

"First question," he says. "What is the name of Rocky's older brother?"

Rydar. I watch Paul twist the knife against the wooden table creating an indent. My heart sinks. I turn my face to Daniella. She knows I'm bleeding, she knows I'm seriously hurt and I can see in her eyes she pleading with me to say Rydar. I cannot say his name though, if I do, they hurt Daniella. She wants me to be okay, Daniella is less hurt than I am, and she wants to take the brunt of this. See I don't think I'm going to make it out of here alive, one of us may as well.

"Michael," I reply.

Paul watches me. "Are you sure?"

"No!" Daniella yells from her chair. "Sky, please."

"Yes," I reply. "It's Michael."

The men open my arms and release me from the chair. I can barely stand as is so I hold the arm of the chair as support.

Paul twist the knife once more against the table and brushes the wood dust off with his finger before walking over to me. "Did Rocky not introduce you to his family, because that is incorrect."

It takes me a second to realise but the heat travelling down my side tells me I've been stabbed. When I look down, Paul still has the knife in the side of my stomach, his hand wrapped around the handle. When he pulls the knife out, I gasp for air and fall to my knees.

I see Daniella thrash in her chair before Paul utters, "Let's leave her to die."

Blackness consumes me. My eyes blink to get a better view but it's foggy. The sound of footsteps tell me they're going but I'm not so sure.

——————

The chilling breeze takes over, forcing my helpless body to shiver uncontrollably. It's too dark to tell but I'm pretty sure I'm lying in a pool of my own blood.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

I count, in an attempt to stay awake. If I fade away, who knows if I'll come back. I don't have much hope for myself.

I press my cold hands into my stab wound. I need to stop the blood, I need to apply pressure.

The pain travels over my whole body, and while I want to scream in agony, I keep my lips sealed and apply pressure at the wound.

"It isn't bad," I whisper to myself. "You'll be okay, Sky."

But I don't think I will. If anything, I'm pretty sure I'm dead.

When the bolt on the door clicks, my eyes dart immediately up. I try to push myself up and as further away from the door but I can't, I'm helpless.

I close my eyes as the bright light shines in my eyes, my hand immediately going over my eyes as cover.

I hear footsteps and then suddenly someone is holding my face. "Oh my God, Sky."