Survival of the Fittest

Final Chapter

Liam looked like he was losing hope with every step he took. I felt so bad for him because I know how it feels to lose someone and think you will never find them again. I’ve been there and we all know it. I don’t feel as bad for myself though, but looking at Liam I feel terrible, like his pain and hurt is contagious and I’m feeling it too. Amanda is my cousin and I am just as scared for her as he is but I know deep down that we will find her. We have too.

                “Do we even know where we are going?” Zayn asked sounding exhausted as he held onto Kate. She looked up to him and sighed, they both looked like they would topple over any minute. “I have no idea, I’m just following the road, and it has to lead somewhere right? I mean I know these streets, it’s an exact replica of my home town.” I said while pointing around to the places I knew. Harry looked down at me beaming; he seemed happy and content to be back with the group, but most of all he looked at ease, like he wanted to never leave my side. I smiled up at him as he wrapped his hand around my waist and lead me forward down the street. “Look, there’s the ice cream place!” Rachel said pointing to a tiny establishment.

This was the one place where Rachel and I would always meet up before we went to hangout, just because it was the same walking distance from both our houses. I squinted my eyes trying to get a clearer view of it in the dark. As we continued to approach the shop my head began to ache. My hand darted up to my forehead as I held it trying to get rid of the pain. “Oww” I mumbled as I crouched over so my head was at my knees. “Babe what’s wrong?” Harry asked concerned as everyone began to huddle around me. The chatter going on around me began to blur and muffle as my head throbbed with pain. I screamed in agony as I fell to the ground.

                There I was, looking over the same room where Amanda and the man sat at a table. Everything looked the same but this time, I was able to hear what was going on. There was a plate clashing from a room to the left which must have been the kitchen as a waiter with a trolley walked out. He handed Amanda and the man menus and placed bowls of soup in front of each of them. I studied Amanda’s face, she did not look happy like I had thought the first time I had seen this image. She looked scared; she had a fake smile plastered on her face as she took tiny sips of the soup. She was weary with every bite as if it may kill her.  I wanted to walk over to her but I wasn’t able too, I was stuck in the corner of the room staring at the back of this man’s head and at the face of my terrified cousin. I tried to speak but that was no use either, all I was capable of doing was watching and listening. Suddenly the man stood up. “Eat my dear” he said in a deep and mysterious voice. The voice was indeed the booming one that we heard constantly in the game, but I needed to see his face. He walked past Amanda and into the kitchen as she quickly stood up. I saw her rip her legs from the chair as blood trickled down her ankles. She had been tied to the chair legs. I don’t know how she got the ropes untied but it must have been a painful job if her ankles were so torn up. She limped over to a doorway and tried to push it open. It wouldn’t budge. “Fuck” She whispered as she ran back to the table and grabbed a butter knife. When she approached the door again she began to jab at the lock. I felt so useless, I needed to help her escape but I couldn’t move. I silently rooted her on as she forcefully slashed at the lock, when finally it broke. The lock fell to the ground with a bang and she forced the door open. I was relieved to see her leave, but I didn’t know what to do now. I waited for this nightmare to end but nothing happened. I looked back over to the kitchen door only to see it slowly open. The waiter with the trolley came out first and looked humbly at the table. When he saw Amanda was missing, he quickly turned around to stop whoever was following behind him from entering the room, but he was too late. My heart stopped when I saw the face of the man who has been putting us through hell.

                I woke up screaming on the cold cement outside the ice cream shop. Harry was holding me in his arms trying to calm me down. “She won’t stop screaming and shaking” He said with a shaky voice. “She must be having a nightmare” Ivy said. I could feel the presence of everyone huddled around Harry and I as I coughed and opened my eyes. “Joanna” Harry sighed as he brought my head to his chest in a warm hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed myself closer to him in fear. “This can’t be happening” I said trying to stop myself from shaking. “What? What is it?” Rachel asked me placing her hand on my arm. “I saw him.” I said trying to spit my words out. “Who Joanna? Who did you see?” Niall questioned me. I felt so dizzy and my head was still throbbing as the images swarmed through my brain. “It was..I saw..” I continued trying my best to get the damn name out. “Come out with it already!” Liam screamed as he punched the side of the ice cream shops wall. “Liam calm down, she’s trying.” Zayn snapped at him. “I will not calm down! We have been out here for 20 minutes waiting for her to wake up! And now that she has she can’t even tell us what the hell is wrong?” He screamed. I had no idea I had been unconscious for 20 minutes and I felt bad that I had angered Liam. “God dammit Liam! Calm the hell down!” Harry shouted at him as he sat me up straight onto his lap. Liam gave Harry a cold stare and took a seat against the store wall. “Now Joanna, please just breathe and calm down, what was it you saw?” Harry asked me in a soothing voice that made my heart tingle.