In a panicked state of shock, I stumbled blindly through the alleyways, hoping - praying that I'd find Puck before evening. I have no idea what the pictures mean, and I'm not even sure if I want to find out. But all I know is that I need to find Puck. He'll help me...right? He'll have some sort of explanation for this. He'll need to. For the sake of my sanity.
I wasn't thinking when I rushed out of my house still in my pajamas, the only thing covering me a small cardigan. But I couldn't stay there any longer knowing that some creep knew I lived there and was taking photos of me while I didn't know. The mere thought of it made me shudder and a sick feeling stirred in the pit of my stomach.
God.
Breathing heavily, I turned a corner to find the same gas station I had come to that night I was starving, where those guys had cornered me before I fainted. And sure enough, there, leaning against the brick of the gas station, a few men are huddled. I didn't recognize them as any of the ones that I saw that day, but for now, I had no choice.
Approaching them like wary prey, I cleared my throat to get their attention. My cheeks flushed when they all look down at me, irritated gazes turning to confused - and some even eyeing me up and down.
One stepped forward, his scruffy, blonde hair glinting beneath the now disappearing sun. "Can we help you?" he asked politely.
"Umm." I cleared my throat. "Yes. I - uhh, I'm looking for someone... Do you know where I can find Puck? Puck Daniels?"
The man's eyes widened and he gave me an appraising look, eyeing me in my pajamas as his friends burst into snickers behind him. Usually, I would've ignored them, but today, I was a mess, so instead of flushing and looking away, I threw a mean glare their way - which shut them up immediately.
"I don't think you want to find him, Sweetheart," the man told me, his voice skeptical.
I turned my glare on him. "Yes, I do," I insisted. "It's urgent. If you know where he is, just tell him Polly is looking for him."
The man raised an eyebrow and stepped away from me, almost as if he was getting ready to retreat back to his friends. "Puck is not in the mood for a chick today. So if you don't mind..." He makes a gesture with his hand, indicating that I should leave.
My cheeks turn a deep read, not only in in humiliation, but also anger. "Look, here, buddy," I snapped, stepping towards him in an effort to be threatening. "I'm not looking for sex, neither am I one of his chicks!" I spat the word out in derision, my hands balling up at my sides as I felt my face turning a shade darker with each word that left my mouth. "I need to talk to him, right now. So if you don't go get him, I'll find him myself and tell him that I took long to find him because his dodo of a friend wasn't willing to direct me to him!"
By the end of my speech, I was breathing heavily and everyone had gone silent, eyes wide as they leaned away from me.
"Where is he?" I said, teeth gritted as my patience thinned with each second they stayed quiet.
Finally, the man with the blonde hair sighed, his expression impressed. "I'll go get him." And then he disappeared behind an alleyway, leaving me with his friends that continued to stare at me. One dared to step forward, almost as if he was going to approach me.
"Take one more step in my direction and I'll kick your balls so hard, all chances of having a kid will be gone."
He smirked but backed away nevertheless. The longer I waited with them, the more I felt my previous courage dwindling, gaze raising to eye the men warily, who were all leaned against the wall, smoking cigarettes.
Fortunately for me, I didn't have to wait long because just a few minutes later, Puck rounded the corner, running towards me, his dark eyes ablaze. "What are you doing here?" he hissed as soon as he was in earshot, grabbing my arm and dragging me with him to a secluded spot where no one would hear us.
"Puck --," I started.
"The fuck, Polly?! What are you wearing?" he interrupted, staring at me in horror.
Frowning, I looked down at myself. "What do you mean? I'm wearing my pajamas. I was in a rush."
"You're lucky you haven't been caught dead in these clothes - or worse, raped," he exclaimed, pulling off his jacket and ordering me to wear it.
I took it quickly, not bothering to argue. What was I thinking? I'm so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. "Sorry," I apologized, looking up into his dark, hardened eyes. "I didn't realize."
Puck sighed and ran a distressed hand through his hiar, his eyes looking over my head and scanning our surroundings to make sure no one is there. "Why are you here, Polly? Why would you do something so dangerous?"
"I need to show you something," I said, pulling the manila envelope from beneath my cardigan where I kept it hidden to my chest. "There --"
But I don't get the chance to further explain because right then, three loud gunshots rang out, followed by numerous yells.
"Fuck!" Puck shouted, grabbing my arm and pushing me to the ground. I winced as my face hit the concrete below me, Puck's weight on top of me causing momentary black spots to engulf my vision.
The shots kept going around us, and I shut my eyes tight against the screams of innocent people, trying not to listen to the way Pucks' friends voices shouted at the people in the area to run for their lives.
Amidst the chaos, Puck pulled himself off of me, dragging me by the hand to hide behind the dumpster situated in the alley. His dark eyes clashed with my blue. "Stay here," he demanded, moving to let go.
"Wait," I exclaimed, pulling at his hand, my eyes frantic as I searched his face. "Don't go! It's dangerous!"
His eyes softened and he pulled me to his chest. When he spoke, I could feel his breath on my neck. "I need to help my friends, Polly. This is my job. Nothing will happen."
"Then, let me go with you," I said as he was pulling away, my eyes begging with his. "Please."
Puck pulled his face into an expressionless one and shook his head firmly. "No," he refused, his eyes looking anywhere but at my eyes. "I need to keep you safe. And out there, I can't do that. Stay here."
"But --," I started to protest, but Puck had already turned his back on me and left.
Chewing on my lip, I flinched as I heard another gunshot, willing the screams to stop. My heart pounded at an abnormal speed in my chest and I heard my breathing grow shallow. God. Please, please, keep them safe, I prayed.
I willed myself to stay rooted to my spot, knowing I would only worsen things if I went out there. But the screams kept coming, and I couldn't help but wonder if Puck and his friends were all right. Eventually, it was too much for me, and I stepped away from my spot behind the dumpster and inched my way to the end of the alley, peering out.
My eyes widened at scene of havoc before me. People running around for their lives, dead bodies on the ground...and, men with guns, their smirks growing with each life they took.
I gasped, my eyes widening as I stared at all the chaos with horror, sweat building at the base of my forehead and my heartbeat going being sent into a frenzy.
"Well, well, well."
I jumped at the voice behind me, startled as I made a move to turn. But before I could, a hand grabbed me from behind and pulled me to them, a gun pointed at my forehead.
I choked on my breath, the manila envelope escaping through my fingers and falling to the ground, the pictures inside them slipping out and pooling around my feet.
"Looks like we finally found her," the same, cold voice said again, amusement lacing their tone. Then, when I squirmed in his grip, he pressed the gun harder into my temple and addressed me, "Keep moving and I'll shoot."
I heard shuffling behind me. "But Boss said we have to bring her alive," a new voice spoke up.
"Shut the fuck up, you idiot! She isn't supposed to know that!" the man holding the gun to my head roared.
A pause. "She isn't? But I thought --"
"Just the shut your face, you buffoon! Can't you take a hint? I was trying to scare her!"
I squirmed more in his grip, taking advantage of the knowledge that he wouldn't kill me.
"Just because I can't kill you," the man said, his voice dangerously close to my ear, his stinky breath wafting over my face, "doesn't mean I won't hurt you." At that, I froze and he chuckled. "And besides, I can always... Hmm, lets see, shoot that boyfriend of yours." My eyes widened as I caught sight of him raising his gun in another direction, following it to...Puck.
He was currently on top of a guy, mercilessly punching at him. Punch after punch after punch. My heart clenched when I noticed the trickle of blood sliding down the side of his face.
"What's his name again?" the man asked. He paused. Then laughed a maniacal laugh. "Oh, yeah. Puck. Fucking. Daniels! Puck. Fuck. Rhymes doesn't it?"
I clenched my jaw, wanting nothing but to punch him.
"Now, you're gonna listen to me. And you're gonna follow my directions like an obedient little girl." I was confused before he brought out a cloth into my line of sight.
My eyes widened and my breathing accelerated. I pushed and shoved at the man, shaking my head. "No. No, no, no, no. No!"
"Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes."
I screamed as he brought the cloth to my face, the sound muffled as I struggled not to breathe. But eventually, I had to gasp for a breath. My head started feeling lightheaded and my body limped back into the man as black spots dotted my vision.
And then I was out.