Lennon.
I was slowly dozing off into a light slumber when the sound of the front door slamming shut shook me wide awake again. I sat up straight, glaring at the doorway waiting for Jasper to come back. My teeth were gritted and my hands balled in fists. Although I couldn’t actually attack him, I was still attached to the radiator, which whilst he had been gone, switched itself on and was slowly burning the skin on my back. My arm had been hanging above my head for hours the blood had rushed down my arm, leaving my hand completely numb and an unpleasant pale colour. The cuffs had cut into my wrist but I couldn’t feel it. I didn’t know how much longer I could wait for Jasper to return, my bladder was exceedingly painful. My legs were crossed uncomfortably tight to stop any accidents occurring.
Jasper had been gone all day and maybe even half the night. I wasn’t wearing a watch and my phone was in my bag, which no doubt had been ransacked by Jasper anyway. There were no clocks in the room either so I could only presume what time it was. I watched the shadow of the bed in the room move across the floor, slowly moving towards the west where it eventually set.
I was encased by complete obscurity and I was honestly afraid. The dark made everything even more eerie and uninviting. I held my breath every time I heard a sound. Every so often I would think I heard a car or several pulling up, I even debated it being Harry and The South, but it never was. In fact no cars pulled up, my mind was simply playing tricks on me.
It was a daunting prospect to realise that The South probably had no idea where I was being held or whom with. I deliberated ideas to keep my mind occupied as I remained in solitary throughout the day. The first thing I needed to figure out was; how was I going to tell The South where I was? Although before that I had to actually get out of the scenario I was stuck in.
I braced myself, holding a shallow breath as I heard footsteps run up the stairs. I assumed it was Jasper but it could have been anyone in this situation. The door swung open and bounced back off the wall. He flicked the light on blinding me after my eyes had grown accustom to the blackness for hours.
“Still here?” He posed the question, but to him it was evidently more a joke as he laughed to himself. I scowled at him and watched in expectation as he walked across the room. He smelt like a sickening mixture of cheap cigarettes and car fumes.
I scrunched my nose up at his awful stench as he knelt down beside and unlocked the metal cuff around my dead wrist. My arm dropped to my lap where I cradled it with my other arm. I rubbed my wrist feverishly; the cuts had now dried leaving bloodstains on my skin. I stretched my fingers in quick motions trying to encourage the blood to return.
“Do you want a plaster?”
I looked up at him and furrowed my eyebrows at him and his change in behaviour, even if it was a small indication of any sympathy, I wasn’t quite sure how to react. “No.” I replied bluntly as I stood up along with him.
“Suit your self.” He muttered back to his vicious tone again.
I had decided to act civil and listen to his demands until the morning, when I could at least figure out how I could communicate with the outside world. He grabbed my wrist without taking any consideration about how it might hurt. It did hurt, but not a lot. It was uncomfortable but I sucked it up as he pulled me down the stairs and back into the kitchen.
“I was thinking something with lentils for dinner.” He spoke, finally letting my armrest by itself. I stood opposite him on the other side of the kitchen table. He pondered to himself as he spun around and flung open several cupboards at once. He tapped his stained fingers on his stubble free chin in deep contemplation. “You can cook lentils right?” He asked turning back around.
I narrowed my eyes at him and his assumption that I would be cooking anything for him after he had abducted me. I closed my eyes briefly and bit the inside of my cheek to stop me saying something I would most likely regret. “Yes,” I simply replied, nodding. “But I need to use the toilet first if you don’t mind.” I began walking back into the hallway but the sound of footsteps soon caught up with me.
“Do you really think I’m stupid?”
“I’m not running away. You left me in that bedroom for hours, I need the fucking toilet.”
“What did I say about speaking to me like that?” He hissed with his face too close for comfort.
My back pressed up against the wall as I tried to veer away from him. I hadn’t meant to swear but I was exhausted, anxious and furious. He rolled his eyes impatiently and flung open the door beside of us. I was forcefully pushed into the small room, the door slamming shut behind me. It was practically a cupboard, with the exception of a toilet and sink. I quickly locked the door, watching it with caution in case he tried to intrude as I did my business.
He was still stood outside as I left the bathroom. He hauled me straight back into the kitchen and dropped a bag of red split lentils on the counter. I looked at them and then back at him.
“What?” He sneered.
“What do you want me to make? Just lentils?”
“Anything, I don’t care. I’m fucking starving.”
I grunted at his uncooperative answer. I did my best at cooking whilst he stared continuously at me, making me want to curl up in a ball and hide. I placed the plates of food on the table, he didn’t even wait for me to sit down before he devoured half of his plate.
“What did you mean by ours?” I questioned, referring back to his statement from the hours previous. He stopped chewing his food, placed his cutlery down on the table and turned his head over his shoulder to look swiftly into the garden. I peered around him, looking inquisitively at the garden again.
“Why do you think you’re here Lennon?” He failed to answer my question but instead asked his own. I shrugged my shoulders nonchantantly.
“Because you have nothing better to do with your sorry life than kidnap a random girl and handcuff her to a radiator.”
“You’re not just a random girl. You’re my girl.” He grinned maliciously after his alarming statement. I stopped chewing my food and felt the urge to gag repeatedly.
“You don’t own me.”
“This house, that garden will soon be ours, not just mine,” he spoke ignoring my disgusted reply. “The kids will be able to run around for hours out there. The kitchen is big enough for you to cook three course meals everyday. And-“ I cut him off sharply.
“Ours?” I choked out loudly. “I don’t want any of this and what the bloody hell are you talking about kids for?!” I screeched ear piercingly loud. He grimaced at my reaction and attempted to take my hand across the table, but I slapped it away harshly and stared at him in horror. “I am not yours and I have no idea what you plan on doing to me, but I suggest you don’t.” My words came out almost as a threat, my eyes almost piercing through his own.
He shifted back in his seat and refused to meet eye contact. I watched him gulp and fiddle with his fingers. He was showing signs of nervousness, which I couldn’t comprehend.
“Why do you want me? Why do you want to have children with me? Why me? Why here? What is going on?”
“It’s late.” He spoke uneasily and rose from his seat. He left his plate still half covered in food on the table and asked me to follow. I did as I was told and followed wearily, leaving my plate half empty too. Although what he had said before had filled my stomach, not with food but with repulsion, I felt sick to the core.
We walked into a bedroom, a different one from where I was held before. I spotted my bag in the corner and dived straight for it. I rummaged around hoping to feel the metallic feel of my phone but I found nothing but clothes. My journal was still sealed shut buried underneath a pile of my things.
“It’s not in there.” Jasper spoke, confirming my previous assumption. I wasn’t giving up yet, but there was nothing more I could do tonight.
I picked my bag up and walked straight through into the en suite attached to the room. I locked the door and changed into my pyjamas, putting a jacket on over the top, the more covered up I was the safer I felt. Although an extra layer probably wouldn’t do much good if anything were to happen, it was simply for superficial reasons. I took my time brushing my teeth and washing my face, the less time I had to spend around him the better. As soon as I left Jaspers presence was quick to replace mine. I stood looking at the door and hesitantly walked over to it, it was worth a try after all.
“It’s locked.” I jumped out of my skin when I spun around and saw Jasper wearing a pair of checked pyjama bottoms and no shirt, with a toothbrush hanging lazily from his mouth.
“You lock the bedroom door?”
“You think I trust you even in your sleep?” He had a very valid point because if it weren’t locked then I would have attempted to leave as soon as he was lulled into a slumber.
After Jasper returned into the room for a second time, this time ready for bed he waltzed straight over to the king size mattress and climbed under the sheets. He was watching me with curiosity, as I stood in front of the window unwilling to move. We stayed in the same positions, neither one of us making an attempt to move for several minutes until it was apparent he had grown intolerant.
“Are you getting in or what?”
“I don’t want to sleep in a strange bed with someone who kidnapped me, are you crazy?” I spat out. He sat up and leant against the headboard of the bed, crossing his arms over one another.
“If you don’t get in yourself I will personally come and get you and believe me, if I have to leave this bed I will make you regret it.”
It was clear he was back to his malicious, gang persona self. Any fear he had shown around me had now completely disappeared and had been forgotten. His eyes narrowed at me and the jerk of his body starting to move sent my body into motion. I dragged my feet heavily across the carpet and carefully climbed into the bed, trying to stay on the very edge of the bed.
When I woke up I was alone and very thankful. I shifted out of the bed faster than my body expected and almost tumbled to the floor. I darted across the room and yanked open the door and to my surprise it was unlocked. The smile on my face was probably too over enthusiastic. I stood at the top of the stairs after leaving the room and listened for any noises. I heard nothing except the subtle breeze of the wind blowing against the windows.
I crept downstairs and peered around all the rooms, I concluded I was alone. I walked into the kitchen, my eyes immediately making their way towards the notebook on the surface. I walked up to the table and spun the paper around so I could read it. I assumed Jasper had written it at some point in the morning. I looked up at the clock hanging on the wall, it was only eight thirty, wherever he had gone, he had gone early.
I looked back down at the note and read his few words mindlessly. He wouldn’t be back until late afternoon. He warned me not to try and run because every exit in the house was alarmed, even the top floor windows. I debated where he could actually be though. If I made an escape, how fast could he actually get back? Surely I had enough time to hide and get the hell away from this place before he could find me.
I walked back through the house and stopped inside the living room, it was pretty big with old fashion features. The beams on the room looked as if they were still the same ones from when the house was originally built. I walked up to the window and stared longingly at the outside world, sighing as I did so. There were no patent signs of life in the neighbourhood other than the postman who was making his way up the drive. He was a small blur in the distance, but his red uniform stood out amongst the bare trees.
My heart starting beating immensely when I realised that he could be my escape. But then I feared that if I asked for his help Jasper would punish him and I couldn’t live with having another innocent life taken due to my thoughtless actions. My brain went into overdrive however, as I ran back into the kitchen where the notepad was. I ripped a page clean out from underneath Jasper’s note.
My mind was racing so fast my body couldn’t keep up with my erratic idea. I wrote as quick and brief as possible. I wrote where I was, I didn’t know the exact address but I saw the street name and the house number before I was locked inside yesterday. I was greatly thankful I hadn’t allowed myself to sleep on the journey.
After scrawling the words messily on the page I yanked open every draw in the kitchen until I found what I was looking for. The envelope was a lot smaller than the paper, so I had to fold it several times. I rushed writing the address on the front, so much I was worried it might not be readable. I didn’t have time to rewrite it but I had marked Harry’s full name on the front along with the word ‘URGENT’. I shoved the paper inside the envelope just as the footsteps became clear on the drive. I sprinted to the front door and reached it just in time as he pushed the letters through the letterbox. I caused him to scream when I grabbed his hand. He stumbled back and grasped his hand in fear. I flicked the letterbox open and stared through. I was aware how creepy it must have been so I wasted no time in rambling on.
“I’m sorry for frightening you like that. It’s an emergency. I don’t have a stamp but I need this posting.” I rushed out before I took a shallow breath and continued. “I can’t leave the house because I’m sick, but it’s very urgent, please.” I begged and pushed the letter through the flap, my eyes begging him.
He looked at me with utter confusion. He looked around wearily. I had to lie because if I told him I was being held captive he would call the police, which in the end would probably result in him being murdered by The East. I stared at him, hoping my mental prayers would be answers as I pleaded for him to accept the letter and post it for me. I sighed deeply when he nodded and stepped back towards the door. He didn’t speak; he cautiously took the envelope and quickly turned around and took off at a steady pace.
“Thank you!” I shouted as I watched him disappear off the property. He didn’t turn around on his departure. I slid down the door and let the letterbox slam shut. I ran my hands through my hair, adrenaline pumping quickly through my veins. I was so nervous that he wouldn’t take it I could feel sweat forming on my forehead. I knew there was the possibility that it would never get to Harry but the little hint of hope inside allowed a brief smile to appear on my face.
I was also very aware that with or without a stamp the letter would take at least a couple days to reach The East. The rush of fear and worry soon returned. I was determined to at least make my day productive despite there not being a lot do in the house. It didn’t seemed very comforting or lived in. I searched around for any means of communication but there were no phones or computers so I was out of luck on that part.
After rummaging through the house and coming up empty handed I was almost ready to give up and just stare at the ceiling for the rest of the day but as I walked down the corridor to the living room I noticed a door I hadn’t yet opened. It wasn’t the same as the other ones, it was made from a different wood and felt a lot stronger. I jiggled the handle and became increasingly curious when it was locked. Something was hidden behind the door; I was half hoping it was my phone. It was a simple lock to pick, but I didn’t have a hair grip or a paper clip. I recalled back to a film I had seen many moons ago and sauntered into the kitchen. I ripped open the draw with the cutlery inside and grabbed a butter knife from inside.
I looked at the front door and listened carefully to ensure Jasper wouldn’t walk through the door at any given minute. I turned my attention back to the peculiar door and knelt down in front of the lock. I craned my neck and shut one eye as I assessed the lock. It wasn’t the easiest lock to break, but it was nowhere near the hardest.
I gripped the knife painfully tight and pushed it through the gap between the door and frame. I slid the knife down creating a painful shrill sound as it glided across the wood. It stopped completely when it reached the metal lock. I pushed down hard but carefully as I tried to wedge the knife between the lock and the door. It took all my strength to get the knife in place. When it was where I wanted it to be the knife itself was bending almost as if it was going to snap. I pushed sideways on the knife, hoping the knife wouldn’t break but the lock would unclick.
I had to repeat my actions several times before I heard the glorious sound of the lock moving out of place. The door opened ever so slightly but I immediately pulled it open, still kneeling on the floor. A paper file hit my head as soon as the door flew open taking me by complete surprise. I jumped back and reached for the file, which was sitting in front of my knees. It looked similar to the ones I had found in the office at the mansion back in The South, however these files looked neater, as if no one had touched them for a while.
I proceeded to look up after that and looked in amazement at the amount of files on display. I got back up on my feet and spent a good minute wondering where on earth to start. There was no phone inside, that was clear. I flipped through the file that had fallen on me and found nothing interesting, it was all their latest shipment details. It was the last file that had been used hence why it had fallen. I pulled separate folders out and read the binders explaining their contents.
Just like The South, they owned lots of maps, new and old. None of the maps had any information on that was useful to me. I pulled out one from nineteen ninety four, the year I was born and then one from the year before. The year before had a giant red circle all around London with the middle marked with a cross. However the latter one had London dissected into four sections, the four different gangs labelled. The middle of London wasn’t marked with a cross either. I didn’t quite fathom what it meant. Was 1994 the year when London split the city into different territories?
I placed the maps back on their shelf and ran my fingers along the folders. There had to be something in here that would explain things I didn’t know. I knew there had to be. The cupboard was locked for a reason, one I was determined to find out.
I had been searching through files for what seemed liked hours. I was still alone and any other human contact looked unlikely anytime soon. I was growing bored of reading the same tedious things over and over. I shoved the folder in my hand back on the top shelf but when I did I noticed it wouldn’t sit fully back in its place. I tilted my head in confusion and tried again but something was in the way. I stood on the very tip of my toes and hung onto the edge of the shelf, trying to get a glimpse of what was up on the top shelf.
I stretched my arm to the back of the shelf and tried to grip onto the box that was hiding itself. It was stood on its side so it didn’t take up much surface area. I held my breath as I reached as far as I could, my muscles straining to their maximum. I let out sheepish breaths when I felt the box in my grip. I yanked it to the front of the cupboard, along with a half a pile of dust. I swatted it away from my face and sat down on the floor, the box placed directly in front of me.
I peeled the lid off and pulled out the only file that was inside. The brown card file was stained and looked the most used and abused out of the lot. It was clear it was old, the corners were barely intact and it was bursting at the seams. I flipped it open and let the loose papers fall out onto my lap.
I gently pulled the first piece of paper away from the rest. I sat completely still and silent as I read over it. It was almost like a newspaper article the way the accounts were addressed. I noted the date, 1994 again – November. My eyes widened as I recognised the name from the file in Paul’s office. Axel Diomedes – Leader of the central London gang. I read on about him, discovering things I didn’t know previously. He was married but his wife’s name made my heart stop almost completely. Rose. I shook my head, my hands trembling as my eyes darted across. In the same year Rose had given birth to his only child, it wasn’t a son. His wife had given birth to a girl. He was furious about this he punished his wife in unspeakable ways.
My heart sunk so low I was surprised it was still working. My lip was trembling as I was slowly beginning to unravel things. I flicked through the other papers inside, all with dates later on them. Lots of them stated what was happening in London at the time. With no son to take his position as the leader of London, riots began and many tried to take the top place. The more of a threat everyone became the worse he treated Rose.
He was scripted as; ruthless, unforgiving and merciless. He killed people for fun, for the sake of it. But he was also commended for his authority over the city, he kept it in check, everyone knew their place in the city and they knew the consequences for stepping out line. What caught my attention the most was he was described as having a weird aurora about him, he could control people with just one stare. I gulped reading the words over and over. His pupils would dilate so big they would cover the whole of his irises, enveloping the victim with pure fear – they knew what was going to happen next. He could make anyone, even the most coldblooded men tell him everything he needed or wanted to know.
It wasn’t just a stare though. He was quick and pitiless. As his victim cowered away he’d be slitting their throat before they even had chance to think of running. There was a kill list and count one a separate page. The number made me sick to even look at. Thousands and thousands had died, their blood on his hands.
I found a picture of him at the bottom of the pile. I screamed at the top of my lungs looking at him. It had to be a mistake, I couldn’t be related to this monster. I never knew my father, I never even questioned my mother about the subject. She failed to mention it and I knew there was a reason behind it. Little did I know it was because he was an abusive husband who once controlled London. How could my mum end up with such a beast? I refused to believe it, despite the pieces fitting together. It didn’t explain why The East wanted me, they had some sort of vendetta though and I knew it was because of him. This was what Harry didn’t want me to know and I really wish I didn’t now. The thought of being the offspring of the living devil was vile.
I felt tears prick at my eyes when I found my own birth certificate. My name printed on the page, my mothers name and his underneath, listed as my parents. My last name wasn’t in fact Rae at all. I shook my head and let out desperate breaths. This was hard evidence that I couldn’t escape. I couldn’t bare to look at it any longer. I pulled out another certificate, this time a death one. He was dead, and I wasn’t ashamed to say I breathed a sigh of relief. I would never have to face the loathsome creature. He had died several years after my birth, which gave him plenty of time to torture my mother before I could remember anything. No wonder she was terrified of everything. My heart yearned for my mum, I didn’t know the extent of what he put her through but my heart ached at the prospects.
I couldn’t understand why articles were written in almost a newspaper sense. Someone kept tabs on everything happening within the London gangs. I also couldn’t comprehend why these files were here. Why was my birth certificate in Dover of all the places? Harry knew all of this, in fact I presumed they all did and they wouldn’t tell me. I scared Harry and I feared it was because he thought I was the younger version of my father. But why had he freaked out when he read my journal?
I snapped back to the present when I heard the sound of gravel crunching underneath a set of tyres. My eyes almost burst from their sockets at the realisation I could get caught very soon. I shoved everything back into the box carelessly and threw it to the back of the cupboard. I pushed the other folder back in front of it and slammed the door before it could fall out. The lock set back in place fortunately.
I wiped the tears staining my cheeks away with my sleeve and ran to put the knife back in its place. I had been reading over things for so long I hadn’t noticed it was the afternoon, however it was only one. Jasper stated he wouldn’t be home until later. My heart was beating hard against my ribs at the anticipation of who it was as I heard the turn of the front door handle.