Chapter 11: Back Here Again
Paisley:
I stretch out in bed just after closing my books and piling my notes on them. I get out of bed and opened my door. Something wasn't right. The house is too quiet. I would normally hear Tanner walking around, but I haven't heard it in a while. I finally stepped out and knocked on his bedroom door. The door opened up, he wasn't in there that's for sure. I then remembered that he said that if he wasn't in his room then he would be downstairs. I head down and search for him. Where is he? He told me weren't allowed to leave. I roll my eyes.
"Of course, nothing new," I say out loud since I knew no one was home.
I was midway from the top of the stairs when I see the front door open. I crossed my arms and waited for him to see me. My heart dropped. That's not Tanner. The intruder and I caught each other's eyes and he smiled as he took a step in, I made a run for it in my room. I made sure to lock it and I backed away. I begin tapping my back pockets of my shorts. Where the hell did I leave it! I move around my belongings that were on my bed. I lifted my textbooks and found it. As I was about to put my password, my bedroom door opened wide. How in the hell did he open it? I look at the doorknob to find a pair of keys. I look back at him. His dark grey eyes were looking back at me. He had a sly smile plastered on his face. A scrappy-looking beard that was just beginning to grow back. He rushed towards me and I made a run for it. I jumped over my bed to the other side. He threw my textbooks and notes on the floor making them scatter everywhere. I look over at the door, I think I'll be fast enough to escape. I take a glance back at him to find him staring at the door too. Who is he waiting for? I take the chance and made a run for it, but I wasn't as fast as I thought I was. I felt his hand on my arm. He quickly pulled me to him and rose his other hand. With that, I knew it wasn't going to end well.
*
I wake up in a dark room. I sit up and felt a sting on my right cheek. I placed my hand on it and I swore I could feel the heat. He must have hit me strong enough to make me pass out for a while. I knew I've been asleep for a while because of how dark it was now. What time do I think it is? Six thirty? Maybe. I squint my eyes as I look around the room. Something doesn't feel right. I know this room. I look up at the corner of the ceiling and found the red light of the camera recording me, just like before.
No! How could I be back here! Again! I stand up quickly and rushed to the door to find it closed this time. I groan out and look over at the barred up window. Damn it! I run my hands through my hair and just waited. I tell myself that this is probably all just a dream! It has to be! How in the hell can I be back in this room? The same room Ricky took me to when he kidnapped me?! Ricky apologized and said he'd keep his distance from Tanner and me, so there is no way that it could be real then.
"Okay", I tell myself. "Just take in some deep breathe and tell yourself to wake up. There is no time for this! Come on, Paisley!" I yell out. I hear a creak from the door and I look over at it. My heart dropped again and I felt a tear fall. "You? How could you! You promised!" I shouted at him.
"Calm down! This wasn't my doing!" He shouted back.
"Is she awake?" Someone shouted down the hall. "Ricky!"
"Yes, sir," he answered out respectfully. Ricky looks me over and reaches out for my cheek, but I backed away. "Look, if you don't fight with him then everything will go fine."
"Who is that? Who's asking?" I questioned him.
"Don't talk to her," I hear out and I see the devilish man himself. The grey eyes are burning into mine again and I look away.
"Uncle Jesse," Ricky said out in a scared voice. "What are you planning to do to her?" I turn to look at Ricky. Did he just say, uncle?! These two psychopaths are related?
"What she deserves," Jesse says as he opened his pocket knife. "The same destiny as her parents." He begins taking some steps closer to us and I begin to shake my head.
"No! You won't touch her again, I won't let you!" Ricky bellowed out as he got in front of me. Is he protecting me?
"Ugh! I don't know what you see in this bitch! She'll be just like her parents, useless and unnecessary to this world," he finished off.
Fury was building in me. How dare he?! I make a run to him and begin punching him in his face and stomach. I reached out for his knife that fell on the floor and slid his throat. I backed away and fury built in. I closed my eyes and reopened them a second later. If only I could really do that to him. I shiver in place, disgusted with myself for even thinking about something so gruesome.
"Just look at her! She's pathetic!" Jesse roared out.
"Enough uncle!" I hear Ricky say out.
"Excuse me! Remember who you are talking to!" Jesse threatened him. "Now, enough of this, I want to get this over with and as soon as possible so I can throw her body somewhere else."
"Uncle, please," Ricky says out. I turn my focus to him. I find him shaking his head. "Don't do it."
"I'll do what I like and when I want to do it," Jesse responded more calmly. "And I want to do this now! Not you or your fucking feelings will get in my way this time!" He let out as he reached out to me and brought me to him. My back was pressed against his chest as he placed the sharp knife on my throat. "I want you to see how the girl you desire dies, then you'll understand how I've become the way I am." He tightened his grip on me and I grunted. "You ready?" He asked me.
I stay quiet. This is it. My finale day. I'll be taking my last breath. I inhale deeply and let it out as I felt the point of the knife dig in and a bit of pain rushed through my body sending an alarm.
"Is that a police siren?" Jesse whispered in my ear. I froze.
"You cut her!" Ricky pointed out. At that point, I begin to feel the small sting on my neck. I knew it wasn't big, but it still hurt. The sirens got closer.
"How could this have happened?!" Jesse exclaimed out furious.
"Boss!" I hear out.
Jesse let me free and Ricky brings me to him. He opened the drawer next to the bed and took out some tissue paper. I look over at the doorway to find another guy that looked around the same age as Jesse, possibly around his mid thirty's. I felt Ricky pressing down on the small wound as if it would be life-threatening when really it wasn't, but I didn't care. I was focused on what they were discussing. I wanted to know their plan so I can be prepared to take my last deep breath again, only the first time wasn't my last.
"I want you and the others to kill every single cop that tries entering this house! We'll go to the basement and wait for the clear, got it?" Jesse tells him. The other guy nods his and rushed off. How many people are in this house? "Now, come on!" Jesse says out unexpectedly making me jump. "We're going to hide." Ricky pushed me in front of him making me be in-between them. We headed close to the kitchen and he opened a door. A door that I am also too familiar with. It's the door that Tanner and I went in when we escaped from Ricky, the basement.
"No!" Ricky shouted out.
"Sh!" Jesse reminded him. "Keep your fucking mouth closed! Why should it matter if she sees? She'll be dead soon enough," Jesse exclaimed. What the hell is he talking about? Jesse entered and turned on a light. I followed behind and when I reached the bottom, I felt myself get lightheaded. Pictures of me in different places were plaster all over the walls, a table in the middle, and when I looked up at the ceiling I was even more shocked.
"Y-you have a shrine of me?!" I blurt out as I move away from him. I look around in dismay. The closer I look at the photos I see a photo of me when I was in middle school. This creep has been having a thing for me for years! I walk around and examine the photos on the table.
"No, don't!" Ricky says out, but it was too late. My mouth dropped, he had a photo of me when I was sleeping in my mom's room the night that I first saw his uncle.
"That's why Tanner made that deal with you," I blurt out as I take the photo and show it to him. "He found this place and warned you not to photograph us! You've been stalking me! You didn't stop!"
"How could I, when you are so precious to me," Ricky let out as he made his way to me.
"You are insane!" I shout out. I turn away, but he turns me and slammed his lips into mine. I quickly pushed him away and raised my hand up to slap him, but Jesse stopped me.
"Do it and I'll make your death slow and painful," Jesse warned me. I drop my hand and put the photo back. I was beginning to walk back to him just as my phone went off. "You!" Jesse hissed. He reached out for my phone and began stomping on it. "You called the cops!"
"What? No! I swear!" I tell him truthfully. "I don't even remember putting my phone in my pocket when you attacked me in my room," I explained.
"You are for sure going to die now," he tells me with a deep voice. He wrapped his arm around me again and set the knife on my neck again. "At least you're going to die in a room full of your portraits." He pressed down just as gunfire began. "Shit, it's happening," Jesse says as he removes the knife from my neck again. "Say a word and I swear I won't think again before I slit that smooth throat of yours," he warned me. I nod my head and stood still and silent. Yelling and firing were happening at the same time. I can't make out anything. I cover my ears with my hands. This is too much! I can't listen to this! Jesse and Ricky walk away from me as the same guy from before returned with a smile plastered on his face.
"We killed him and his partner," he said out pleased. I turn and look at the back door. I made my way to it and opened it quickly and made a run for it. The adrenaline in my body was kicking in. I need to hide and fast. I run to the front of the house and saw the police car. I got in and closed the doors. I fumble to get the car's walkie-talkie.
"Hello? Hello?!" I say out desperately as I pressed the button.
"Yes? Who is this? Where is police, Carter?" A woman asked out.
"He's dead! I need help! I don't know where I am, my name is Paisley Thompson, the people who kidnapped me killed my parents and–"
"Get out!" Jesse slams into the driver side window. I yell out and begin looking around for a weapon.
"Okay, Paisley we have tracked the vehicle, backup is on their way," I was told over the radio.
I look over at the passenger side floor and found a crowbar. When I looked back, I see Ricky running back inside his house. I know why. He went to go get the keys. I rush out of the car and into the dark woods. My adrenaline hasn't changed. I'm running as fast as I can and suddenly I hear a shot being fired and I fall down to hide in a spot. I hear crunches of leaves and sticks getting stepped on. I don't know if it's just Jesse or if it's also his team of murders. My heart was racing in my chest. This is certainly a live or die situation. I could hear the street and cars constantly passing by. Maybe if I make a run for it, I'll be okay. I do. I run and run until I see car's headlights. I jump out into the street as the red and blue lights were coming down the road. I smile formed on my face. I jog to them and wave my hands around hysterically. I hear a shot being fired and the next thing I know is that I'm on the floor not bearing the pain. Another shot and the pain grew. I know I got shot on my back the first time, and somehow my balance didn't help me much. I fell back on my back and reached out for the other wound that was located on my chest. Two different shots in two different place, which meant there were two different shooters in two different locations. I look up at the sky and kept my breathing steady. Tears were falling down my cheeks making it harder to breathe. I didn't notice the police got to me until I was surrounded by red and blue lights flashing around me. I turn my head and see Mike and Tanner rushing to me. I smiled out. I raise my hand out as they arrived. They kneel down next to me. Tanner took my hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Paisley," Tanner says out with tears falling.
"Don't move her," I heard a police officer tell him. The ambulance is on its way now.
"Paisley, I'm sorry, I couldn't–" Mike started out but a sob came out and I swallow my saliva. I'm really thirsty. I look back up at the stars.
"Paisley?" Tanner says out with his voice quivering as he said my name.
The pain is too much to handle. Tears fell more and more. My breathing was getting harder. I try taking in a deep one, but I couldn't. I then begin heaving in. I need oxygen.
"Paisley!" I hear out but it sounded so distant. I try coughing out and in the process, I spat out blood. I look over at Tanner and Mike who looked at me in horror, I look away and started at the end of the other street. It was pitch black, but to me, I was seeing a bright light. It was no car, it was brighter than any car. It was my calling, but am I ready? I closed my eyes and I was in complete darkness.