Chapter 19
"So why just kill me?"
**
1 Week Later
The darkness is scary. I don't care what people say, it's scary. But something that's even scarier, is what's in the darkness. After seeing your best friend get shot then you get knocked out and then you wake up in a dark cell, you would think I would be in shock or have metal problems but I don't. I sit in the dark corner with no light whatsoever. I don't know what else is in this cell and I don't know where. I can't see a thing so I try to use my other senses. I lean against the corner and here approach footsteps. I try to shrink back into the darkness. The footsteps slow as they come in front of my cell.
"Get her out," the voice is ruff and unfamiliar.
"Yes sure," this voice is higher and more familiar. The door opens letting in a slither of light. My eyes water from the sudden light that blinds them. I listen as a pair of footsteps leave.
"J?" I whisper as I try to take in his appearances. "What are you doing here!?" I keep my yell to a whisper. He smiles at me sadly, and takes in my beaten appearances. It's been a week of beatings and bruises. The pain has numbed to a sudden throb, at least I'm not cry from it anymore.
J walks over and pulls me off the cold concrete floor. My muscles refuse to move so I lay limp in J's arms as he helps pull me up.
"What have they done to you?"
I shake my head feeling dizzy suddenly, "why are you here?"
He smiles sadly at me, "me and the guys set up a plan. If it all works out we should get you of here by a week or two."
If I could walk on my own I would be jumping for joy. My heart beats rapidly at the thought of leaving this torturous cell. The sound of a constant dripping of water grows louder. Then I remember about Phoenix.
"Is Phoenix-"
Footsteps echo off of the cell walls. J looks at me and the look on his face scares me more than anything, fear.
"Jake!" I frown, his name isn't Jake. How is he in here and not being recognized. He was captured here also, they should recognize him. J throughs me on the ground suddenly, the throbbing pain turns back into a sudden stabbing. I cry out in pain, a low whimper escaping my mouth.
"What I'm trying to get the prisoner!" J's voice has gotten lower suddenly. I raise my eyebrows and crawl back to my corner. I try to stay out of sight.
"I'll get her, go do deal with level twenty." I notice J stiffen, what's level twenty? J nods stiffly, he walks out of the door. Before he can turn down the hall the man grabs his arm stopping him. I freeze and pray he doesn't get caught. I close my eyes and squeeze, trying to make myself believe this is a dream. "You will transfer her to level twenty tonight, understood?"
My blood runs cold, I feel like I would rather stay in my cell than level twenty. What is this company for, because it isn't selling clothes. "Sir is it necessary for her to be up there?"
I notice J's voice sounds more like he is in pain. I look down and see the mans grip has turning J's arm purple. "Yes," the man growls.
He lets go of J, making him lose his balance. He wobbles on his feet before gaining back his balance. He sends me one last glance, and I can read his mind. I love you too J. I send him a shaky smile as he leaves me with the temperamental man.
"Now let's have some fun." He walks towards me with a smug smirk. This is the man I get at least one beating from a day. He brings his foot back before it connects with my ribs. I scream out in pain, tears flowing down my cheeks. I know J heard my scream from down the hall. The man walks over and closes the door before continuing.
**
The man left an hour ago. But the pain is still there. My breathing is rigid from the pain in my ribs. I'm sure there all broken now. Blood oozes down the side of my head from where the man smashed it against the concrete wall. I begged him for mercy, but he didn't lift a finger. I ask everyday what I did to deserve this, I never get an answer. I here footsteps coming and began to cry silently. If I take one more beating I'll probably die from blood loss. The door opens with a long creaking sound then slams shut. Sudden lights flicked to life, I shout in pain. The lights are like fire in my eyes spreading to my brain. My brain throbs from the gash on my head and the flickering lights. I notice a chair in the middle of the room and the devil himself sits in it.
Coleman smiles at me, "hello Miss Walker."
I spit my saliva mixed with blood at his feet. He sneers at me as he pulls a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wipes off his dress shoes. I look around my cell, noticing it for the first time. It is all concrete with a metal bar door. A small pipe comes out of the wall in the corner that drains water into the floor, creating a puddle. Nothing else is in here except for the chair that Coleman.
"W-what do you want?" Coleman smiles at how weak my voice is. It's my turn to sneer at him, bringing back what little fire I have left.
"I'm glad you asked."
"I'm sure you are," I mumble. Sudden I'm slammed into the wall, I gasp from the air being knocked out of me. My eyes widen when I see Coleman has me pinned me to the wall. His face is only inches from mine, the smell of alcohol fans my face from his breath. I try to hold back a gag.
"I am," he growls. He lets me go and I drop back to the floor.
He sits back in the chair, it creaking under his weight. I notice his eyes are blood shot and his perfectly waved hair sticks straight up. He runs a hand through his hair before sighing. His gaze finally lands back on me, he looks at my broken body. He takes in the ripped shirt and pants and all the blood and bruises. My disheveled hair and sagging shoulders. Honestly I have gave up all hope of getting out of here, I'll probably just die first.
"What's level twenty?" I ask suddenly, taking Coleman off guard.
He looks at me shocked, "how do you know about level twenty?"
I attempt to shrug my shoulders as I look at my hands that lay limp in my lap. "I overheard some men talking about it."
He mumbles some colorful words under his breath and some threats. "It's where we take our dead prisoners."
It doesn't surprise me that I'll be taken their tonight. "Am I going?"
A sudden spark of hope ignites in my chest. For the first time in my life have I seen Coleman look sorry, he hangs his head low. He shrugs his shoulder, "I haven't decided yet."
That small spark of hope is blown out by a small gust of wind. I haven't left this cell for a week and if they took me to level twenty I might be able to escape. Unless I was already dead when they took me.
"Why are you doing this?"
Coleman laughs bitterly, "it isn't your fault. Your father and I did some business together. He didn't fulfill his end of the bargain, so I killed him and promised to make his family pay."
"W-was my mother involved with this business?"
Please say no. My sweet innocent mother can't be involved with such evil business.
"Yes."
My stomach is now in my throat. They were in this business and hid it from me. I don't want to know more, but I need too. If I die tonight I would like to at least die knowing why.
"W-what did they do?"
"Your father was my best friend. We do the dirty work for people and then they pay us. We do anything to killing to kidnapping. He asked me to handle some things." He pauses as if he is trying to gather his thoughts. "He never payed me for the things we did. It was very hard to do and almost lost half our men. And he never payed his end."
None of this surprises me. My father was an evil man, he had no soul. He didn't care for anyone or anything. He could slice off someone's end and not blink an eye. And he managed to sleep at night.
"Your mother-" my heart stops "-she was a guard for us. She would come and take care of the prisoners, such as yourself."
"S-she tortured t-them?" Tears flow freely down my cheeks. How could my
mother do such a thing!?
"And more," he doesn't bother to look me in the eye. My head hangs low, it suddenly feels so heavy I can't hold it up.
"What about the clothing line?"
"It's just a cover, so the police don't find out our real work."
I have to admit it's an excellent cover. People shop in his stores and don't even know what happens behind his walls. They don't here the screams over the hip-hop music they play. They don't here the whimpers of pain over the cashiers chatting. They don't know what is hidden from them, where the eye can't see.
"So why just kill me?"
"I send footage of you everyday to your mother. To show her what she did and her punishment. Killing you know means that I end her punishment."
I look up in the corner and see a small camera. I missed it earlier, it must be able to see through the darkness of the cell. I smile sadly at it an look back down at my hands. Bruises run up and down my arms, blood streaks my face. "What did my mother do too you?"
He stays silent for a while. I don't think he is going to answer until he goes. "She married your father. She chose him over me."
He loved my mother, and she didn't chose him. I'm sure that damaged Coleman and my fathers friendship as well. He loved my mom, but she couldn't return his feelings. We stay silent for a little while, comprehending his words.
"How much longer will you keep me alive?"
"A week or so," he says nonchalantly.
His sorrow act is now gone and replaced by his evil self. But I only needed to see a glimpse of his inside. He is broken, he killed his best friend and tortured his daughter and wife. On the inside the man is broken beyond compare, he uses the evil cover to hide what's beyond his evil smirks and snarky remarks. On the inside he is a broken man.
Me and him we're a lot alike. I found the guys and became something I never thought I could. I found my light when I was in the dark. Coleman just needs to find his light. His darkness never seems to end though. I feel bad for the man inside, the one outside is just a mask.
Just like my bad girl act was a mask, to hide the crumbling girl inside. But each day I'm being put back together, even in this cell. I think of the guys and all our memories. I think of the light when I'm in the dark.
"I can see your broken. I was like you, but I found the guys. They helped me become who I am now. They-"
"Shut up! You know nothing about me!" His face turns red from anger as sweat coats his brow. I smile at him showing him pity. I used to say I didn't need pity, but some people need to know you care.
"You don't have to hide with me. I-"
He slams me against the wall and wraps his hands around my throat. I claw at his muscular hands, gasping for air. A vein pops out of Coleman's forehead as he shakes from anger. I feel as if my eyes could pop out of their sockets. I kick and thrash in his arms as my feet are lifted off the ground.
"Please... stop..." I gasp for air that won't come. The darkness on the edge of my vision grows until it covers my vision. I fall to the ground gasping for air as Coleman steps back. Air enters my windpipe and feels like pins and needles. The air fills my body, the darkness fading back to the corner of my eyes.
"I'll be back tomorrow." He slams my cell door shut. The lights flicker off leaving me in the darkness. I'm left to the sound of leaking pipes and rigid breathing. I can tell the bruises are already forming on my throat. The muscles in my throat contract every time I swallow. I guess I'm not dying tonight if he is coming back tomorrow. I lay down in the corner of my cell and wait. I wait for a miracle that will never show.
And then the door creaks open slowly. And my heart stops, my blood running colder than ice.
"W-who's there?"
A/N
Omg guys! We hit 1k reads. I thank you all for reading my book! The comments and votes mean so much too me! The book is coming to its end soon, but not now. I hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger lol! Who do you think is at the door? Do you guys think Phoenix is still alive? Anyways click that vote button and keep reading for more chapters! Keep it simple!
-Emz