Time skips a couple weeks
(Sadie's POV)
To be honest, I think we should have known something was up. It's too late now though. I'm just thankful it was me and not Elena. She may be in pain right now but soon she'll wake up and be able to move on with her life. And I'm even more grateful Charlie's safe. It hurts to think of him moving on with another girl, because eventually he will have to, but I wouldn't change a thing. I'm glad it was me not them.
Down the street we walked that afternoon, our legs tired from walking all day and our arms laden with bags. We chatted mindlessly about random things, already becoming fast friends.
"Let's call an uber and get the heck home." Elena suggested. So we stood by the side of the curb and waited for the driver. A black SUV parked in front of us and opened the back door for us to climb in. So we did.
This would be the mistake that cost me my life.
As soon as we shut the door behind us the doors clicked and locked. I didn't think anything of it at first, but soon my stomach started to knot and I realised something was up. Outside the darkened windows I could just see another SUV parking right where we had just stood. This car had the Uber sticker on its front window. Ours didn't, and I couldn't see the driver
"Elena, I think we-" I started, but immediately the car zoomed off and we lurched back in our seats.
"We got in the wrong car Elena. This isn't the Uber." I whispered frantically.
"Oh fu-"
Suddenly one of the drivers opens the window separating the driver from the passengers and throws in a smoke bomb of some sort. I've seen enough action movies to know this gas certainly isn't good.
"Don't inhale. Hold your breath!" I shout, desperately trying to open the windows. "Fucking childlock." I curse aggressively.
Elena's face starts to go red, and then purple, and similarly, I can feel my vision becoming woozy. We can't hold our breath any longer. Both of us exhale at the same time and gulp in the toxic air. We cover our shirts over our mouth so we don't get the full effect, but soon enough the effect of the gas works its will on us. Elena grabs my hand and together we sit in absolute fear, as we slowly slip into unconsciousness.
***
After what feels like hours, I wake up, my vision becoming woozy and I realise I have a cut over my eye. How did I get that? My vision wavers but soon I can make out the details of the room I'm in. And as my vision returns, my sense of touch also comes back. I feel my hands becoming tingly as I move them around. They are behind my back, tied tightly together. So tight the circulation is starting to cut off.
Jesus Christ.
Then I remember. Elena.
"Elena?" I try to shout, but it comes out as a cough. "Elena?!" I wheeze again.
"Sadie?" I hear a weak voice call out for me. I turn my head to the side and see her, also tied up to a chair, blood dripping down her lip.
"Oh god are you okay?" I ask her
She nods. "How about you?"
"Yes I'm fine."
I take a deep breath and attempt to take in my surroundings. We're in a small empty room except for ourselves, everything is a cold grey colour, and has no sense of life. Not that I imagined that it would do, but still. There is a door directly in front of us, about five feet away, but its too far to scuttle towards, and there are multiple padlocks stopping us. We're trapped.
I feel terrified.
"Elena what do we do? Someone brought us here and they aren't likely going to just leave us here. What if someone comes in? I mean, any minute someone could come storming into the room and kill us, or rape us, or torture us, or sell us, human trafficking is a real and very terrifying thing. I mean it happens all the time. What about Charlie, oh god. I only just met you and I already love you, what do we do Elena? I don't want to die!"
Elena attempts to push her chair towards mine with no luck. She sighs. "I don't know Sadie, but I'm sure we'll be fine. Soon enough Leo and Charlie will realise we're gone and call the cops. Uber will see that we called for them, and the person who was supposed to pick us up will tell them that we weren't there. Then the police will be able to hack into the security cameras set up on the streets and see which car actually took us. They'll catch the liscence plate and see who's car it is. If the car was stolen they can then follow the car through the cameras set up in traffic lights and it'll lead them here. They'll bust down the door and save us. The end."
I laugh. "Okay, that sounds great."
"Exactly, all we have to do is wait."
"Brilliant."
We sit in silence for a minute or two.
To be honest I don't really know how much time passed before it happened. Suddenly the door bust down just like Elena predicted. I perk up in my chair, looking for the police uniforms that will save us. All I see is two middle-aged men in dirty hoodies and jeans. They smile at us, and even from five feet away I can see the immense amounts of plaque on their teeth.
"Hello loves."
I flinch at the pet name. Charlie calls me that, no one else would dare. I am filled with sudden anger.
"Shut up. Who the fuck are you and what do you want?"
The man who spoke laughs and beckons for the other guy to shut the door behind them. "I think you know very well what we want."
"Oh yeah you're right. I know exactly what you want and why you're here. However, I would be absolutely thrilled if you would tell me again what you want." I reply sarcastically.
The man begins to walk around the room slowly, going even slower when he gets behind me and Elena. He pops his head around from behind me and breaths in my face. His breath smells like death. "Money."
I try to stay confident, I try to compose myself, but I can't stop my hands from shaking. At least they don't want us dead. "And how do you expect us to give you money?"
"As we both well know, you are dating," he pauses, looking over to his friend standing by the door. "Hey Steven what was the guy's name again?"
Steven ponders for a moment, and I can't take it. "My boyfriend's name is Charlie. What do you want with him? You better not touch him."
The man laughs. "Aw, poor sweetheart worried about her boyfriend?" He crosses his legs and sits down on the ground directly in front of me. He's tall. Even though he's on the ground his head almost reaches mine.
His smile suddenly disappears and he scowls and slaps me across the cheek suddenly. "We don't give a shit about him, we want his money. I just fucking said that, don't make me repeat it."
My cheek burns and my eyes sting with embarrassment and pain. My hands start shaking even more, I can feel my heart flurrying.
He pulls a phone out of his back pocket and places it on my lap. "You're going to call this boyfriend of yours, Charlie or whatever, and tell him to meet us at a safehouse by the old warehouses with $500,000 cash in an hour. If he doesn't comply, hand the phone to me."
He pulls out a small piece of paper with an address scribbled onto it and gives it to me, before telling Steven to untie me. I rub my wrists once they are freed, the feeling starting to come back to them.
"Now don't try anything girlie." I look up at the man and to my horror see a gun pointed at my head. Elena whimpers behind me, and my lip trembles. I nod and pick up the phone with trembling hands.
It takes me a few tries to correctly type his number in, but when it does I feel my fears disappear momentarily. The dial tone rings, rings, rings, rings again. I look to the man, worried he'll shoot me if Charlie doesn't answer. Just as I'm about to give up he answers.
"Hello?" His voice sounds strained, worried. And as terrified as I am, his voice soothes me.
"Charlie?" I breathe.
"Sadie? Oh my god are you okay? You didn't come home yesterday, where are you? I'll come get you. Did you lose your phone? This isn't your number. Where's Elena? Leo's beside himself."
I inhale shakily, remembering my task. "Charlie I need you to listen to me very carefully. Me and Elena are fine, but there's something I need you to do for us. Okay?"
A brief silence from Charlie, I can hear him recounting my words to someone with him, probably Leo. "Okay, anything you need I can handle it."
"I need you to come to 5 Old Warehouse Road, in one hour. And you have to bring $500,000 in cash. Can you do that" I say, my voice as uneven and as shaky as my hands.
"Uh, yeah I guess. Why do you need that though?" And then he realises. "You're not alone are you?"
"No."
I've gotta hand it to him, he knows exactly how to handle the situation. Asking only yes or no questions. "Did someone take you?"
"Yes."
"Are they armed?"
"Yes." I tremble.
"Guns?"
"Yes."
"Do they have things like knives?"
I peer at the men and look on their person. To my dismay I see at least two long daggers attached to their belts. "Yes."
"How many are there, oh wait okay I'll guess. Is there one?"
"No."
"Okay, more then I guess. Four?"
"No."
"More or less? Yes is more, no is less."
"No."
"Two?"
"Yes."
"Okay. We'll get the money and come to that location. Do whatever they say. I would tell you not to aggravate them but knowing you I'm sure you already have."
I allow myself a smile. Charlie has the power to make me feel safe even in the most dangerous of situations.
"Yeah."
He laughs softly, but I can hear the stress in that laugh. "I'll see you in one hour. Stay safe. I love you so much."
"I love you too." I reply. As soon as he hangs up I feel the safeness disappear. A sick feeling comes over me, and I feel like that could be the last time we ever say I love you. I take advantage of my free hands and wipe away a tear before it falls.
"It's done." I say stonily, handing the phone to the man.
He smiles a sick smile. "Wonderful." he motions for Steven to come over to Elena. He takes the dagger out of his belt and for a moment I feel my stomach drop, but he cuts Elena's ropes off.
"Get up, both of you. We're going to wait for the boys there."
I stand up, my legs are tingly and shaky but otherwise fine. Elena whimpers as she stands. I look over to her asking without words if she's okay.
"My ankle." She whispers, and after looking down, I can see how swollen and purple it is.
"It looks sprained." I breathe. She shrugs and limps over to where the men wait for us.
They grab our hands and pull them behind our backs, shoving us out the door.
***
We find ourselves once again tied up to chairs sitting in almost darkness. This time the room we sit in is much larger, not even a room but an abandoned warehouse. Steven is waiting outside for the boys, and the other man, who's name I still don't know, sits in front of us, clutching his dagger.
"Why us?" I ask croakily, trying to fill the silence.
The man sniggers. "It's not really you I have the issue with, though you do have a serious attitude problem, and that one never speaks which is kind of annoying. It's your boyfriend."
Elena finally speaks to the man. "What about my boyfriend? Why do you want Charlie and not Leo?"
"Oh we want Leo as well, but since she's dating Charlie, but wait you're dating Leo?" The man says not making much sense.
"Yes." Elena confirms.
He frowns, then scowls. "Aw how sweet. All four of you are friends yes? How cute. I bet you go on double dates don't you?"
"It's none of your buisness."
He laughs.
"So why do you have an issue with Charlie and Leo then? You never did finish your thought." I ask.
"Simple, we hate Bars and Melody. Quite a lot."
Despite the situation at hand I can't help but laugh. "You're really that petty? Wow. You're gonna kidnap and demand a ransom just because you hate them?"
Clearly that wasn't the right thing to say to a madman.
He stands up and in two large steps is inches from my face, the dagger held up at my throat. "One more word out of you and I'll slit your throat." He rasps, spit flying onto my face.
"No no no no no no no." Elena whispers tears streaming down her face.
I stare him down, hiding my terror badly. He doesn't move.
A sudden commotion outside the warehouse makes all three of us snap our heads towards the door. Charlie and Leo.
"Do they have the money Steven?" The man hollers.
"Yeah, looks like they do."
"Sadie? Elena? Are you guys okay?" Charlie shouts.
"We're fine." Elena calls back.
"Hey, you guys got your money now let them go." Leo demands.
"Let the boys in Steven." The man orders.
The door opens and Charlie and Leo come running in towards us. The stress in their faces are so big. I start crying at the sight of Charlie, relief flooding my veins. We're going to be alright. But I forgot the fact the man has a dagger to my throat.
"Not another step or she dies!" He shouts. Charlie immediately freezes, as does Leo.
"We brought you your money man, just let them go and we'll leave. We won't go to the police I swear." Leo reasons.
He doesn't move the blade from my throat. I try not to tremble too much. Steven gets his own dagger out and presses it to Elena's stomach.
"Whoa man, what is this? We did everything you asked. Let them go." Charlie says, the panic evident in his voice.
The man stares at him coldly. "To begin with, I have a few things to say. First, I fucking hate your band. You suck. Every time I have the misfortune of hearing you sing it makes me so angry. So I think it's only fitting that you should feel angry too. You see that was my goal the entire time, really the money was just another addition I thought of at the last minute. You don't deserve all that money, you're shit. What I really crave is to see you feeling all the emotions I feel when I hear you sing."
Charlie trembles, knowing where this is going. I find myself whimpering, knowing also that this is going no-where good. Elena starts crying, and Leo looks so unbelievably angry.
"Look, I get that you think we suck, that's okay. But if you want us to feel angry, you've already accomplished that. Right now I feel pretty fucking pissed at you. So congratulations you've achieved your goal. You can let them go now." Charlie says, his voice strained and thin.
The man just laughs. "Nice try. I want you to feel true pain. And you lovely ladies," he turns to us, smiling grossly. "I also want you to feel pain, just a different kind."
Elena sobs.
"Go fuck yourself!" I shout in his face.
He just cackles.
Charlie looks behind him out the door, as if expecting someone to walk in at any moment. I've never seen him look this conflicted.
"So," the man says brightly. "who's first then? Little miss attitude, or little miss crybaby?"
"Neither of them you sick fuck!" Leo shouts, tears in his eyes. "Let them go!"
"Okay then, we'll go for crybaby first then, she's your girlfriend isn't she?"
"No!" He shouts attempting to run forwards, but Steven kicks his shins and he crumples to the ground. Steven doesn't relent, he keeps on kicking him in the side until Leo groans, unable to move properly.
"Go ahead boss."
"Lovely." he says, approaching Elena like a predator approaches it's prey.
Elena sobs uncontrollably. "No, please don't d-do this."
"Sorry love, your time's up."
Charlie starts forward but Steven is quicker. He quickly puts his dagger at my throat, forcing him to stop.
"Stop it," Charlie warns, looking behind him again. "listen, the police are outside waiting for you. If you do this they'll catch you. Wouldn't you rather go to jail for kidnapping instead of murder?"
The man's face freezes, but he smiles coolly. "Your bluffing. And even if you're not, if I'm going to jail I'm going out with a bang."
Charlie panics, and shouts out the door. "HELP! QUICK!"
But no one comes.
"I guess the police aren't coming for you then. Shame."
Leo slowly gets to his feet. "Take me instead. Don't take Elena take me."
"You don't think I'm seriously going to do that? No, I want you to suffer, knowing there's nothing you can do. Steven how about you tie them up, they're getting annoying and keep interrupting me."
Steven removes the knife from my throat and heads towards the two boys.
Before the boys can even be tied up though, the man grows impatient and suddenly thrusts the dagger into Elena's side. The scream she makes is almost as bad as the amounts of blood that pour out of her onto the floor. He stabs her again, laughing at her screams. She kicks and writhes in pain but otherwise can't move. Again he stabs her, and again. Until she slumps, lifeless in her chair, her eyes barely open. The man cuts her binds and she falls to the ground.
Leo screams in horror, doing everything in his power to reach her, but Steven punches him and he falls to the ground. It's my turn no to sob uncontrollably. She can't be dead. She can't be. I look at her, willing her to sit back up again and say she's fine. But she was stabbed four times, how can she be? Still.... I look at her chest and notice her chest is still rising and falling, though irregularly and with great trouble.
She's okay. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Until the man comes towards me, and I know surely I won't be as lucky. He hates me.
I whimper and look to Charlie. He has tears in his eyes, but Steven holds him back.
"HELP!" He screams out the door. "FUCKING HELP US!"
But no one comes.
The man presses the dagger tip forward onto my bellybutton, digging it in, hard enough for it to hurt, but not hard enough to penetrate the skin. I howl in pain, and the man laughs. He moves the knife over a few inches, and digs it in again, this time hard enough to penetrate the skin. My screams fill the warehouse, but the man doesn't stop. He keeps on going. My blood spills warm into my lap, and I feel my vision becoming woozy. Horrible squelchy sounds accompany my screams and his laughs.
"SADIE!" Charlie screams, struggling with all his might to escape Steven.
"Charlie!" I manage. "I love you."
"No! Don't say that, you're not going to die! Not this way!"
"Oh yes she will." The man cackles, and rips the knife out of my stomach before slamming it into my chest. I scream with everything I've got, tears rolling down my face uncontrollably. He stabs me again, in the stomach. My screams abruptly stop, and cough blood up.
Charlie sobs, and with one last ounce of energy, he kicks Steven in the balls, causing him to let him go, groaning in pain. Charlie sprints for me, and to my surprise the man steps back for him to reach me, slashing my binds so I too fall to the ground. I squeal in pain, laying there wishing it would just end, the pain is more than I can bear. Charlie crouches beside me, holding my hands.
"Sadie, oh god no! Stay with me, please don't go."
My breathing starts to slow, each breath is a struggle. Black spots appear in my vision, and I know I don't have much time life. "Charlie." I croak. "I love you, so...much." Each word hurts.
Charlie moans, shaking his head. "I love you too Sadie. Please hold on, the police will be here soon I'm sure of it."
I smile sadly, and squeeze his hand as tightly as I can, which isn't very tight. "I love you." I repeat. "Never forget that. I love you, I love you, I love you..."
Charlie shakes his head. "You can tell me that later, when we're married and we have kids and a life together. You can tell me that every day."
"When we're married?" I smile, but end up grimacing, as a fresh wave of pain consumes me. I exhale, trying not to shout in pain, trying my best to focus on his words. But it's no good, my hearing leaves me, and soon enough, everything else does.
(Charlie's POV)
"Yeah." I smiles through my sobs. "Hey, I don't have a ring, but, now's as good a time as any right? Sadie, I love you, will you marry me? Please answer me. Sadie?"
She's still looking at me, but there's nothing in her eyes. She doesn't blink, and she doesn't answer me.
"Sadie?" I say softly, my lip trembling. "Sadie please answer me. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me, okay?"
But she doesn't squeeze my hand, and she says nothing. Already I feel the warmth leaving her hand, and her chest stops rising and falling.
A bang from behind me snaps me out of my horror, and I look back to see a swarm of policemen arriving. They grab the men and handcuff them, shouting instructions and calling for ambulances.
My blood boils.
Near the door lies Leo, he can't even stand, he's sobbing too hard. One policewoman tries talking to him, asking him questions, but he can't say anything, and I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't even hear her.
A tap on my shoulder removes me from my daze, I look up an see an officer.
"May I ask you some questions please sir?"
I scowl at him. "How about I ask you some questions? Where the fuck were you when I called for you? Twice! If you had come in they wouldn't have killed her, Sadie. SHE'S DEAD! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! WHY DIDN'T YOU COME? WHY?"
My screams mix with Leo's sobs, and even though they've been arrested, the man who killed Sadie laughs. He got exactly what he wanted, he can see Leo wailing in pain, and me shouting at police officers, and he gets a sick kick out of it.
It's too much to bear. Like Leo, I crumple to the ground and wail, I wail for Sadie, for Elena, for everything that happened.
The world really is a fucked up place.
***
Well there it is, hope you liked that, or maybe not liked but enjoyed reading it. Who am I kidding, that was fucking awful im sorry lmao. Had to though. haha.
Bye! ;D
Nina