[trigger warnings: domestic violence & attempted sexual assault]
Atmosphere's P.O.V:
There I sat, in the middle of that stupid cabin just blankly staring at the door, waiting.... waiting for what seemed like days when it had only just been a couple of hours since my failed escape.
Luke, which I guess is that creep's name, was the one that found me hiding in the woods, but, I didn't go down without a fight. Even though he may have a couple of gashes on his arms and face, I was still the one who ended up the worst.
Once he had brought me back to the cabin, he made sure to release all his anger out on me. Thankfully, with only punches and kicks, because I can take a beating because of my past, but I can't take anything else.
But soon he got tired of the constant beating and left me all alone in the poorly lit cabin while Tori and him went outside to have a not so quiet conversation about how they are going to end me once and for all.
"Pick your head up, honey." My mother spoke.
A harsh giggle left my lips, "You can't be serious right now?!" I hissed as my bloodshot eyes wandered over to her.
Her ghostly figure was sitting in the corner of the room just rocking back-and-forth while her lifeless eyes stayed glued on to mine.
"I'm being serious, Atmosphere." She slightly spat, "You're going to be okay, trust me." She tried reassuring me.
"How do you even know that?" I asked annoyedly, "You didn't even know that he was going to find me in the woods, did you?" I asked her.
She shook her head, "No, I didn't." She whispered.
A short laugh left my swollen lips again, "Then you can't say I'm gonna be okay if you don't know that." I spat, my ugly attitude affecting the both of us.
"Well, I know that you are a very strong woman who will fight for her life until her last breath." She said, "So, I know you're gonna be okay no matter what."
I lean my back against the wall letting cold tears roll down my face while I continued to talk to my dead mother.
"I am afraid that this will be my last day on Earth." My voice cracked, "And that I'm going to be all alone when I take my last breath."
"It's not your last day on Earth, trust me." She reassured me, "Jake, Colby, and all your other friends are looking for you right now, so don't worry."
I eyed her for giving me false hope, "How do you even know that?"
"Because I can see them, Atmosphere. They aren't giving up on you, so don't give up on yourself either." She whispered, causing a weak smile to appear on my face.
"They're looking for me?" I whispered as her false hope consumed my bones, "They're looking for me." I repeated before softly closing my eyes.
"Honey, you need to stay alert. Just in case...." Her voice was cut off by the door opening.
My breath got caught in my throat as Luke made his way over to me. You could tell by his body language that he was filled with unexplainable rage which caused him to aggressively grab the metal chair and chucked it at the wall next to me, startling me as well.
"Fuck, I might just kill Tori as well." He spat to himself.
"Why?" I stupidly asked, but it's cause I was curious as to why he said that, and also maybe talking to him would waste more of their time with executing their plan.
"Don't fucking talk, got it!!" He growled as he got in my face.
"You're not intimidating at all, buddy." I spat, giggling like a mad man as well.
"You stupid, bitch!" He growled, slapping me across the face.
I quietly thought to myself as the burning sensation he left on my face was boiling my blood. Why don't I just press his buttons even more? If this will be my last day on Earth, might as well give this piece of shit and that dumb bitch some hell.
I spit some blood that was in my mouth onto the floor boards before turning my attention to him.
"You're a fucking loser, you know that!" I hissed, "You're so dumb to think that you and Tori will get away with this. Plus to even think that you're getting any of my money is ridiculous!" I laughed.
"Keep talking and see what...." I cut him off.
"Oh, did I forget to mention that I'm completely broke." I lied, causing his eyes to widen from disbelief, "Aww, I guess not." I giggled, causing a growl to leave his thin lips.
"You're a fucking liar!"
I shook my head, "I'm not." I hissed through my teeth, "You wonder why I live in my boyfriend's apartment now? It's because I lost my house, because I couldn't afford it anymore. I spent all my money carelessly, and now all I have is just one dollar to my name."
I hoped that lying about the lack of money I currently had would caused him to turn against Tori for lying to him. And maybe, while shit is going down between them, I would be able to make another escape and hopefully be successful this time at it.
"Atmosphere, stop..."
"Shut up!" I hissed to my mother.
His eyes wander over to the corner where the ghost of my mother was, but he clearly couldn't see her, only could I.
"Who the fuck are you talking to?!" He questioned, a hint of terror leaking from his voice.
A small giggle left my lips, "I'm just having a nice conversation with my dead mother." I smirked, loving the idea that I'm messing with his sanity.
He eyed me, taking a step away from me, "You're fucking crazy!"
"Oh, honey. I'm not the crazy one here." I giggled, "That's you and that bitch outside."
"Hmm, ditto." He murmured before taking a seat on the metal chair.
"So, are you just gonna sit there or can we get this over with?" I questioned.
"Trust me, I want this to be done with already, but the boss wants to wait a little longer."
"Gosh, what a bossy bitch." I murmured, "You know you both are such rookies at this." I pointed out, changing the topic.
"Like you could have done any better." He laughed.
I raised an eyebrow, "Do you want me to tell you how I would have done this?"
An annoyed sigh left his mouth, "Go ahead." He murmured.
"Well." I hummed, "First, if I'm going to kidnapped someone, I'm not going to fucking do it in front of their friend's house or in a neighborhood where there will be cameras on everyone's properties. I would have waited for them to get in a secluded area first." His eyes widened when I had mentioned about the cameras, "And I bet your dumbass tied me up right in the open and threw me in my trunk in that same spot, didn't you?"
"Shut up." He growled.
"I thought so." I laughed, "Fucking idiot." I hissed underneath my breath.
"You know what." He said, throwing the chair to the side, "I'm tired of you talking. Let's do something else with your mouth." He chuckled as he started unbuckling his jeans.
"Don't put your small dick near me or I will rip it off!" I threatened him.
He grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked my head back, "Do that and I will knock your teeth out!" He chuckled, causing my eyes to become watery.
"I can't wait until my fucking boyfriend gets his hands on you." I spat, "You'll wish you had never messed with me."
A short chuckle left his mouth, "Your boyfriend is nothing, but a piece of..." the door quickly swung open.
"Luke!" Tori yelled.
"What?!" He growled, letting go of my hair.
"She's on the news. They're looking for her everywhere." Her voice trembled, causing a warm smile to appear on my face.
"Game over." I giggled.
"Oh, they are gonna find you alright." He chuckled, "But just your ashes." He growled, causing fear to wash all over me.
"Let's do it now." He said, turning to Tori.
"Okay, lets go." She said before turning to me, "Sorry you didn't get your happily ever after, Atmosphere. I will make sure to be a shoulder for Colby to cry on, once he finds out the news that you killed yourself from the suicide note you left behind." She smirked.
"Fuck you, you stupid bitch." I spat, causing her to giggle.
"Sweet dreams, Atmosphere." She smiled before walking out the door with Luke by her side.
My heart started violently pounding against my chest. I started to mess with the ropes around my wrist, but the knots are much tighter this time. Tears were rolling down my face as I continued to scrape my skin against the ropes as I tried setting myself free again.
"Mommy, help me." I begged as my watery eyes wander over to where she once was, "No." My voice cracked when I noticed she wasn't with me anymore.
The strong smell of gasoline lingered around my stuffy nose, causing panic to set in me. Their plan was to burn me alive all along, and they were about to do it any minute now. I quickly got on my feet and made my way over to the broken window. Tori had a smile plastered on her face before tossing a lit match on to the dry soil, and soon, the cabin was engulfed in flames.
"No!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I watched them drive away from the scene.
My dark eyes wander around the cabin looking for a way out, but I soon sadly realized there wasn't. I was completely surrounded by the powerful flames and they were getting stronger by the minute.
"God, I don't want to leave Earth without saying goodbye to Jake and Colby." I cried out, "Please don't let that happen." I begged him.
"Atmosphere, pull the string now!" My mother screamed out of nowhere.
I frantically looked around the room, but I couldn't find the source of her voice. All I could hear was her voice, and it was filled with panic just like mine.
I grabbed the loose string with my two index fingers and yanked it down as hard as I could, causing the rope to fall onto the wooden floor just like that.
"Yes." I breathed as I stared at my free hands now.
"Atmosphere, if you run fast enough and jump through that window, you'll be able to dodge the flames by a inch." She said, "Do you understand?!"
I shook my head, "I won't make it." I cried as I stared into the flames.
"Yes, you will honey." She was not only reassuring me, but herself as well, "I'm out here waiting for you. I'll be here to catch you when you fall."
Even with a blurry vision I was able to see my mother standing outside the cabin with her arms out, ready to catch me when I fall.
"Okay." I whimpered as I thought back to one of my first memories I had here in Los Angeles.
It was one of our first adventures as a group, and we were in the middle of a desert in Southern California. I remember Jake pulling me to the side and giving me one of his famous dad lectures, but I told him to let me fall on my own. And he told me that he will let me fall on my own, but that he will always be there to catch me no matter what. So I'm going to fall, but I'm gonna let them catch me, all of them.
"Atmosphere, now!" My mother's screams caught my attention.
I let out a shaky breath, "Fall." I whispered to myself before I took off running.
I jumped through the broken window and rolled onto the dirt floors. A piercing scream left my lips from all the emotions I was feeling at the moment. Fortunately, I didn't get burned by the flames, but my body was still suffering from what it was put through these past few days.
I couldn't stop crying from the fact that I let myself truly fall on my own without being afraid of being caught along the way. I always wanted to be the one to catch myself, because I didn't want to seem weak or needy. But this time, I let myself fall because of everyone's spirit. Without them, I would still be free falling further into that black hole.
I quickly stumbled onto my feet and stared ahead of the burning building. My heart ached as I saw the roof soon concave in. If I had stayed for a few seconds longer, I probably wouldn't be breathing right now.
In the distance, the sound of sirens could be heard from miles away, causing that false hope my mother gave me earlier to become real.
My shiny eyes wandered down the dirt road, and saw dozens of headlights heading my way. I quickly took off running towards them as I screamed my lungs out for help. But I soon stopped in my tracks when one of the cars caught my eye. It was a Toyota Corolla, a dark red one to be exact. It was the love of my life's car.
His car was the first one to come to a screeching halt, and without waiting for anyone else he got out of his car, "Atmosphere!" He shouted for me.
"Colby!" I shouted back as I ran into his arms.
He held me as tight as he could, almost like he never wanted to ever let go of me again, "You're okay, you're okay." He choked on his tears.
"How did you find me?" I asked, causing his watery eyes to fall onto mine.
He gently cupped my face, "You never stopped sharing your location with Jake." He whispered, causing a soft giggle to leave my lips.
He wrapped his arms around me again, and another pair of arms did as well. My eyes fluttered up and saw that it was Jake who was also holding me. I gently wiped away his tears from his cheek while he kissed the top of my head, sending a wave of love and security I never wanted to lose.
In my opinion, what I went through these past few days was all worth it in the end. Every second of it was worth it just for this moment right here. For this moment to be in the arms of two people who completed my beating heart.
****** Author's Note ****
Hey buddies!
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave any sort of feedback or criticism down below in the comments.
Love you to the moon and back!