Edited Aug 8, 2016
As I slowly approached the rusted brown door of the warehouse, I felt my stomach twist in fear of what I would encounter. A lump grew in my throat and I found my heart beating loudly against my chest.
I crept up to the nearest window, careful not to step on any creaky floorboards, and lifted my head to see inside. As I looked around, at first, it looked bare. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw four boys tied up in chains sprawled out amongst the jagged floors in the far right corner.
My stomach leaped at the sight of them and my eyes popped wide. Squinting, I could see they looked weak, worn out and bruised. First, my eyes landed on Louis, who had blood pouring from his lip with one hand clutching his stomach in pain. Then Niall who had his knees pulled to his chest, whimpering in fear. Harry's curls were a floppy mess and he looked as if he'd been dragged through dirt. Finally, Zayn had cuts and bruises along his arms and face and was laying on his back next to Louis.
A wave of nausea swept through me when I realized that there were only four boys- Liam was missing. I'm too late I thought to myself as the sound of the gun shot and screams ring through my head. He's gone.
The tiny bit of hope I had left, evaporated from my soul and I sunk to my knees. I squeezed my eyes shut and quietly sobbed as I leaned against the warehouse. I blinked a few times and realized that I had nearly forgotten about the other lads inside.
I fished through my bag and pulled out the knife. I stuffed it in my back pocket and began to stand up. I then looked around, making sure I was alone. I stood up to get a better glimpse of the warehouse. As I was peering around, something caught my attention.
Niall was waving frantically at me he was tapping the other guys and pointing in my direction. Their eyes popped out of their head and they all motioned to me to go. As if I'd leave now. My eyes made direct contact with Louis, who immediately held his thumb and his pinky to his ear, signaling for me to call the cops.
I nodded in his direction and turned my back to the window as I began to call. As I was waiting for someone to pick up, I found it strange that there was nobody else in the warehouse with them. It's quite possible that they're with Liam my sub conscience told me. Tears instantly threatened to spill from my eyes, but I was distracted when someone answered my call.
"9-1-1 operator what's your emergency?"
"Hi" I croaked weakly, before clearing my throat. "my name's Ariella O'riley and I'm at an abandoned warehouse on Convoy Street" I quickly recalled, "in San Diego in California" I started, not knowing how to proceed. "I don't know what exactly happened but there are four boys tied up and I heard gunshots-"
Suddenly my phone was taken out of my hand and I felt two hands clamp over my mouth. I let out a loud muffled scream, despite the hands covering my mouth. All at once a blindfold was tied around my eyes and I felt my body being was dragged away. Instantly my palms began sweating and my knees went weak. What the fuck is happening? I mentally screamed at myself.
Soon after I began to panic and a wave of nausea erupted in the lit of my stomach. I began thrashing my arms around, trying to get out of this person's grip, but my attempts were futile.
"Move again and I'll slit" I heard a low but throaty voice growl against my ear, sending eery chills down my spine. . A cool object was simultaneously pressed into the side of my neck, which I took to be a knife, so I immediately stopped thrashing around.
As long as I didn't move, he wouldn't do anything, so I inhaled small quick breathes, in an attempt to calm my nerves.
Then out of nowhere, the blindfold was removed and I was violently thrown onto the floor. I landed on top of someone with a loud thud and a groan. The person winced and I quickly rolled off of him and onto the cold wooden ground. Looking over, I realized this person was Louis. His face was scrunched in pain and he looked defeated and worn out.
Turning my head, I saw the other boys laying helplessly up against the dirty cemented walls. My eyes squinted and I could better make out the gashes implanted across their bodies, as well as the blood stains on their clothes.
Zayn and Niall flashed me similar looks that suggested I was mad for coming here, as well as confusion as to how I got here. Harry had a worried look plastered across his face and he nervously licked his lips before I turned to Louis beside me. His eyes represented a mixture of disappointment, confusion, and maybe even a slight hint relief, as if my presence would make things better.
"Who are you?" A male voice boomed from beside all of us. I was too nervous to say anything so I just stared at him.
"I don't like repeating myself" he sneered, biting on the inside of his lip angrily. Quickly I mentally debating lying to him about my identity, but he could easily look me up and find a bunch of my information online, so it wasn't worth making him angrier than he already was. "Who are you?!" He yelled loudly, his voice echoing through the spacious, empty warehouse.
"Ariella!" I yelled back, frightened by his sudden tone. Beside me I saw Louis flinch, surprised by his tone as well.
"Oh" the man answered, his voice seeming pleased with my response. "So you're the famous Ariella, huh?" My chest rose and fell silently, too afraid to respond to anything he said. "The pretty model who grew up with Louis?" He hinted, satisfied with himself. Turning, he paused dramatically and looked directly into my eyes... "Liam's girl?" He emphasized with a creepy smirk that made my stomach lurch in disgust.
"Where is he?" I asked, surprising myself. My tone was low, but firm as I slowly lifted my head to meet his eyes.
"Don't worry about Liam" He smirked, causing the color to drain from my face. The way he spoke his name made my teeth slowly crying together in pure ferocity. "He's in a better place" the man added. I tensed at his words and felt the tears begin to brim under my eyelids.
My head turned to each of the boys, hoping for some kind of answer. Zayn stared blankly at me, seeming unable to move, while Niall looked just as panicked as I felt. Harry stared directly into my eyes and shook his head slowly, making my stomach drop. Finally I turned to Louis, but he stubbornly kept his cold hard faze directed at the splintered, rotten wood beneath us.
I opened my mouth to say something, but the mill in my throat prevented any words from escaping. Instead, I shook my head and stared at the floor, feeling hopeless.
"What?" The attacker began, mockingly, "pretty Ari has something to say?" he questioned as he lifted my chin with his grimy hands. I whipped my head out of his grip and he pulled his hand back in surprise.
"Hm," he thought aloud, "pretty and feisty" he commented, "Liam chose well" he stated with the same nauseating smirk as before. The mention of Liam's name again made my heart ache and fresh tears resurface.
"What happened?" I asked firmly, momentarily squeezing my eyes shut to prevent tears from falling. The guy just stared at me blankly. "You heard me" I added, my voice a little louder than a moment ago. "What happened with Liam?"
He raised an eyebrow at me and quickly bent down to reach my level. Before I knew what was happening the back of his hand made contact with the left side of my cheek, causing my to gasp in pain. "Keep up this attitude and you'll never see the light of day again, darling" he whispered harshly in my ear.
"Don't touch her" Louis hissed angrily, earning him a slap across the face as well. He barely even moved, seeming completely numb to whatever pain came his way.
"Not another word, Tomlinson" he growled. "But as for you princess," he began, looking at me. "I'll tell you what happened to Liam" he said, causing my head to pop up. "Actually it was your fault, if you think about it" he pondered, causing my brain to freeze for a moment. My heart slowed and my eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as my anger slowly transformed into guilt.
"You're lying" Louis spat, "she didn't do-" he smacked Louis hard across the cheek to shut him up.
"I said not a word!" He growled at Louis. "Next time I won't be so nice about it" he sneered, in a threatening manner s she hovered over Louis's helpless body.
"Anyway," he continued, "After my crew and I took the boys from their hotel, their phones wouldn't stop ringing, and each call came from the same number" he stated, hinting that the caller was me, which I already knew. "so finally I had to pick one of the calls up, and that's when I heard your lovely voice for the first time" he smiled a sick grin that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
My eyes widened in disbelief, knowing that that's why nobody had said anything when I called Liam. The boys were all tied up and were unable to communicate.
"After much research and badgering, we finally discovered who you are and what your significance is. Then we thought Liam would be in more distress knowing I had you" he said, looking around at each boy.
"I mean," he chuckled an emotionless laugh, "that boy was head over heels for you," he commented, "and who could blame him" he added eyeing me up and down. I flashed him a bitter, disgusted look and let him continue.
"So, I began thinking of the things I'd do to you upon your inevitable arrival." He came closer to me and bent down to my level. His eyes raked up and down my body, making my stomach churn uncomfortably. "Oh the things I would do to this beautiful body would get him mad" he smirked, trailing his hand from my shoulder, swim to my hip as he bit his lip and chuckled darkly.
"Get your hands off me" I spat through gritted teeth, trying to yank my body away from his filthy touch. He glared at me, but surprisingly complied and continued with the story.
"Liam didn't like my ideas," he stated, "so he came at me." The guy said with a shrug. "I won't lie, he put up a good fight," he added, "but in the end" he began, as he reached behind him, pulling out a gun "the gun always wins"
"Liar!" Niall shouted "Liam's not dead!" He screamed through his tears, "he can't be!" The blonde boy shouted, unable to control his emotions which seemed to be spilling out unwillingly.
My face was completely drained of color and emotion, and I tried as hard as I could to fight back the tears. This wasn't happening, I thought to myself, shaking my head. I closed my eyes tightly and willed myself to go back to the backyard when Liam proposed, just weeks ago. Why can't we go back to that day?
Turning my head, I looked to Louis, my eyes full of tears. I didn't feel the need to ask, as I was sure my eyes said it all. Was he really gone? Louis licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak, but instead, tears flowed from his eyes.
It was in that moment I knew that I would never see the love of my life again.
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