My stomach had finally stopped making noises. All I felt now is a dull ache where hunger had been.
My lips were dry and cracked, and dried blood still remained on my head from Kelly knocking me out days ago.
When I first met her, I could tell that something was a little off. Her drugging Callum and myself had only confirmed that.
But now, I realized that there was something very wrong with her. Some form of mental illness that made her truly deranged.
She'd come to see me in the cellar every day, giving me a bottle of water and a handfull of crackers as if I was a pet bird she was forced to feed.
It had been a little over two weeks, and I was still in my same gown from the debutante ball. It was filthy, as was I.
The only bathroom that I had was a bucket that sat less than a foot away from where I slept, which was the concrete floor of a temperature controlled wine cellar.
Kelly had told me her plan days go. She went into detail of how she'd been keeping tabs on me since Callum's birthday weekend, and knew that the ball was the perfect place to take me. She was going to keep me alive until the police gave up their search for me, no matter how long it took. After that, she plans to kill me and dump my body over state lines. She'd make it look like I'd ran away and killed myself.
I had asked her why she was telling me all of this, and she smiled and replied, "I didn't want to keep you in suspense."
She was sick and twisted, but also overally emotional and insecure. I planned to use her vices against her to get my freedom.
The lights flickered on, and Kelly stood in front of me once again.
"The police came to question me again today. Seems like they're running in circles if you ask me." She smirked, sitting on a stool across from me.
"Just leave me alone Kelly." I groaned, annoyed my her constant need to converse with me.
"You sick of me already? Don't worry, soon enough you won't have to see me again. Or anyone for that matter." She responded, covering her mouth with her hand as she giggled.
I turned my head away and closed my eyes, trying to block her out.
"I can see that I am disturbing your much needed beauty sleep. I just came to let you know that I'll be out of town for a few days, so you'll have to go without your water and crackers for some time."
"I'll die." I grunted. "And then your plan will fail. You'll have a dead body on your hands, and with the police already suspecting you, they'll have your ass." I laughed weakly, leaning my head against the wall. "You're going to jail. All of this was for nothing you dumb bitch." I continued laughing, looking up at her.
Her face grew angry, and she stormed over to me, slapping me across the face.
"You shut your mouth!" She snarled, pointing her finger at me.
I cackled, tasting blood in my mouth. I spat the blood out in front of her, some of it getting on my dress. I stared down at it and then back up at her, laughing once again.
"Stop laughing!" She demanded, punching my cheek with force.
I didn't care about the pain, and kept on laughing, hoping to make her angrier. I wanted her to feel like she was losing control. Just like I had.
She grabbed a wine bottle from the wall and threw it in my direction, missing my face by inches.
The red wine looked like blood as it tricked on the wall beside me and unto my now off-white dress. Broken glass from the bottle covered the ground.
"Want to untie me? I can clean up your little mess if you'd like." I smirked.
She screamed with her teeth clenched. It looked like she was having a nervous breakdown. She tugged on her hair, pulling some strands out when she released it.
Kelly stormed over to the the light switch and made the room dark again before stomping up the stairs and leaving.
I smiled at her stupidity as I sat in the dark cellar, the smell of wine overwheming.
I scooted to the side where the broken bottle was. I couldn't see anything, but I knew that there was a large piece of glass close to where my foot is, having kept my eye on it since she broke the bottle.
I carefully hovered my foot over the spot, lightly tapping it to find the glass I was looking for. I could feel smaller pieces attach to my foot as I looked for it, and prayed that they wouldn't cut me.
Once I felt the large piece, I carefully dragged it over to me. I turned around to pick it up, as my hands were still bound behind my back. I must've been too rough trying to get it, because it sliced my index finger open the second I grabbed it.
I closed my eyes, swallowing the pain as I felt blood dripping down my hand. Holding the glass between my bloody fingers, I began using it as a knife to cut through the rope that bound me.
I cut for hours until I felt my drowsiness overtake me. I went to sleep with only one thought in my mind.
I was going to get out.
-
Callum's POV
I stared down at Dylan's charm bracelet before gripping it tightly in my hand. I threw it at my mirror, cracking it, as I screamed in frustration.
It had been 17 days and she was still missing. No leads, no nothing. Everyone I suspected had been cleared by the police, and it didn't make any sense. Someone had to be lying, someone knew where she was.
Her photo had been plastered all over the city, I saw her face whenever I turned on the local news. "Missing Girl" it read. That all she was to them, the missing girl.
That "missing girl" is the love of my life. Dylan Gold, the only girl to ever make me smile just by looking at me.
I wasn't going to stop looking. I was determined to find her.
There was a soft knock on my door.
"Come in." I mumbled.
Sara walked in, her Dylan doll in her arms.
"Are you okay? I heard you scream." She said.
I closed my eyes, nodding.
"I'm fine Sara, don't you have to get ready for school?"
"I don't wanna go to school, I wanna stay here with you." She whispered, climbing up on my bed. She took her doll and placed it in my lap.
"I'm sorry I kept her for so long, I know it's yours." She said.
"I don't want it Sara, you can keep it." I replied, massaging my temples.
"You don't like it anymore?" She asked, her voice shaking.
I looked down at her and saw that she had tears in her eyes.
"I want the real thing Sara. I want Dylan back."
She stood up on my bed and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me close.
"Me too." She whispered.
I sat in the parking lot of Tollman Highschool, waiting for the students to come out.
Evan finally walked out, his arm slung over a blonde girl that I didn't recognize, they were laughing hysterically. They walked over to his car, and the girl got into his passenger seat.
When he pulled out of the parking lot, I followed behind him, making sure that there were cars separating us so that he wouldn't spot me.
He turned on a dead end street, and I assumed it was to drop the girl off. He parked, so I did the same. Evan jumped out of his car, slamming his door behind him and walked straight over to mine.
He knocked on my window, gesturing me to roll it down.
I rolled it down slowly, staring angrily into his eyes.
"C'mon Gage, you can't keep following me everyday. I already told the police, I don't know where your girlfriend is." He said.
"Why should I believe you? You harassed her, left bruises on her arm, in my book, you're the number one suspect."
He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled.
"I know, and I honestly regret all of that. My problem was with you, not her. Now everytime I see her on the news and shit like that, I feel horrible. She seemed like a sweet girl, I really feel for you man."
I could feel tears building up in my eyes, so I looked away from him.
"Don't talk about her like she's dead. I'm going to find her." I said.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Just some unsolicited advice, you're not gonna find her by following me. Hand to God, I had nothing to do with this."
"Fine." I grunted, actually finding him sincere.
He put his hand into my car. "Truce?" He offered.
I looked at his hand for a second, before shaking it.
"Okay." I said, squeezing it until I heard a crack.
"What the hell Gage?!" He yelled, taking his hand from my grip and cupping it to his chest.
"That was for her arm." I said.
He stared at me before nodding. "Right. I deserved that. Good luck, I honestly hope you find her."
"Thanks. I intend to."