Page 53 of Trapped

It was strange to be moving around again, or maybe it was only that exhaustion and dehydration had combined to create the giddiness in my head.Either way, the room started to spin as I lurched for Hawkins’ desk and yanked open the drawers.There had to be something in amongst his possessions that could help me—money to buy me a ride back to sanity or a map to show me where I was.As it was, there was nothing even vaguely of interest initially, only piles of paper and basic stationery.

Perching on the edge of his huge seat, I rolled my eyes.Hawkins played the big mob boss role, but he appeared to have no tools to confirm the point.I discovered the key fob of what I presumed was an expensive car and slipped the keys into my pocket.I’d never considered myself a thief before, but if I was going to get out of Hawkins’ nightmare, I’d need a way to make a proper escape.Perhaps the keys would come in handy.It was only when I reached the final, lowest drawer, though, that my gaze landed on something that might prove to be useful, although my twisting belly said otherwise.

A handgun.

My liberated hands rose to my mouth to drown out my gasp.The last thing I wanted was a weapon, but if the last few hours had taught me anything, it was that I wouldn’t always get what I wanted.I was stranded in the middle of God knew where with a group of mad men and paid thugs.Much though I didn’t love the idea of being armed, it only made sense to be able to defend myself.

Not that I know how…

If I’d known thetrouble I was going to find myself in, I could have asked Eli to show me the way around his gun.He’d certainly seemed pretty handy with it when he’d shot our way into the cabin.But I couldn’t have known, and even if I had, my general loathing of the weapons would have likely prohibited me.As it was, my choices were few, and I didn’t know how long I had before Hawkins came back looking for revenge after being covered in my puke.

I had to act.

With a deep breath, I reached for the gun and pulled it from the drawer.My heart galloped as I surveyed it, holding onto it with two shaky fingers as I tried to remember where Eli had intimated the safety was.It appeared Hawkins at least had the good sense to have it, and after several attempts to check for ammunition, I was finally able to confirm the evil-looking handgun was loaded.

Holding it aloft and imagining what it would be like to point and fire the thing, my belly lurched.Could I really shoot another person?

Swallowing back the bile in my throat, I accepted that, deep down, the answer was obvious.If it was me or them, then yes, I would shoot.I didn’t like to admit as much.I’d always considered myself to be a ‘good person’, but ultimately, my yearning to survive was too strong to see my days ended there, at the whim of vermin like Hawkins.

Glancing up, I noticed a half full glass on his desk.Resting the gun on the counter, I reached for the container, praying the clear liquid was water and not vodka or gin.One tentative sniff revealed it was thankfully not alcoholic, and a quick sip established it seemed to be safe.I drained the water in one gulp, grateful to wash away some of the bad taste in my mouth, yet knowing I was far from over the worst of my ordeal.

Hawkins would still be nearby.He wouldn’t have gone far, and the last thing he’d told me before he’d left was that he was sending one of his cronies to babysit me.I needed to get out of there, though I had no idea where I could go.

What about Eli?

The question resonated as I grasped the gun and staggered for the door.The swirling in my head was better than before, but I suspected that was mainly due to the adrenaline flooding my system.If I could only keep going, then maybe I could find him.

“Please don’t be dead.”

It was a ridiculous thing to whisper as I approached the exit, but the reality was, aside from my own safety, his whereabouts and wellbeing were the only other things on my mind.Our short time together had been far from perfect, but we’d seemed to have found an equilibrium in those final hours before Hawkins’ intrusion, as though we were reconciled to work together and see where the chemistry led us.

That had to be worth fighting for, didn’t it?

My attention fell to the odious-looking weapon in my hand, and slowly, I disengaged the safety.That gun was the instrument that would help me to fight, and while I didn’t approve of its language, I recognized it was the only one men like Hawkins seemed to understand and respond to.Better that it was poised and ready to do its job.

Pulling in another deep breath, I rested my palm on the doorframe.This was it.I had no idea what awaited me beyond the door, aside from the usual helping of indignity and violence I’d already been exposed to.Maybe I’d find Eli.Perhaps he’d be okay, and maybe, just maybe, there was hope for the two of us.Somewhere out there, I knew there was the outside world, liberation, and a life I deserved to return to.Tugging at the handle, I yanked the door open.

It was time to discover what happened next.

The End

TheSnowbound with a Strangerseries continues with

Escaped

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Chapter Two

Head Fog

Erin

With the gun held out in front of me, I leaned against the wall and forced myself on.The legacy of my earlier sickness lingered, leaving not only the perennial bad taste in my mouth, but the kind of low-lying headache that never seemed to wane.There was no choice but to ignore the symptoms, and keep moving, though, however clouded my head seemed.

I had to get out of there, had to dodge whatever overpaid lackies Hawkins was sending and find a path to freedom, but first I hoped beyond hope, that I’d find Eli.

Silly.

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