Page 14 of Burning Souls

I’m lying on a table freezing my ass off and these two men can’t stop arguing about how they did not do their jobs right.

A normal person who just got taken from her house would be scared, and yes, I am scared.

Over the years, I have just taught myself to make insanely dark jokes in situations like this. Soon after they stop nearly killing each other, my legs and arms are unlocked, and I'm taken off the table, dressed in a ripped hospital gown covered in blood. I'm not so sure it's the same blood as mine.

“Come on, I don't have all day; he’s waiting for you.”

Who is waiting for me? Now I'm freaking out. My pulse is harder, and my chest tightens. I feel I may pass out, or I'm having a heart attack. I'm too young to die in this place. What is this place?

Who took me and why?

I’m taken to a room; my father stands with his back to me, talking to someone else.

Why would my father kidnap me?

My father turns around, looking at me. I shake, scared. He looks furious as if I have done something wrong.

“Good, she’s here. I hope she doesn’t have any scratches. He won’t like that,” my father says to the two men still standing beside me, pointing their guns at me.

Who is he and why won’t he like it?

“Now let's get started, seeing she is ready,” the man on my left says. My father smiles, walking toward me.

His hand comes to my shoulder, making me flinch and want to puke at the feel of his touch.

“Don't touch me!” I slap his hands away.

“Ash, now is not the time.” He rolls his eyes back, walking away, turning around to lean against the front of his desk, resting his hands on either side.

“Not the time for what?” I shout, trying to step forward, but I stop. The barrel of the gun is at my stomach, holding me still.

“We don't have time for you to have a tantrum. We can talk about this later.”

Is he for real right now? He vanishes and leaves his kids, and now I’m listening and doing what he says.

“What the hell is going on?” I stand back, crossing my arms.

“Let's stop pretending you don’t know what happened to your mother. The real story.” His eyes darken. He looks at me without making a move. How could he know that I saw what happened?

I kept my mouth shut and didn’t tell anyone.

“You should have stayed in bed, and we wouldn’t be here.” His tone is angrier this time.

The door opens as a man walks in, taller and older than my father, with a black beard and short, curly black hair. He comes up to my father, placing himself beside him as he looks me up and down, licking his lips.

I'm left with an uneasy feeling. It's at this moment that I'm sure I know what's about to happen and there isn't any way I can stop it.

My heart beats fast. I have no idea why or what my father is involved in, but I seem to be the damage control.

“Is this who you were talking about?” The man nudges my father as they both smirk, and he nods toward him, confirming he is right.

“This is Ash. Look after her and treat her well." My father stands, walking further toward me and stopping inches away. My breathing hitches and I want to run, but where the fuck would I go?

“Ash, make daddy proud and be a good girl, or don’t; either way, you won’t make it out of here alive.” The anger rises in me. If I didn’t have a gun with me, I would fight him, but it’s too late. My father walks away, and the man walks over to me, trying to grab my arm. I slap it away, walking backward. He takes offence at me walking away.

“She’s a fighter. I will have her trained in no time.” The man smirks, grabbing my hand with force as he drags me away.

“Please. I promise I will keep it a secret!” I yell, but he turns his head, not able to look at me.

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