Page 40 of Come Alive
How much longer until I was forced to come face-to-face with the darkest parts of myself?
Time passed endlessly in that room. It could have been hours, it could have been days. I had been drinking off and on from the faucet to quench my thirst, but my stomach hadn’t let up on its growling.
But even with my hunger, I didn’t want him to come. The more time that passed, the more likely Kazi and Mateo would find me.
Does James even know I’m missing?
In this room with my thoughts, I realized how stupid I had been. Of course James was emotional when it came to his missing daughter. Once they were reunited, I would tell him how I felt; I would tell her everything too. And then we could all be a happy modern family.
If I make it out of this.
Caught up in my own mind, I didn’t immediately notice the door opening until myfatherstood before me. His cerulean eyes alight in amusement. “It’s time for a family reunion!” He grabbed hold of my wrist aggressively, even as I tried to flinch back, his fingers wrapping around the scars he had left so many years ago.
He followed my line of sight, his lips quirking in amusement.
The worst part of him was that Inevercould guess his next move. The man wasn’t human but a sociopath through and through.
“Scars can be covered, but your ugliness can’t.” He tightened his grip.
Ignoring the familiar words, I dug my heels in. “Where’s Eve?” I attempted to fight back against his hold, but it was no use. I was much smaller, weaker. Just as I had always been.
“She’s busy. It’s just you and me.” Using his free hand, he snapped his fingers and two large men folded into the room.
Terror and anxiety landed in my stomach, a wasp nest that had been shaken and thrown.
“Take her to the room, lock her in there, and wait for my instructions.” My father curled his lips, his eyes lighting in cruel amusement. “I’ll be there really soon. Don’t worry.” He released me, turning away.
And then he was gone. Leaving me to his men. They didn’t even bother being careful, each taking an arm and lifting me clean off the ground as they carried me from the room. At the bottom of the stairwell, they took me in the opposite direction of where I had woken up. Away from the circle of mirrors. Instead, leading me through a hall lined with doors.
“Fuck,I wish we could have our fun with her like we do Eve,” one of the guards grumbled to the other.
Sadness crept its way into me, at the implications behind the words, followed immediately by unease.
“He would kill us. She’s hisdoll.The one he’s always going on about.”
“She looks like a broken doll to me. I bet he’ll throw her away soon enough, and then we can have our time with her. You would like that, wouldn’t you?” The guard’s slimy fingers crept towards my face, his dark eyes turning opaque.
“She’s made to go in here.” Eve’s voice broke through. “Father is already at the helm, watching.” The warning in her words was clear.
The guards grumbled in displeasure. “You better run before we get done, girl,” the same disgusting guard as before taunted.
There was only a brief instant where I was able to find Eve’s eyes, see the acceptance and terror in them, before I was tugged into a new room. A single chair bolted to the ground in the center. This room was lined in concrete, from the floor to ceiling,except a single wall that was made up of panels. On the one across from it, there were shackles. At first, I had hoped the chair was for me but that was not the case. They made quick work of securing me to the wall before leaving without another word. Forcing me to sit cross-legged to maintain any comfortability, my bare legs scratching against the harsh ground.
I could only hope they would leave Eve alone, that she hadn’t caused more pain for herself by helping me.
I didn’t have much time to think about anything else. The door opened again, startling me, and I jumped as the cold air swept across me. This time, two new guards carried an unconscious…woman? She was covered in a hood and in loose clothing, but didn’t appear to be a man.
In fact…
No, it can’t be. Why would myfatherbring her here?
They strapped the person in place, not even acknowledging me before leaving us alone.
Now what?
It was only a few minutes later that the person roused, tossing against the chair. My stomach crept its way up my throat at the sight.
“Hello?” she called out softly.
