Red (sequel to TYG)

Chapter 4

Anna's pov:

After what feels like an eternity of walking, we get to a building. The sun is just starting to come up and it's still hard to see everything. The building is weird and creepy and huge. It's surrounded by high fences with wire at the top like we had at the prison. More men with soldiers uniforms come over to open the gate. They whistle at me and make pervy comments while I try to ignore it.

Mason still keeps my arms behind my back as leaves me through the enclosed yard that surrounds the house. I don't even bother struggling anymore as they lead me into the house. The more I see of the place, the more I begin to realize that this isn't really a house and it's more like some kind of soldiers training quarters.

Men surround Mason and I, with us in the middle of the circle. They all talk at once, making it almost impossible for me to focus on any one thing they're saying. Someone whistles and all of the men are silent. Part of the circle parts like the Red Sea, letting another guy walk to the center of the circle.

Instead of wearing the soldier uniform like the other men, he's wearing normal clothes that could be classified as bad-boy clothes. He has a single gold chain around his neck, and a cigarette sticking out of his mouth. It's obvious that he is their leader. He must be Charlie.

"What's your name?" He orders me. Yes, orders. He has a tone of authority about him. It makes me wonder, because he looks in the age range 17-19, younger than every other guy here. How did the youngest become the leader?

He takes the cigarette out of his mouth, holding it between his fingers, and blows a puff of smoke out.

"Did you not hear me? What's your name?" Charlie demands again, this time with a voice like he's going to strike me if I don't answer.

"She hasn't said a word since we found her. Was all alone in the woods." Mason says from behind me.

"Maybe she's deaf." Someone from
the crowd offers. Let them think that.

"She's quite a pretty little thing." Some else says, but Charlie ignores it.

"Interesting tactic." Charlie says, taking another puff of his cigarette. "Hold out her arm, Mason."

Mason roughly shifts my arm to the front and I try to pull it away, but his hold is strong. Where he's holding onto my arm is turning white from his grip.

Charlie holds his cigarette about a inch above my arm. I can feel the heat from it.

"I ask again, what is your name?" I debate wether I should answer him of not. I decide on the latter.

He brings the cigarette closer to my skin, still not quite touching it, and raises his eyebrows as if to say, 'you still defy me?' Not a sound escapes my lips. He presses the cigarette to my pale skin and I jerk my arm back, this time Mason not stopping me.

"Leave us!" Charlie orders.

The soldiers file out of the room. I'm not really sure where they go. Charlie grabs my knife that I still have tucked into my pants, his hand skimming my stomach. He roughly grabs my chin with his hand, forcing me to look at him.

"If you try anything, I'll slit your throat before you can blink." He says menacingly.

He nods at Mason and Mason lets go of my arms. I cradle my wrist in my hand, looking at the flaming red circle that the cigarette left on my arm.

"You're dismissed, soldier." Charlie says, and Mason actually salutes him and then leaves the room.

"Follow me." Charlie orders me.