Traitor

Day 2 (12:01 a.m.)

Sophia's POV

My head was pounding as my eyes fluttered open. I stared at the wooden ceiling. It had some mold on it.

"Why did I faint again? I feel like I was in a really bad situation. What happened... why do I feel like I should be really sad? Did it have something to do with Benjamin? Benjamin... Benjamin!"

I shot up into a sitting position and looked around.

Kiara and Jacob were on the couch with their heads in their hands. They were both clearly very stressed and upset.

I saw who I think were Eliza's feet sticking out from behind the couch and I crawled over.

She was crying while Aiden was gripping his hair. Blood was splattered on the floor and two nails were on the ground. Human nails.

I held back throw up as I placed a gentle hand on Eliza's back.

She gasped as she turned to me.

"Sophia... I'm so sorry." Eliza apologized, and I shook my head, knowing what she was about to tell me.

"I don't want to hear it. I want to believe that he's still down there."

"I don't believe it!" I yelled as I picked up my phone. "I'm going to teleport to him and prove to you that he's okay!"

"Sophia, wait-" Eliza tried to stop me, but I envisioned the basement and teleported there with a zmph.

I took a deep breath as I turned on the flashlight and looked around. It was a lot darker without the hole being open. Also it's scarier when I'm all alone. I've never been scared of the dark. Until now. Until the dead silence rang in my ears. Until the silence of the dark was louder than anything I've ever heard before.

I grimaced as I slowly rotated, scanning every inch of the room.

"Benjamin?" I called. "I came for you! Just tell me where you are and I can help you!"

Dead silence.

I took a deep breath when I turned to the final wall.

I dropped my phone, the light spilling over Benjamin's bare body and pale face. Blood was dripping from every inch of skin that was exposed and every inch of skin that wasn't. For a moment I wasn't sure if it was even Benjamin. But that messy hair. Those splotchy freckles. Those big green eyes.

I dropped to my knees, inches away from him. My knees made a slight splash sound in the puddles of blood surrounding him. Benjamin was wrapped in barbed wire. Even parts of his head. On his arms you could see bone. The wire led to a machine with a crank so that it would tighten, pulling tighter, ripping Benjamin apart.

I could hear his screams in my head.

Tears fell from my eyes as I stared into his glassy green orbs.

"I never got to tell you how I felt..." I whispered to the darkness.

I reached forward to cup his face but I was cut. I pulled my hand back quickly and smiled sadly.

"I suppose... I was never meant to hold you." And with that, I picked up my phone, stood, and teleported back to the living room.

. . .

Eliza and Kiara both rubbed my back while Jacob and Aiden awkwardly watched.

I was sitting on the couch, sobbing into Eliza's shoulder.

"He was so young!" I sobbed. "They were both so young! I don't know how much more of this I can take!"

"This is why we have to escape as soon as possible and live for them." Kiara said, and I turned to her.