Gone

18

 Her ocean-blue eyes lit up in the moonlight. "I love you too Kassidy." She smiled nervously and snuck out to the second basement door, which led to the master bedroom. I wished for Chloe and Kelsey to make it out. Meanwhile, I remained in between a couple of boxes filled with unknown objects. I honestly had no strategy of what to do or when to do it.

"Grab her!" I overheard Kevin call out in a different room of the house. Following the screams, there were what sounded like objects being thrown, followed by more intense screaming, but coming from Bryson. I remained where I was for a few minutes when I heard one of the basement doors open and sneakers slowly step down the creaking wooden stairs. Whoever this person was, struggling down the basement steps, was heavily breathing and grunting, followed by dragging sounds. I covered my mouth with my hand to silence my fearful breathing. The man eventually made it to the concrete floor and dropped the heavy object.

"Kevin!" Lukas screamed out from somewhere other than the basement.

"Coming!" It became obvious the guy in the basement was Kevin. He fled up the steps and slammed the basement door. The moonlight shone gracefully through the basement window. I decided to approach the object Kevin had laid down just seconds before. The only sound I could hear was a few floor creaks on the other sides of the house. Other than that, the house remained calm. With the light from the moon, I made the object out to be Justin. He had a navy blue hoodie underneath a jean jacket which had some sort of beige wintery fabric on the inside. His jeans appeared to be slightly ripping and obviously worn frequently.

"Justin...?" I whispered, expecting Justin to not respond.

"I'm....here," he struggled, "I...don't have...much time." For all I know, Justin could be dead in a matter of seconds.

"How can we get out of here?" I asked impatiently.

"Trust...Bryson," he replied, gasping for air. I blew off his words and began to apologize for something I took no part in.

"I'm so sorry they did this to you..." I grieved, as my eyes filled up with tears. After feeling a couple of tears stream down past my jawbone, I asked Justin something else.

"Why did Lukas take us?" No response, "Justin..?" I shoved his right shoulder to make him speak, but there wasn't a groan or breath I could hear. I grabbed Justin's right hand and attempted to find a beating pulse. Nothing. I put my hand over Justin's nose, and mouth and felt no air. The house was in desolation. Justin was dead.

The door leading into the master bedroom suddenly opened aggressively.

"Get down there," I heard Lukas say. I quickly scooted back to where I was before. I then heard the sound of bare feet hitting the concrete basement floor, followed by the door slamming shut.

"Hello..?" The voice of Taylor said, trembling.

"Taylor?" I whispered impulsively. I got up and stepped over Justin.

"That's him, isn't it..?" she guessed hesitantly. I shook my head.

"Why are you down here?" I asked her.

"They want me to look for you. They got Kelsey, and Kevin tackled Chloe outside in the snow. You're the only one left Kassidy."

"I'm not coming back," I stated.

"I know you don't want to, neither of us wants to stay here. But it feels like as long as we are good and don't try to escape, we could feel safe here," Taylor rambled idiotically.

"You're being manipulated, Taylor! It's not safe here whatsoever!" I protested. I quickly hushed my voice before either of the guys realized I was down here. "One way or another you, me, Kelsey, and Chloe, and getting out of here."

"I just don't think it's our time yet Kassidy. I've been wishing and praying we'd get out, but just realize we'll know when it's our time," Taylor encouraged. I didn't respond to Taylor much after that. Eventually, Lukas barged through the basement door and found me.

"Thanks, Taylor," He thanked her uncomfortably. He took us back to the miserable hell of a room. Lukas had Taylor and I put the rope back around our waists, while he grabbed a folding chair from the hallway to sit in.

"Guys get in here!" he called, as he pulled the chain for the light bulb to turn on. Kevin and Bryson entered the room looking amiable. Which had me feeling intensely anxious for what's to come.

"Alright girls, let me start off with a few statements," Lukas began, as he folded his hands together, "You girls fucking insane!" He remonstrated intensely. His deep royal blue eyes appeared to be popping out of his egg-shaped head. It was almost as if he was about to lose control.

"You won't be able to survive out in those damn below freezing temperatures! I need a smoke break from this shit!" Lukas got up and entered the hallway where he then lit up, yet another cigarette.

"You know we can't trust your bitchass anymore Bryson," Kevin snickered, taking Lukas' seat.

"Shut up," Bryson scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"As for you ignorant brats, I'd like to take Kassidy, or even Taylor to the basement for a while," he said with a disturbing wink.

"Kevin stop," Bryson warned.

"I could take one of them, and make them pay for trying to run away," Kevin continued.

"Kevin, seriously quit!" Advised Bryson.

"I won't hurt them physically, just internally," Kevin laughed.

"Stop!" Bryson cajoled more, inching closer to him.

"Come on, it's not like I'd mind to fuck you," Kevin requested vulgarly as he reached out to stroke Taylor's face.

"Fucking leave them alone, Kevin!" Bryson snapped, shoving Kevin off his feet.

"Get the hell out of this room!" Lukas ordered peering back in the room. Kevin and Bryson stormed out of the room as Lukas shut the door behind them, leaving him in the room with us. He folded up the chair and crouched down to speak one more time for the night.

"The world you lived in, does not exist anymore. This is your life now."