Safe

Chapter 12

My breath quickened as I looked at her. Zara was skinnier than I remembered but still had that same fight in her eyes that she's always had. She was looking worse for wear and had a long, thin cut on her head. She was tapping her foot anxiously.

"When do you reckon, he'll be back? We need to devise an escape plan," I heard Zara ask from inside.

I was shocked at her voice, it was hoarse and scratchy and I was shocked she was talking to herself. Suddenly another scream was heard and I flinched. Zara didn't move or make any sound that the scream affected her, she must be used to it. That made me sick and sent shock waves through my body. I wondered who was screaming. Was it Cameron? Probably.

After a few minutes footsteps were heard and a teenage boy – around our age – walked into the room, his hands and feet tied together with chains. By the dirty rags that covered his body, I could tell he was a forgotten. He was extremely skinny and had pale, sunken, light brown eyes. The boy had seemed to have shrunken himself and walked with a timid limp. His body was scattered with scars – some old and some new. I couldn't imagine what he'd gone through. The scars even went over his shaven head.

"Was it bad Cameron?" Zara asked.

Oh, that's Cameron. That's who was supposed to be part of this summer camp.

"No," Cameron denied, but it was an obvious lie from the limp in his step.

"We need to escape," Zara repeated, her voice desperate.

Daria could help; call the police. We could rescue Zara and Camron. I sprinted towards the dining hall. She's usually there. As I reached the dining hall, I took a moment to breathe. I swear I've run more at this camp than I've run my whole life. I found Daria asleep on the floor and I woke her up quickly.

"Daria, I found Zara! And Cameron!"

"What? Where?" Daria shrieked, fully awake.

"The wood cabin."

I took Daria's hand and led her towards the wood cabin. We reached the cabin and I pointed through the window where Zara and Cameron were whispering to each other. Instead of calling the police as I expected, she gripped my hand tightly.

"How did you find them?" Daria asked me, a sense of urgency in her voice.

"I heard a scream and followed it. Why aren't we going in?"

"Did Edgar tell you where they were?" Daria asked.

"Edgar? No, why would he know? Did Edgar kidnap these kids?" I asked franticly.

"No, he's not intelligent enough to kidnap anyone. Follow orders, however, he can do. Well to a point, he should've been quieter when torturing Cameron," Daria muttered to herself.

"What?"

"Now I'll have to kidnap you as well," she huffed.

I turned to run when I felt a piercing pain in my abdomen. Everything blurred before going black with a thud.

A ringing sounded in my ears and I tried to make sense of my blurred surroundings. I blinked a few times, feeling disoriented. In front of me was someone familiar ... Zara. She was touching my abdomen and putting pressure on it. Chains connected me to the floor by each arm and leg, stopping me from moving. I let out a strangled cry and started struggling. Ignoring the pain from everywhere but especially my abdomen.

"Gracie? Are you ok?" Zara asked.

"Does it look like it?" I snapped and Zara flinched.

I wondered how a scream didn't make her flinch but my snapping did.