stockholm syndrome | styles

chapter five

HARRY

It had probably been a week by now. I had finally been allowed to sit after hours of standing while the usual questioning would occur. The position I was in was uncomfortable, I admit, but it was better than nothing. They brought down the chains loosening them and pulled the attached weights to let my arms down. I sat with my aching legs crossed. I stared at the cold floor, wondering how my friends and family were doing. They must be worried.

I had brought this upon myself, though. I should've left earlier and avoided this situation, but I have a feeling that this was planned for me. They asked me questions assuming I knew them. They knew my name which wasn't very unusual considering my status, but they said it like they knew me.

I was in a state of confusion. I didn't know them at all or what they wanted. They kept referring to it as just 'it'. As if I knew. I wish I did so I could get out of here. Which brought me to the same thought. What if they got whatever they wanted out of me? What were they going to do? They can't let me go while I knew what they looked like. I could easily turn them in if I walked out of here. I had a strong feeling I wasn't going to make it out alive.

The locks unlocked and the door opened. I saw Aidan and Derek. I instantly became anxious; I thought they were done for today.

They both walked behind me, grabbing the chains and pulling them back up. My arms were snapped back with the chains. I groaned as I was forced to stand up. They took the weights off, my arms feeling a thousand pounds lighter.

Derek slowly walked in front of me. "I heard you haven't been giving any of us an easy time." He said with a slow voice, smirking slightly.

"Please," I begged. I was one for begging, but I was desperate. I wanted to get out, "Just tell me what you need."

"I think you know." He replied backing away. He took out a knife and a cloth, using the cloth to clean the knife. He looked at his own reflection through the shiny surface. I swallowed, I had an idea of what he wanted to do. Anxiety started to bubble in the pit of my stomach and I started to shake.

"I really don't." I whispered.

He raised his eyebrows while he kept his smirk on his face, "Really?"

I nodded in response, biting my lip.

"I think you'll be able to recall."

"What?" I asked as he approached me and ran the knife along my arm. I hissed. I looked at my wounded arm and looked back at him, swearing under my breath.

He chuckled and circled around me, stopping behind me. He examined my back and dragged the tip of the knife along the bandaging. "Who did this?"

"Did what?" I said, trying to regain my breath.

"Bandage you up?"

I hesitated to answer, but I was scared he would try to injure me again. "Missie."

"Of course she did." He sighed to himself.

"What do you mean?"

"She always does this. She'll take care of you, feed you, act like she cares, and sooner or later you'll start to trust her." He came close to me, his mouth near my ear and he started to whisper. "Then, she'll stab you in the back. Multiple times."

He backed away to look at me, a smug look on his face. I stayed silent to avoid any unnecessary trouble. I didn't believe him. Something was telling me he was just playing with me."

"You don't believe me?" He said in a sarcastic shock. "You'll see for yourself. She's the biggest snake out of us all. She's dangerous." He said, approaching me again, the tip of his knife against my chest. "Now, I really need you to tell me where your mother hid the money."

NATALIE

We all decided to go out for a dinner to get our minds off of things. This week has been the worst of them all We needed a stress-free night.

I entwined my fingers with Louis' as we walked out of our apartment. He turned around to lock the door and then turned back to face me and smiled. I gave him a weak smile back before looking back down.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern filling his voice.

"I don't wanna talk about it." I replied, "This is our night."

"Well, too bad. You have to." He grinned as we walked towards the elevator. There really isn't winning with Louis.

I hesitated as we entered the elevator and quickly pressed the button to the main floor. I waited until the doors closed before I spoke, "Just all this. I'm worried. Harry's my best friend, y'know?"

He nodded, "We're all worried. We're just hoping for the best"

"I don't want false hope."

"Who said it was false hope?"

"I mean," I sighed, "What happened with my mom. It reminds me of this, just straight to the killing. I was hoping the doctor's would save her even though I saw her being stabbed multiple times in the chest. My hope was so strong I actually believed it. I believed I could stop it."

"You were fifteen. You could possibly stop that." He replied with a frown on his face, "You were hurt, too, weren't you? And it was because you were sacrificing your life for your mum's. Where would you be now if that hadn't have happened? Your mum would've been in a horrible situation deciding how to keep you two safe. He was abusive. He's in jail now and he can't hurt you."

"I guess. I hate that I'm making this about myself. Harry's in trouble, his family is hurting. We need to be there for them. " I said and gave him a weak smile just as the elevator opened on floor fourteen. A blonde woman with plump red lips stepped in with a small child. The child had blonde hair and bright blue eyes like her mother. She stared at me innocently and I smiled.

We made it to the main floor and stepped out into the lobby. The sound of my heels clicking filled the quiet lobby as Louis and I exited the building into the car that had been waiting for us.

The dinner was fairly normal. Other than couple awkward silences after bursts of laughter we all were having a great time. Joking around like usual just minus Harry's horrible attempts at making jokes. I never thought that would be something I would miss.

HARRY

"I'm sorry." Missie apologized sweetly.

"For what?" I weakly chuckled. She wringed out the mix of blood and water from the rag she was using into a bowl.

They had hurt me very badly. I had cuts and bruises all over. He ripped the bandaging off my back and reopened my wounds and created new ones on my skin.

She pressed the rag to one of my wounds again as I flinched, "I feel bad. You seem like you have no idea what's going on."

"I don't." I said as silence filled the room again. We were silent for a couple minutes before I spoke up, "Are they going to kill me after they're done with me?"

"You should get some sleep," She put the rag in the water filled bowl and put it on a ledge that was on the side of her.

"Answer my question." I said sternly, but weakly.

She sighed and turned towards me, staring at her feet. "I...dont know."

"That doesn't make me feel safe." I mumbled, "What money are they talking about? If you guys need money, I can pay you guys whatever you need." Money was available to me, I could pay them and maybe they'll let me go.

"It's not going to work like that."

"Then, how? I don't owe anyone money!" I said in a louder tone.

"Harry," She said in a calming tone. "It's your mother and father. They owe us money."