Victim

Chapter 1 - Trapped

Wind buffeted around Marley's black hair, the sun warming her light alabaster skin. The sun was high above the sky, painting the sky into a brilliant shade of orange, birds chirping overhead. But despite the beautiful day, there was something off. Why does it feel so...wrong? Marley shivered, and suddenly a cold wind wrapped her, numbing her whole so she couldn't feel her body despite the dark red sweater she wore.

She hugged herself desperately, trying to preserve as much warmth as she could. Teeth chattering, she noticed dark black clouds covering the scorching sun and shadows took over the land. The once bright emerald trees became a disgusting shade of black, and they withered and seemed to die instantly as if they were poisoned.

What's happening?

Terrified, Marley ran. She ran against the burnt-up trees, and through thistle bushes, the pain from the thorns was immeasurable to the fear rising in her belly, so strong she had to use all her will not to throw up. All she knew was that she had to get out of here.

There was something wrong...something evil coming...and she needed to be prepared for the worst. She stopped abruptly at a dead end and looked back. A sense of dread rose, and Marley stopped dead in her tracks. Dark, unimaginable, disfigured creatures surrounded her. The fear taking a hold of her, she let out a blood-chilling scream.

Marley woke up with a start, sweat dripping from her forehead like waterfalls.

Marley blearily opened her eyes. A bright light from above almost instantly shone into her eyes. When she tried to block the light from her eyes with her hands, she realized they were tied behind her back. Her head hurt, and she could feel dried blood somewhere on her forehead.

Where am I?

Heart pounding in her ears, she tried to scream. But a piece of tape was tightly fastened on her mouth. Terror was quick to come, and a feeling of dread crept from the pit of her stomach. She looked around the room. It was pitch black, and she realized she was tied up on a chair. The only source of light came from the bulb above her head. Rope clung like snakes on her shins and hands, even on her chest, she could barely move. She couldn't breathe.

Her heart was now throbbing in her ears, loud and irregular, but she barely heard it, for her mind was clouded with fear. Sweat pooled down her head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk"

Marley whipped her head, and she saw a figure standing in the far corner. Trying to appear calm and brave, Marley raised her eyes and looked directly at it. The figure walked slowly towards Marley, and she heard heels clicking on the ground as the person walked.

A tall woman appeared as she stepped in front of Marley, a menacing look on her face. She looked to be in her thirties. Her long black hair swished behind her, and her emerald eyes stared into Marley's soul. Marley internally gasped, she looked so familiar, yet she had never set eyes upon this woman.

Panicked, Marley tried making any type of noise.

"Who are you?" she tried saying, but it came out muffled, though the woman seemed to understand her.

"Shh sweetie, don't speak." Her voice was icily smooth, and it dripped with menace. The woman put one finger on her lips, indicating Marley to be quiet. Marley glared back at her defiantly, but she felt frozen with fear. What was she going to do to her?

"How pitiful. You're probably wondering what we're going to do to you, yes?"

She walked towards Marley, kneeled down on one knee, and ripped the tape from Marley's mouth. Fierce pain blazed across Marley's face, but she bit back her scream. She couldn't show her any weakness. Her eyes watered from the pain.

"Answer my damn question, who are you?" Marley tried to sound brave, but her question came out more as a meagre whisper. She grimaced at her own words, and hot embarrassment flooded through her.

The woman sneered at her, and tightly cupped Marley's chin with her hand, her sharp nails pierced into Marley's skin, and she could feel tiny drops of warm blood escaping where her nails dug in. Her touch sent a shiver down Marley, and the woman smirked. Marley steadied her breathing, trying to stop her panic.

"You will do everything I tell you to, and if you don't...well...you don't want to know the consequences." She smiled sweetly at Marley, only her eyes betrayed the threat.

Marley froze as her words sunk in. This must be how so many people were going missing. The color drained from her face. Marley frantically looked around for a way to escape, but it was hopeless. She was trapped.

"There's no way for you to escape out here sweetie, don't even think about it." The woman laughed, but it wasn't the cheerful sort. She sounded insane.

"P...Please let me go, I promise I won't say anything. Just let me go. Please. My dad would be worried about me." Marley couldn't stop the tears that welled down her cheeks.

"Oh no, we don't want that, do we? I hate it when they cry." The woman gently wiped a tear from Marley's face.

Marley felt her throat closing up, it felt like swallowing a still-beating heart. She couldn't stop the gut-wrenching sobs that tore through her chest. Her body wracked with an onslaught of sobs and tears. The woman suddenly stood up and backed away 2 steps, disgust clear in her gaze.

"I said stop crying!" she shrieked, anger blazing in her eyes. Her quiet and sinister demeanor had completely vanished, to be replaced with a psychotic look. Her eyes were wide, and she breathed heavily.

Marley's body trembled with the urge to make herself stop. After a while, the woman finally walked back to her, and Marley felt her hand connect with her face, hard. The force of the slap made her bite down her tongue. The room seemed like it was suddenly bathed with white lights, she could taste something metallic and salty, which she knew had to be her own blood.

"That should teach you to listen to me, now, shall we? Claire, call the men."

Claire?

Shock jolted through Marley, and a girl appeared from the shadows. She walked silently towards the woman; a grin plastered on her face. Claire proudly looked at Marley, appearing even more insane.

"Hey, Marley."