Kidnapped: Welcome 'home'

Chapter 24: Worst Nightmare

I have no idea how long I was knocked out. As I slowly gained consciousness, I realised I hadn't died. However, I must have been kidnapped. Again. My wrists were tied together above my head and I was seated on the ground. Against my back was a cold, stone wall and I heard chains rattle whenever I moved.

Quickly, I stood up because I didn't like the feeling I had when my arms were up in the air. Almost immediately, I fell back down to my knees with a thump and a clashing of chains. I felt lightheaded as my head spun and I saw colourful shapes in front of me. I closed my eyes tightly and breathed deeply, trying to rid myself of the colourful floating shapes I could see and the sensation of my brain swimming in my skull.

Feeling a little better, I got to my feet - slowly this time. I looked around, my sight adjusting to see in the dark. The room was plunged into the darkness with not a single source of light. I couldn't exactly tell what was in the room and what was my imagination, but I managed to make out a door on the wall to the right with a tiny window full of large metal bars on it. Shutters clothed the little window on the door to hide the inside of the room from the outside and vice versa, even if it would have been difficult to see through it in the first place. Opposite me was a scruffy, tired bed. The corpse flat pillow laid on one end of the bed on a lumpy mattress that resembled a rough mountainous terrain instead of comfort.

A sob escaped me as I looked around the dungeon with its cold stone walls, heavy door and very little furnishings. I felt like I was in a heatwave and under dressed out in the snow at the same time, shaking and sweating as rivers of tears ran down my cheeks. Scenario after scenario began to run through my mind as I imagined what could have happened between these four walls to all the victims before me – what could happen to me.

I feared for myself and my life, but most of all, for my dignity and honour. It was now that I realised what they really meant. If I lost either one of them, I would stain my family name with shame, even if they didn't know it.

"Oh Allah, please help me. Please get me out of here." I silently prayed.

A sickening sense formed inside of me and I immediately began to wipe the tears from my cheeks using my shoulders. I don't know what it was, but I felt something was going to happen and I prepared myself for it. My clothes slid a little across my back and I winced at how sweaty I had become. I may have stopped crying, but my heart beat had drastically increased and I continuously pleaded to my Lord to protect me.

Now glaring at the door, I braced myself for what's to come, however, I didn't brace myself enough to face a bright light that was to flood into the room.

I only managed to see a silhouette. Blinked rapidly, trying to get used to the light, a tall, lean man dressed in a suit and polished shoes stepped out of the light and into the room. He had thin, greying hair; cold, icy blue eyes; and his teeth were so, very naturally white. Out of everything, it was his teeth that scared me most.

"Hm. Would have expected for him to do better." he remarked, looking me up and down. "But I guess she will do."

I growled at his comments. He had a deep, raspy voice that made me feel goosebumps all over my skin.

"I see you had a bit of a disagreement with my good friend David, so I decided to bring you here, you know, to give you two some time alone." he jeered, finally addressing me.

I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but something about him was very, very off. I couldn't decipher the emotions he made me feel, but one thing that was crystal clear was that I disliked him very much.

"Anyway, I'm going to send him a quick message so he knows that you're here and he doesn't have to worry too much." he chuckled, pulling something out from his pocket.

"What do you want?!" I spat, afraid of what he might pull out.

"Oh! So you do talk!" he exclaimed, "For a second, I thought you may be mute."

"Who are you?" I asked and immediately wished I hadn't. He began to take slow steps towards me. I backed away as far as possible. He kept inching closer and closer and bent down a little until his face was inches from mine and his hands were folded behind his back.

"I'm your worst nightmare." he whispered, his breath fanning my face.

"Ha! I don't think so." I retorted with a humourless chuckle.

"We'll see about that." he smirked.

"Well, considering that it's my worst nightmare , I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't have to tell me what it is as I'd already know it." I stated.

"I don't know about that." he replied.

"Of course you don't." I scoffed, "The only person who would know is me."

"You aren't as stupid as I thought you were to be." he stated thoughtfully.

"And you're as cold as I'd guessed you to be." I snapped.

"Back to business." he snapped, becoming very stern and colder than he was before – something I didn't know was possible. "Do not disrupt me while I send this message."

He held out his phone and began recording with me in the backdrop.

"Hello my dear friend, David! Just a quick reminder that you have some money to pay. You still owe me, but I guess I could accept payments in family, especially females. I'll give you a few hours to return all the agreed-upon amount or else..."

I growled at his back the whole time. Despite my fury towards him, he continued with his video and started walking in my direction, until he was standing next to me. I tried to get as far away from him as possible but I was chained to the wall and the chains were short, pulling me back.

"Oh, yes!" he continued, "I forgot to mention, you've gotten yourself a very intelligent girl here. It's a shame she wasn't smart enough to see... this coming!"

With that, he stabbed my thigh with a knife, causing me to cry out in pain.

"Or this!" he yelled in delight, stabbing another knife into my calf on the other leg. I cried out in pain and fell down to my knees.

"Hope to see you soon." he cackled to the camera, ending the video and tapping away on his screen whilst walking towards the door. "To be honest, I don't wish to see Dave soon because if he appears, it'll mean that I get less time with you." he told me over his shoulder, a sinister smile on his face. He then walked out of the room, locking the big heavy door behind him and taking all physical light with him.

I didn't pay him any attention: I was too busy battling the pain in my legs. Head bent over, I grit my teeth and shut my eyes tight, trying to overcome the pain. I felt disgusted - disgusting and impure - as if I had to thoroughly disinfect my insides out if I was going to ever feel normal again.

I obviously couldn't stay here for him to come back, whoever he was. I had to get away. The question was: how? My hands were tied behind my back, locked up. That is when it hit me; I had previously picked a lock with a paperclip, so why couldn't I do it again using a pin?

Leaning my head back as far back as possible, I carefully pulled out the hijab pin out of my hijab and held it tight between my thumb and index finger. With my other fingers I felt around for the lock on my left wrist. Once found, I carefully inserted the pin into the lock and began picking at it.

"Oh Allah, please make this easy for me and help me get out of here." I prayed.

I continued picking at the lock, trying to make it open. The process was long and tiring and I was becoming more and more frustrated as my patience wore thinner and thinner. My muscles were cramping and my legs felt warmer and wetter by the second.

Click.

At the sound of a soft click, my hand fell to my side, my head jerked up and I looked at the door. He couldn't be back, could he? The door remained closed but... my hand was no longer chained. I couldn't believe it. I looked at my hand as if it was that of an alien and not mine and a smile crept onto my face.

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Another chapter update! (That has come a day late. 😔) I'm sorry 😢, but I was busy yesterday. Better late than never, right?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Please vote, comment and share, I would very much appreciate it.