HIS CAPTIVE

2- What's going on?

"I'm so sorry isie" Maya said pulling me in for a hug.
I knew dad was broken after Anna left but I had no idea how bad he'd been. I never suspected he wanted to take his own life.
Now there's no one left,just me.

The burial finished quickly. We didn't have a lot of friends or family. It was just me,Tom,Maya and a few of our regular customers at the shop.

"Everything's gonna be alright,okay?" Tom comforted pulling me in for a hug but I was too numb to reciprocate or relish this moment. How long have I dreamed of being in his arms? Wished for it severally. I didn't expect those wishes to come true in such a twisted way.

"Want me to take you home?"he asked pulling back from me.

Home? I chuckled bitterly. I didn't have one anymore. All I had was bitter memories. The ugly face of reality that home was no lonher home but a cold reminder of everyone that I once had now long gone. And no one was coming back.

"Isie?" This time it was Maya making sure I was okay.

"I'm fine. I...uh just want to be alone right now" i say to both her and Tom.

The look of sympathy they were both giving me was killing me. But they respected my wishes,probably didn't want me to have another break down.

"You can stay over at my place tonight. I'll wait up for you." Anna said.

I nodded in agreement. It was better than going home...

They both walked away. Everybody left and I was now alone.

Every pain,anger,resentment...every bitterness I felt came crashing down and I fell to the floor and cried my heart out.

*

It was dark when I made my way back to the shop.

Maya lived in the apartment above the shop. 'It was easier to open the shop that way', she'd said. It was a two bedroom apartment so it was convenient for me to spend the night with her.

As I got to the shop,I wasn't surprised that the light were still on even as the sign said closed. She did say she'd wait up for me.

My steps faltered when I stopped at the glass door. What I saw through the french windows had my heart breaking to pieces.

Tom was kissing Maya.

What's going on? Why was my crush and best friend making out?

Suddenly Maya pushed him away. "Why the hell did you do that?" She yelled at him.

"Because I like you Maya! I really do!" Tom exclaimed.

What?!!

"B...but you like Isie. The late night coffee, escorting her home...was it all a ruse?"

"No! Isie is my friend. I was here drinking coffee because of you. I needed  an excuse to see you. I had to escort Isie home because it was the right thing to do. But it's you I like okay? Heck if I don't love you!"

I saw the shocked look on Maya's face at his proclamation just before my tears blurred my vision.

"You can't like me..." Maya was pacing now. She always did that when she had to make a hard decision. Did she perhaps like him too?

"You can't! Isie likes you...she's liked you for a long time now. You can't...we can't-"

Tom held her still by the shoulder. "Do you like me Maya?" He asked quietly.

I should go...walk away but I couldn't. I wanted to hear her answer.

She was quiet for a while. Then she spoke. One word and my whole world shattered. "Yes"

The look on Tom's face was the hammer that nailed it in. " Thank you" he said smiling. Then pulled her in for a hug and kissed her on the forehead, tender and romantic.

My tears were now pouring.

"Isie can't know about this...about us. She's been through a lot already" Maya Said.

Too late. The damage was done.

I walked away  just as he leaned down to kiss her.
I walked and walked and walked. I didn't know where I was going or where I was. I was numb. I was broken and my tears never stopped falling, even as I texted Maya. I knew it was the right thing to do. She deserved happiness too.
I couldn't hold her back.

ME: I know about you and Tom. It's okay as long as you're happy. (⌒_⌒;)

She called me back almost immediately. When I didn't pick,she texted me.

Maya: Isie, how?! Where are you? Let's talk please.

Maya: don't do anything stupid. Tell me where you are. I'll come pick you up.

I sighed. Then wiped my tears away.

ME: I won't do anything stupid. Just need sometime alone...for now.

Maya: are we okay?

I stood for some minutes thinking about all that had happened since twelve years ago. I've only known Maya for two years but she'd always been there for me. Always, more than my family ever had.

So I gave her my honest reply.

ME: of course, Bff.

Then I tucked my phone back into my purse.
For the first time I looked around my environment. I was at a crossroad. I needed to find a hotel to stay the night. The roads were already empty and the night was cold due to the rain that fell. I shivered as I tried to figure out how to find a hotel. I decided to use my phone to find one closest to me.

I reached for my purse just as a black vehicle stopped in front of me, headlights to my face, blinding me.

I could hear footsteps approach me and the headlights were turned off. It took me a moment to regain my vision.

I was surrounded by huge men in black suits. There were about five of them. Their eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

A cold chill slipped down my spine and it had nothing to do with the cold from the rain. Something wasn't right.

"Mrs Isabella?" One of the men barked his voice thick with an accent I couldn't recognize.

I moved back a bit. What did he mean Mrs. I wasn't married.

One of the guys reached in his coat and produce a paper when I didn't answer. He turned the paper to me. It was a photo of me.

But...

The guy behind me suddenly lounged for me. He grabbed me from behind a white handkerchief placed over my nose. I struggled against him but I was growing weaker by the minute as the effect from the chemical on the handkerchief kicked in.

I couldn't even scream. The handkerchief stopped me. Plus there was no one around to help. The streets were empty. I was alone and at the mercy of these men.

I grew dizzier. My legs turned to jelly and I was being carried into the car that had stopped earlier.

"Tsumarī ī ko" the man who'd spoken earlier said in a strange language.

I didn't even get to wonder what he meant. I welcomed the soothing darkness, begging it to put an end to this nightmare of mine.

And it did.

I smiled as the darkness took over.

**end of flashback**

I was being carried again when I woke up. This time I didn't even fight or move. I was tired, physically, emotionally and psychologically. I was tired of everything.

I realized I was blindfolded since I couldn't see anything.

I was carried for a while and then I was thrown down forcefully. I landed on my side on the hard ground. My ribs screamed at the impact as pain coursed through my body.

I gasped from the pain loud enough for my captors to stick another needle up my arm.

And darkness took over.