What Fades Away

chapter 16: psycho killer

a/n: graphic descriptions of injuries, blood, drugging, kidnapping, assault. this one is intense.

The first thing that Mara feels is cold.

Bitter, freezing cold that seeps into her bones and causes them to rattle. Her head is pounding, unable to stand even the small bit of light that filters in through a vent in the side of the building. She tries to sit up but everything hurts and she lets out a whimper. The mattress she's positioned on is small, but at least it isn't the cold cement floor.

It was supposed to be a simple trip down to her now former apartment to turn in her keys. Kate tried to tag along but Mara insisted that she could go alone. Tears well up in her bloodshot eyes at the thought. She feels stupid, small, and weak. It took no time at all for whomever kidnapped her to subdue her and drag her outside. A quick prick to her neck with a needle and the last thing she remembers is the back of a car before she passed out.

Mara struggles to orient herself to the darkness, blinking the best she can without making her head explode. She wonders if she has a concussion, bringing her hand up to check her head for any bumps or cuts. Her fingers go to her forehead and she winces, blood staining her hand as she pulls it away.

A screeching sound fills the air and heavy footsteps echo in the dark. Mara scrambles to her knees the best that she can, heavy handcuffs around her wrist attached to a pipe on the wall. She licks her lips to try and alleviate the burn of chapped skin and tastes copper. Whoever did this really didn't give a fuck about hurting her. Fear floods her mind as the footsteps come closer. She swallows the bile that rises in her throat and tries not to cry. Her heart bottoms out in her chest as a man she doesn't recognize walks into the dim light.

"Didn't expect you to be awake," he says offhand. His hands slide into his pockets to try and hide the shaking, but Mara sees it.

"Who the fuck are you?" she asks, trying desperately to suppress any tremble of her lips.

He ignores her question, instead stepping closer to her. A brown bag drops at her feet, the smell of fried food filling the air.

"Eat. You're gonna need it," he murmurs before turning to walk away.

"Yeah, can't really do that," Mara growls as she shakes the handcuffs.

Her stomach growls and the hunger pains appear out of nowhere. She can't remember the last time she ate. The blue of his uniform is made clear and Mara bites back a sob. He's a fucking cop and won't do a goddamn thing to help her.

He stomps briskly to the mattress, crouching down. He pulls a key from his back pocket, mumbling under his breath as he reaches for her arm.

The moment his head comes close to hers, she hears the lock click. She knows it's the only chance she might have. Mara rears her head back and brings it forward as hard as she can into the man's face. A loud crack can be heard and she thinks for a moment her head is truly split open as pain reverberates through her skull.

"Shit!" The cop yells, rocking backward in his crouched position as blood pours from his nose. "You fucking bitch."

He lunges for her and she scrambles back, bringing her nails across his face before he grabs her wrist. He groans when one of her wild kicks gets him in the stomach. His hand swings across and hits her cheek. Mara sees stars as her vision grows fuzzy from the force of the hit.

"You really think you're something, huh?" the man growls.

Mara spits in his face and he reels back, wiping the blood and saliva off. His hand wraps in her hair and drags her body backwards towards the wall, until her back is pressed to it. Her nails leave jagged marks on his skin as she continues to fight. Mara remembers from one of those cop shows that if you are attacked you should scratch the assailant to try and get DNA under your nails. She should have plenty now if the gashes on Fisher's face and neck have anything to say about it.