Red Riding Hood

Chapter Thirty Six

I knew my eyes were open but darkness still surrounded me. Panic instantly set in yet as I tried to move I felt something tight around my wrists and I knew I wasn't still dreaming. The mouldy damp smell hit me as soon as my senses woke up with me and I coughed almost dry retching as it became too much. Where was I? The more aware I became the more my body let me know how unhappy it was. The hits I took earlier were throbbing, my arms were stiff and my hands were numb thanks to them hanging above my head. I tugged on the chains and realised the length they were at was as good as it was going to get. My eyes had adjusted to the dark now and to my right opposite me up what I was guessing to be a flight of stairs a crack of light leaked in from under the door. I groaned, bringing my legs up below me and pushing up against the aged walls. Standing pain shot through my ribs and I bit my lip to save from crying out.

Again no tears managed to come to me. As I tugged on the chains I felt my bones begin to crack and shift back into place. The sensation surprised me yet in my mind I felt a barrier pressing against my conscience and I knew my wolf was covering the pain. I had never been happier t have her. All I wanted to do was stretch my arms but it wasn't possible. Where was Parker? I closed my eyes and tried to listen upstairs, nothing but silence greeted me.

"Hello?" I screamed, nothing. "Hello?!" I called again. Still quiet. I slumped back down to the wet dirt; if I had stayed quiet this wouldn't have happened. If I had taken Finns offer of leaving with James I wouldn't have been here now. My stomached growled hungry and I couldn't help but wonder how long I'd been out for. There was no indication of night or day in here. I sat in the dark silence for a while longer when I scratching started in the corner closest to me.

"Hello?" I called hopefully. A faint whine was heard and then the scratching sound like nails against wood. "Hello! I'm here!! Hello!!!" I stood up, hope filling me as the whine stopped. I instantly frowned, dropping to me knees as the hope I had just had ran for the hills.

"Beth?" Eric. Hysterical screams of happiness echoed around me and stopped as soon as I realised it was coming from me.

"Eric!!" I cried, the light of a torch appeared from the ground and after a clunk, the wooden panels on the floor lifting and the blonde curls appeared before the familiar face I had missed more than anything.

"What the hell?" he muttered as a few voices were muffled behind him. His flashlight shone over me and I closed my eyes shying away from the harshness of the light and seeing my arms in chains he growled, beside me in seconds. He tugged on the metal as if he'd be able to snap it open but nothing happened.

"What happened?" he asked, still struggling with the chain.

"Please just get me out. Don't you know how dangerous it is for you to be here? How did you find me?" I scolded. Instantly I regretted him being here. He needed to go. Freddy's head popped up out the same hole.

"God Beth, can you stay out of trouble? Taking you to see Marcus that day was like a trip to Disneyland" I had to laugh and even he managed to break a smile.

"I got your message about heading out near Yorkshire but I didnt hear from you all weekend but everyone kept telling me I was over reacting. Sunday night William and your Grandfather had a fight about coming to try and find you, Will wanted to believe you'd back by morning. But you werent. Finn, Fred and I left at dawn and have been roaming the countryside trying to find you. Finn found the cottage and here we are. He is guarding the tunnel entrance a little distance back in the forest. Marcus told us Will was coming today but we didn't wait for him. I can tell he's near but for some reason I can't connect to him. Everything feels blocked" His worry was obvious and again he tried to snap the chain with no luck.  We all froze as voices were heard upstairs.