My Beautiful Boy ✔️

40

I haven't eaten in more than twenty-four hours. My stomach rumbled in anguish and I curled myself further into a ball. As every minute goes by, it feels like I'm going to pass out. The blow to my head didn't help with matters, and the side of my head still throbs from the pain.

"Get up." I hear Stawarski say as he enters the room, holding something in his hand. Once he gets closer, I realise that it's a gun. My stomach drops to my feet. "Get up!" He repeats, and I slowly stumble to my feet, standing on the mattress that had a dip in it from where I had been sitting for the past few hours.

"What's going on?" I mumble, my hair stuck to my forehead. It was even more of a tangled mess than a few hours ago. Ever since I tried to escape, Stawarski realised it was better to keep me untied for my own safety. I had probably given myself a lot of brain damage when I repeatedly crashed my head against the hard, concrete floor.

"Anderson's on his way." Stawarski grins, and my mouth parts with hope. Dawson is on his way. He's coming to save me. Then, my face drops when I see another fifteen men enter the room, standing next to Stawarski in a row, each armed with rifles. I gulp. "I enjoy a little lover's reunion. Let's hope you both go to heaven." He adds, and it all makes sense in my head.

He's not planning on letting either of us go alive. Stawarski plans on killing us both. I almost collapsed onto the ground. I feel dizzy.

"Come on, Alayna." Stawarski grins, and I edge a little closer to where he was standing. The guns surrounding me sent a shiver down my spine, and I'm pretty sure the hope I was operating on has simmered out into a light fizz.

Unless Dawson has some sort of plan, I doubt we'll both make it out of here alive. Terror runs through me. Then, the double doors that the men are guarding are opened and I'm practically standing on my tiptoes to get a view as I see a flash of blonde hair walk through the doors. My heart rate picks up.

Then, Stawarski steps out of my way and I'm face to face with Dawson. He freezes, his mouth parting slightly as his eyes drag all over my whole body. From the shirt that's way too big for me and the joggers that are hanging off my hips to my messy, curly hair. He stared at me like I was the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

Even though it's only been a little over twenty-four hours since we last saw each other, it feels like forever. I try to smile, but my mouth hurts. My whole body hurts. I take a precautionary step back. Dawson's face breaks.

"Aww, young love." Stawarski grins, looking between us before rolling his eyes. "Anyways, let's get down to business." He states, and Dawson looks around at the fifteen men with guns, and I notice the way his throat bobs with nervousness and fear. "Where's the money?"

Dawson glares at him before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a huge stack of money. I have no idea where he managed to get that kind of money from, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of here. Hopefully. "Here." Dawson spits, throwing the stash into Stawarski's hands, his voice filled with venom.

As soon as the money touches Stawarski's hands, he turns towards me and gestures for me to walk forward. Right in front of where the guns were pointed. My breath shook as I took a nervous step forward. Before I could make it very far, the door is being broken down and there's shouts and gunshots and yelling and I'm kneeling down, my hand above my head as I try to get to safety.

"Alayna!" Someone yells, and then I feel safe hands on my back as he leads me to the corner of the room, crouching over me. "Are you okay?" Dawson asks, his eyes wide and frantic and he's gripping my face and I try to nod my head.

There's so much chaos erupting around me I can't concentrate on one thing my mind is bubbling my eyes are scattered all over the building, trying to get a grip on reality. Dawson's touch feels like stones weighing me down. "Alayna? I need you to talk to me, baby, tell me you're okay." He says to me, but I'm not listening. It's too loud. There's too much noise.

He's moving my hair out of my face and I'm swatting his hands away from me, covering my ears. It doesn't help with the noise. "It's okay, Alayna. You're safe, now." He says, and I try to nod my head to tell him that I hear him and I understand him, but my brain doesn't seem to work.

"I-" It's too loud. "I can't-" It's silent. The only sound blaring is the distant sirens and people giving instructions. I slowly lift my head, my fingers threaded through my hair as a man approaches us, lifting Dawson up. I'm handed a water bottle, but my hands shook too much to drink.

"Alayna? Alayna!" I hear in the distance, and my ears prick up at the sound of my mother's frantic screaming. I'm trying to get up to my feet and I'm looking around for her and I suddenly see her, running towards me.

I'm in her arms, my legs giving out as I collapse onto the ground. Tears stream down my cheeks and loud sobs are leaving my throat. "It's okay." She sniffles into my neck. "It's okay, you're safe." Her fingers stroke through my hair and I'm choking on my tears.

"Mama." I cry, screwing my eyes shut. "I'm sorry for scaring you." I try to tell her, but she cups my cheeks in her hands, moving my hair away from my face.

"As long as you're safe and okay, I have no other care in the world." She smiles at me, and I feel a little dizzy. My vision blurs and I start to sway. "Alayna?" I collapse onto the ground.