Disappearance: A broken Wing

Sore

Tiredness. Pain. Hunger.

Those were the only emotions I could feel as I hung there, my body stretched and raw. The ropes bit into my wrists, my open wounds stinging with every shallow breath. Hours felt like days. My body was weak, but my mind was worse—on the verge of breaking. I was ready to die when Hito had put that gun to my head.

But Baxton's promise echoed in my mind. "I'll help you escape."

For the first time in months, a small part of me dared to feel hope. Maybe—just maybe—I could get out of this nightmare.

"I hope you learned your lesson," Hito's voice cut through the silence like a knife. He stepped in front of me, his shadow towering over my broken body.

"Is Sally alright?" I croaked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Yeah, she's fine," he said, almost casually. Then, without warning, he untied the ropes, and I collapsed to the ground like a ragdoll. My legs couldn't hold me; my body felt like it belonged to someone else.

Hito grabbed me under the arms and lifted me effortlessly, helping me limp back to the house.

"Leo," Hito barked, "get her cleaned up and have Baxton bandaged her."

"Yes, sir," Leo replied with a sly grin.

Leo took my arm, leading me down the hall. He let his hand linger on my skin for far longer than necessary. "I love seeing you naked," he said with a disgusting smirk. "You should get in trouble more often—maybe then I'll see even more of you."

I wanted to spit in his face. I wanted to scream. But I bit my tongue. I couldn't afford to make things worse.

Leo ran a bath of icy water, and as soon as he lowered me in, I gasped, letting out an involuntary squeal from the shock of the cold. He chuckled.

He took his time, far too much time, dragging the rag across my skin with deliberate slowness. Every pass made my stomach turn.

"BAXTON!" Leo yelled suddenly, and I flinched at the sound of his voice in my ear.

The bathroom door burst open a second later, and Baxton appeared, his stance tense like he was ready to fight. "What?" he snapped.

"She's clean. Patch her up," Leo said dismissively, tossing the rag down like I was nothing but a dirty plate.

"Don't yell my name like that," Baxton shot back, his tone sharp. "I thought something happened."

"Whatever," Leo muttered, leaving the room with a smirk.

Baxton grabbed a towel and gently wrapped it around me, drying my skin with care—care that I wasn't used to anymore. When I nodded, he began bandaging me, his hands steady and respectful.

"How did your parents die?" I asked suddenly, my voice soft but curious.

Baxton paused for a moment, then sighed. "Car wreck. A drunk driver killed them. If I'd been in the car that night, I'd be dead too."

"Where were you?"

"I was at a friend's house. Sometimes I wish I was in that car. Maybe it would've been better than living under my uncle's roof. The things I've seen, done, and heard here... I wish I could escape, but Hito's grip is iron. I'll never get out of his shadow." He looked down. "Sometimes, I wish I'd died with them."

I swallowed hard. "I'm glad you didn't," I said quietly. "Because if you had... I never would've met you."

Baxton froze mid-motion, his hands lingering on the bandage. He lifted his gaze to mine, and for a moment, everything else disappeared.

His brown eyes locked onto mine with such intensity that I forgot about the pain, the hunger, the fear. Looking at him, I felt something I thought was long gone—a flicker of warmth, of connection.

"BAXTON! HURRY UP! I NEED YOU TO FEED THE PIGS IN THE BARN!"

Hito's booming voice broke the moment.

"COMING!" Baxton called back, but his tone was sharp, annoyed. He quickly finished the bandage and stood, stepping back as if the moment never happened.

As I reached for the door, his hand brushed mine. I froze, glancing back at him.

"You will escape," he whispered, his voice low but firm. "I will make sure of it."

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to believe him.

Man, I hope he's right.