Mounting Danger

Chapter 13- Allies

Left alone in the room, I twisted desperately against the metal binding me. The handcuffs jangled slightly but didn't give. My eyes darted around the barren room, searching for anything that might aid in picking the lock. But the stark and empty tabletops offered nothing as if the room had been meticulously prepared for a hostage.

As I turned to the window, a car rolled into view, its sleek form cutting through the dark forest scenery surrounding the house. For a heartbeat, I froze. The car's exterior was very familiar. Could it be the Hunters? Were they here for me? My heart hitched at the thought. 

 I stretched forward to watch the car even though the cuffs on my hands dug in more. The door opened slowly and the emerging figure put a foot out. If the driver just glanced my way... In desperation, I snatched up pillows and blankets, hurling them towards the window, each one a silent plea for rescue. But it was futile. The figure outside remained oblivious to my plight.

Suddenly, a faint sound pierced the heavy silence – a single, deliberate footstep outside the door. My heart leaped into my throat. Every nerve in my body tensed as the footsteps stopped. The doorknob turned and the door creaked open slowly revealing Karina's silhouette framed in the dim light of the hallway. Her eyes, wide and alert, swept over the room, taking in the disarray of pillows and blankets strewn about.

She let out a shallow breath in my direction. "It won't help," she said, her voice soft but carrying a weight of certainty. She moved around the room, her hands gracefully collecting the scattered items, restoring order while I glared at her in disgust. 

"Why are you doing this?" The words burst from me, sharp and accusing. Karina paused and turned, her eyes meeting mine. There was a depth of sadness in them that I hadn't noticed before. "You think I want to?" Her voice wavered, a crack betraying her composure. "I know it's wrong."

"Then why are you? You can stop this. Help me get out of here." 

"How!" Karina's voice rose sharply, her frustration spilling over. I recoiled slightly, unprepared for the outburst. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I can't even get myself out," she said, her voice returning to a hushed intensity.

"What are you talking about?" I pressed.

Karina's shoulders slumped, the fight seemingly draining out of her. "I'm a prisoner too, Selene," she said softly, almost as if confessing a dark secret. "But I've been here longer... I've seen things. It's nearly impossible to get out of here alive. I've learned to survive by... by earning Ricky's trust."

"How?" I asked, my skepticism clear in my tone. I wanted to believe her but I needed to be sure.

Karina's eyes flickered down, avoiding my gaze. "Survival here means adapting. I learned to understand Ricky, and to make myself useful without posing a threat. Over time, he began to see me less as a captive and more as an asset."

Her words seemed to dance around the truth, and I struggled to reconcile them with the person before me. Karina, with her illusion of freedom in this hellish place, had once been trapped just like me? 

"So, you're his ally?" The question came out soaked in suspicion.

A hollow laugh escaped her, devoid of any real amusement. "No, I'm my own ally. I survive the only way I can. I think you're starting to understand how that feels, with your feeble attempt at  escaping."

Her eyes held mine, and in them, I saw a reflection of my own fear and despair. It was then I realized the truth in her words. Wary, I shifted my gaze. "And Katrina?"

The mention of the name cast a shadow over Karina's face, her expression darkening. "Katrina," she started, her voice dropping to a hushed, urgent tone, "she's... she's lost herself. Stockholm Syndrome." She paused, her eyes haunted, distant. "She believes, fervently believes if she's perfect in every way for him, he'll love her back one day."