Look At Me Now

Chapter 15

            When my eyes opened I was in a basement—I think. I was underground, from what I could tell, but the entire room looked like a morgue. I was sitting on a metal chair, rope binding my hands behind my back. My feet were free, which was good for me. My eyes scoured the room for something I could use. There were torture tools galore—ones that made me feel sick to my stomach—but they were too far away. I bit my lip as I looked around. There was a surgical table on either side of me and room dividers—ones that you'd see in a hospital. The room was mostly bare besides those things and the tools. I choked back bile as footsteps sounded through the room. Stairs. I finally found them hidden behind a wall. I swallowed the lump in my throat as Paul approached me, a sick smile on his face.

"Finally awake I see," he said after a moment.

"H-how long was I out?" I internally cringed at the weakness of my voice.

"Five hours," he said. "Longer than most, but then again you are smaller than the others. Maybe I should've researched that..." He gave me a mock apologetic smile.

"Why me?" I asked, though I suspected there was no real reason.

"Why not you?" he tossed back. He spoke again before I could. "Your brother has yet to show up you know. What did you tell him about tonight?"

I felt something inside me twist, where was he? "I told him I was going to the movies with friends. I said I'd probably be back late."

"The movies?" he sounded unimpressed. "That would put you back an hour or so ago at most, right? Hmm, maybe big brother is over having to take care of little miss damsel in distress?"

"I told him I'd be back late," I repeated. "He thinks I'm fine. Out with friends."

"Isn't he the guy that checks in on you even at school?"

That reminded me. "Where's my phone?"

He gave me a sly grin as though that's what he wanted me to ask. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out my phone. The light blue case gave it away as mine.

"Has he texted?"

"Oh yes." He nodded, pleased with himself. "We've replied, saying everything is fine. You're currently at a bookstore on fifth street." He gave me a cold look, the smile dropping from his lips. "What did you really tell him about tonight?"

I closed my eyes in annoyance at my forgetfulness. I hadn't deleted tonight's texts. "I told him I wasn't feeling well. I went into my room, left him a note, and snuck out."

"What did the note say?"

"I told him I had a project to work on and I would be back in a couple of hours." It wasn't the full truth but it was enough. Paul's smile returned.

"Well, now that we're being honest," he began. "I should tell you that you are going to die."

My stomach tightened with those words. I knew they couldn't be true but it didn't stop the fear from sprinting through my veins. I let out a shaky breath. "Where's Kale?"

"Out." I could tell that was all he would say on that subject. Kale was out. That's good for me. Paul took a step closer to me, his eyes trailed my body. "I wonder where I'm going to start."

My leg swung in between his legs. He let out a pained groan and fell to his knees, clutching his groin. Important rule of kidnapping: tie them to the chair. I stood up and kicked him over and kicked his head. He was out. I went to the tools. Most were hung on the wall but there was a small pocket knife on the table below them. I turned around and grabbed it with my right hand. I began sawing at the rope and it was a couple of minutes before I was free.

I darted up the stairs, two at a time. My hand closed around the doorknob and it wouldn't turn. It was stuck—no, no it was locked. I swore and ran back down to unconscious Paul. I, first, grabbed my phone and dialed Gabriel. There was cell service down here? I felt ashamed that I'd managed to get taken by these amateurs—and that other girls had been killed by them.

"Where the hell are you, Eve?" Gabriel asked, fury clear in his voice.

I found the key in Paul's jean pocket. "I'm at their place—I think. I'm in some kind of basement."

"I've searched every inch of their place, Eve," Gabriel replied. "Including the basement. Neither you or them were there."

So I wasn't at their house. Shit. "I...I don't know then Gabe. Try tracing my cell."

"I can't!" he yelled. "It can't be traced. Tell me how you're on the phone. Are you escaping?"

I swung open the door to the basement and began walking down a long hall. "Well they aren't that great. They didn't tie me to the chair and...look I'll explain when I see you I just—"

"You bitch." Kale. My eyes widened as he began walking towards me.

"Shit," I said into the phone. I tried to sound calm but I knew Gabriel would hear the panic in my voice.

Kale's eyes were narrowed and cold. His hand came across my cheek. I yelped and fell to the ground. My phone went flying out of my reach. I couldn't tell if it was still on. Kale's foot slammed into abdomen with a sickening crack. I howled as the pain from the broken rib hit me. He lifted me up by my shirt—it ripped slightly from the force. "You're going to die." The coldness in his voice was shocking. This time I found myself believing it.

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