Devil Says 'H!'

Chapter 20

Skylar stirred, and she gently rubbed her eyes. She opened her eyes through the darkness and stared at the empty black canvas in front of her eyes. She sighed, and tried to sit up straight, as the memories of the last night's nightmare, which included four chases, three death glares, fifty beatings, ten slaps and not to miss the most important visit of the same old woman who had bothered her on the previous nights as well, decorated her mind. She turned to her sides, and lifted her t-shirt up, noticing her body. She saw two long gashes going along the side of her waist, and even on her stomach, there was an etch of a thick knife. Skylar whimpered. That burnt scar was the remnant of yesterday's beating. Skylar sighed and she laid down again, not wanting to wake up soon and face her cruel reality.

It had been fourteen days since Skylar had been taken to this darkened room. Sometimes she wonders how her fate would have been changed, if she had not gone to the library that day with Ed. She actually felt happy that Reese had left already, without waiting for them. She knew that, if Reese was there, things would have changed for the worst, and not only Ed, but Reese too would have been hurt and had to endure all the perks of being Skylar's best friend. Skylar wondered what would have happened if she was alone on that day near the library. Definitely, the kidnap attempt might have been executed, but she was not sure that the effects of it would be so severe. She knew that she was not able to use her powers that day because she was too worried about Ed, and the shock of seeing him in that state had made her forget all of her powers. Her priority had been to protect Ed, and to bring him to shelter, but that had not been able to execute as well. Skylar felt her tears root down her face, as she remembered Ed's pale face, as blood had oozed out of his wounds. She did not know why the kidnappers had brought guns with them, and it was surprising for her to even think how they could shoot an innocent, unarmed boy. Skylar thought that the reason for them to bring the guns was because they might have thought that taking down Skylar would be a hard task, because she was always, always unbeatable. She knew that if Ed was not there with her that day, not even guns would have been able for them to take her down. If she was shot, that would be a different matter. But because she was not shot, things would have been just another normal almost kidnapped, but still failed, attempt.

Skylar shivered as the coldness of the floor went down through her bones. She did not know the reason for the coldness had been because it had rained last night, because she was not able to either hear or see anything in the darkened room. Only herself and her thoughts were loud in her ears, and only that made her realize that she was not dead. But a large question remained in her mind. That was, what if she had died inside this room. Will her soul too be trapped inside?

Skylar turned to her side, and brought her fingers up to her eyes. She stared at them through the darkness, and noticed how thin they looked. Her fingers felt sticky, and Skylar knew that was because blood had dried on her fingers. However hard she scrubbed her fingers, and tried to wash it, to make her fingers free of blood, that never worked. Also, she was not able to rub her fingers too hard because the pains would not make it possible to do that.

Suddenly, Skylar started to shake where she was, as she heard the large door creak open slowly. She shut her eyes tight, and remained to look as though she was unconscious. She did not move a muscle, and stared at the darkness behind her eye lids. She listened intently, as she heard the two large foot steps, come closer to her. She felt a leather shoe touch the side of her face. But still, Skylar did not move. She felt the shoe prod on her cheek, and push her face to the side. Skylar obliged.

"Is she dead?" a second voice asked. This voice was a few feet behind her. The first man pulled his leg closer towards him.

"Nah," he said. "Just pretending to be sleeping." the man said, vengeance evident through his voice.