The Neighbor

Chapter 13

Elodie's POV

"How could you be so stupid Arden! She would've never been okay with this and you were a FOOL for bringing her here." 

"Mother you don't understand! Florence got in her head, she-"

"ARDEN ENOUGH! We are DONE with this mess. You need to figure something out fast!"

My eyes were heavy as I lifted them, bright white blinding them at first followed by an immediate pounding in my head. I couldn't hear the waves that had woken me up in the previous days that I'd been here. I went to move my hand to rub my eyes but to my surprise I was unable to do so. I quickly focused my vision and saw an all too familiar ceiling. The basement ceiling. I looked down at my wrist and saw a heavy metal shackle chained around it. I sat up quickly noticing I was now on the other side of the cell. I turned and saw Florence in the corner. She had a black eye and was holding her knees silently sobbing. She was supposed to make it out. How was she here? 

I yanked on the shackle but it was no use. It was fastened to the wall, and I was far too weak to break it. My head was on fire as I looked around taking in the surroundings. Another bed had been brought into the cell so that Florence and I had separate sleeping arrangements. 

"It's no use," 

Her words choked out as tears rolled down her cheeks. 

"What," 

I blinked slowly as I still felt ringing in my ears. I squinted my eyes, placing my hand to my head shaking it. This was all a bad dream.

"What happened?" 

Florence shook her head and pressed her chin to her knees. 

"They caught me." 

My heart sank. This had to be a dream. A sick dream and I'd wake up soon. 

"Who?"

"Arnold. I was so close. I was almost to the airport. I had figured out how to work your phone and found the address from google. I was turning when," 

Florence paused looking up at me.

"Arnold t boned the car which caused me to spin out going into a ditch. the airbags went off and he pulled me out, I was bleeding from my ears and unable to fight him. I tried Elodie, I did." 

Fuck. I climbed onto the bed and tried to go towards Florence. The chain yanked as I was at the end of the slack. I sat on the bed and she looked at me and slowly crawled to her bed. 

"What happened to-"

"They beat me. Arnold first, and then Arden, he prefers his belt as the method." 

Florence climbed onto her bed as she faced me holding her knees again. 

"I am so sorry Elodie, I shouldn't have-"

"Don't. You were trying to save everyone here, if it weren't for Jane," 

Jane. I paused as I looked at Florence.

"What happened to Jane?" 

Florence shook her head, sighing.

"I don't know. They were beating her when Arden dragged me back down here." 

My heart sank. 

"The only good thing was that I was able to type a message out for Wyatt. I am hoping it went through but the signal out here has been so rough. That is the only hope I have currently." 

Wyatt. The fate of my life and Florence's relied on Wyatt.

"You did what you could,"

I leaned my hand out and Florence took it as tears streamed down her face.