UPSIDE DOWN

~ 26 ~

Sylvie

I'm cold, I'm cold, I'm cold. 

Another shiver brakes through my body as I lie on the cold steel, my hands and legs still tied up. 

Every muscle aching and burning, every part of my body feels like it's about to fall apart. 

I don't even have the energy left in me to take another breath, everything is spinning in my head. 

I feel disgusted, I can't do this anymore. 

My skin feels too exposed, every emotion has overflooded my brain, every part of my body is craving for some comfort. 

All I want to do is just disappear, I just want the world to vanish. 

Gunshot sound pulls me out of my thoughts, and I flinch at the sound of the door breaking. 

Before I can show any other reaction, I'm completely covered in a blanket and someone is trying to break the restraints. 

Am I free now?

This person is speaking something, but I can't hear him. It's a man, I know that. 

I blink and try to look at who it is, after trying to focus for a while I realize it's Matteo. 

"You're safe Sylvie, you're fine, your brothers are here" I hear his faint voice in my ears. I try to respond but I can't form any words, my energy feels drained out. I can barely keep my eyes open right now. 

"Hey, hey, I need you to stay awake for me" I feel his hand on my face as he shakes me awake. 

I use every ounce of energy left in my body to keep my eyes open. 

My brothers are here, I'm safe. 

I feel him lift me up and wrap the piece of cloth around my body properly, before carrying me out. 

I really try to concentrate on his voice, trying to keep myself awake. But with each passing minute i feel my body get weaker and weaker until the darkness surrounds me. 

Luca

I feel my heartbeat echoing in my chest when I see my sister in Matteo's arms.

We all got out of there safely, even captured the Enrich dude. 

I started breathing properly only when I heard Matteo's voice in my earpiece saying he found Sylvie. 

And now he's running towards the car with her in his arms. "She's safe" He whispers as he enters the back of the truck and sits down with Sylvie on his lap. 

Her body looks pale, and she's uncontrollably shivering. 

"I'm going to kill Nikolai" I hear Andrea's voice from the drivers seat, everyone whispers a sign of agreement as Francesco begins to cater to Sylvie, trying to check for her pulse and check for any major injuries. 

"She's tired, and under the influence of strong drugs" Francesco concludes, but we all know that it's more than just that. 

Knowing the Russians, she's been through much worse than the videos. To think that my sister went through the same thing I had gone through before is enough to bring me chills. 

Every memory rushes through my mind, every touch, every whip, every slap. The sound of Nikolai's words ring in my ears. 

And to think that my sister went through all of that scares me to death, and I'm the reason this happened. I should've asked her to watch the soccer practice instead, I shouldn't have left her with him.