The Missing

Into the Unknown

Trigger warning: Violent themes throughout and discussions of abduction and trafficking.

It all happened so quickly. Five men with their guns cocked boarded the yacht and surrounded the group.

"Do not let go off me," Duncan ordered through gritted teeth, as he clamped his hand tighter around Halle's to the point that it ached.

Everyone continued to get closer and closer in their frightened huddle until there was no more room to move. Halle found herself situated  between Duncan and the yacht's elderly chef Rosa. Tears shone on the older woman's cheeks
as she clutched her cross and prayed for divine intervention.

"This man right here is a famous actor, you know," Elijah suddenly mumbled, as he brought a shaking hand down on Duncan's shoulder.

The pirate that was standing before Duncan and Halle lifted his head in intrigue as he encouraged the man to continue his story with the barrel of his rusted gun.

"People know he is out here. They will come looking," Elijah continued, his voice lacking any confidence as he stared death in the face.

The pirate looked between Elijah and Duncan for a moment before responding. "We like actors," he mumbled, with a grotesque smile that unleashed a stench of decay. "They are the most sought after." He ran a long, yellowed finger nail down Duncan's cheek, causing him to flinch. "Especially pretty ones like you."

Nausea swept over Halle. It quickly became clear that these men were not ordinary pirates, who prayed on the weak and plundered all their belongings. No, they were human traffickers

Another one of the pirates, who was as skinny as a beanpole, let out a raspy laugh. "Aye, they do," he agreed, giving Halle an abhorrent wink as he joined his partner's side. "But do you know what they really dislike, boy?" The man's question was directed towards Elijah. His soulless, black eyes were unblinking as he awaited a response.

Elijah squirmed slightly, causing his mist damp quiff to fall down onto his eyes. "What?" He asked, though it was clear that he did not want to know the answer.

The man's sea-chapped lips curled into a cruel smirk. "Boys who do not hold their tongues." As soon as the words left the man's lips, he violently rammed the butt of his weapon into Elijah's face, not once, but thrice. He immediately went down as blood gushed from both nostrils and the bridge of his nose collapsed in on itself.

Numerous cries came from the group as Duncan intervened, temporarily immobilising the man, but retreating mere moments later as the death breath pirate fired a warning shot into the air. Everyone immediately dropped to the ground, bar Duncan who was holding his hands up.

"Oh my god, Elijah. Are you okay?" Halle had crawled to the injured man's side during the commotion. She ripped a piece of cloth from the hem of her night gown and pressed it gently to the man's nose.

"We are not going to get out of this Halle," he cried, ignoring her question. "They will kill us all once they are through with us." His sandy eyes were bloodshot both from the impact of the gun and his forthcoming tears.

Halle tried to think of some comforting words, but as hard as she tried, nothing came. She just continued to rub Elijah's arm in a comforting manner, despite its futility.

"What do you want? The yacht? Money? Valuables? I have tonnes of money," Duncan explained. "More money than you can ever dream off. Just name your price and then we can forget that this whole thing ever happened." His hands still remained in the air. Not once did they shake.

Beanpole and Death Breath both smirked at each other, edging slightly closer to the shaking and sobbing group members that littered the floor. Beanpole crouched down and forcefully pulled back Bliss' head so that her black neck was exposed in the moonlight. She whimpered like a scared animal. The rest of the group member's eyes were alight with fear as they were powerless to do anything.