Run (a Taylor Swift Story)

6- Into Action

Carrie froze, her heart pounding in her chest as the footsteps grew closer. The sound of the guards’ boots echoed through the corridor outside the room, and she could hear the faint murmur of voices. Panic surged, but she forced herself to stay calm. This was it—if they were going to do something, it had to be now.

"Get down," Carrie whispered urgently, pulling Taylor back into the corner of the room where shadows were thicker. They pressed against the cold stone walls, trying to make themselves as small as possible, barely breathing.

The door creaked open, and a tall guard stepped inside, his eyes sweeping over the room. He was alone, but that wouldn’t last long. Carrie’s breath caught in her throat as he walked further into the room, completely unaware of their presence.

This was their chance.

Carrie glanced at Taylor, her heart breaking when she saw the fear in her eyes. Taylor was trembling, but she was gripping Carrie’s hand, nodding slightly. She had to stay quiet—if the guard heard them, everything would be over.

The guard was closer now, standing near the table where their chains were fastened. Carrie’s mind raced. She could reach the corner of the room where the guard’s keys hung from a hook just a few feet away. If she could get to them, they might have a chance.

She signaled to Taylor, her eyes pleading. Taylor nodded again, silently squeezing her hand in response. They both knew what they had to do.

But then, the sound of another guard’s footsteps echoed from outside the room, and the first guard stiffened. His head jerked toward the door.

Carrie’s blood ran cold.

The second guard pushed the door open with a heavy grunt, and the two men exchanged a few low words. The second guard glanced over at Carrie and Taylor, his eyes narrowing. He must’ve sensed something off. The first guard didn’t notice, too busy with his own thoughts.

Carrie held her breath, praying they wouldn’t be seen. She’d never felt so exposed in her life.

But her luck had run out.

The second guard walked over to Carrie, his boots heavy against the stone floor. "What do we have here?" His voice was low and menacing, his eyes scanning the girls with an unsettling smile creeping across his face. He reached down, gripping Carrie by the arm and yanking her roughly to her feet.

Carrie gasped, her heart hammering as the chains rattled with the force. She tried to keep her composure, but her body trembled from the sudden motion, and the pain in her limbs flared from being held so tightly. Taylor stood frozen, eyes wide in panic, but Carrie could see the tears threatening to fall.

"Please," Carrie managed, her voice hoarse and filled with desperation. "We weren’t doing anything. We were just... just waiting. Please, don’t hurt her."

The second guard sneered, his grip tightening on her arm. "You think you can run from Mick? You think we don’t see everything?" His laugh was cold and cruel, and Carrie’s heart sank further. She had failed.

The first guard, who had been distracted for a moment, now turned his attention to Taylor. His eyes gleamed with malice. "Looks like you tried something, didn’t you?" he said, stepping closer to Taylor.

"No," Taylor whispered, stepping back instinctively, but the guard was too quick. He grabbed her roughly by the arm, pulling her toward him.

Carrie’s heart clenched. She had to do something, anything. But her own chains made movement impossible, and she couldn’t bear the thought of seeing Taylor hurt because of her. She twisted in the guard’s grasp, struggling to break free, but the more she fought, the tighter his grip became.

"Stop!" Carrie shouted, her voice rising in a mixture of fear and anger. But it only made the guards more excited.

The second guard slapped her across the face with a harsh blow, sending her stumbling to the ground. "You don’t get to talk," he growled, and then roughly pulled her back up, forcing her to face Taylor.

Carrie’s vision blurred with the pain of the slap, but she forced herself to stay focused. She couldn’t lose her composure now. She looked at Taylor, who was still trembling, her eyes wide with fear.

"Let her go," Carrie pleaded, her voice raw with emotion. "Please, I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt her."

The first guard looked at her with amusement. "Oh, we’ll do a lot more than that, sweetheart." He yanked Taylor’s arm until she was standing beside Carrie. Both girls were now held tightly by the guards, no longer able to hide their fear.

The second guard sneered, a cruel smile crossing his lips as he looked between the two of them. "You thought you were smart, huh? You thought you could escape. Let me show you what happens to people who think they can outsmart Mick."

Carrie’s heart was in her throat as she tried to stop herself from breaking. The guards were relentless, and they were enjoying every moment of it.

The first guard motioned to the other, and without a word, the second guard stepped forward and grabbed Taylor by the hair, pulling her head back violently. Carrie’s stomach twisted in horror. She couldn’t let this happen—she couldn’t let them hurt Taylor.

But before she could say anything, the first guard landed a brutal punch across her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She gasped, crumpling under the force. The pain was almost unbearable, but her thoughts were with Taylor, who was still struggling to break free.

“Get up!” the first guard barked, kicking Carrie roughly to the side. She tried to fight back the tears, but the pain and the helplessness were overwhelming.

The second guard, still holding Taylor, pressed her down onto her knees. "This is what happens when you try to defy us," he said, his voice dripping with contempt.

Carrie’s mind raced. She had promised Taylor she would protect her, but now she felt powerless. She couldn’t shield her from this. The guards weren’t going to stop.

The air was thick with tension as Mick entered the room, his presence filling the space with a menacing weight. He surveyed the scene, his cold eyes moving over the girls and then settling on the two guards. “Enough,” he said with a flick of his wrist. “Let them be for now. You’ll have your fun later.”

The guards stepped back, letting Carrie and Taylor fall to the floor in exhaustion. The room was eerily quiet except for their shallow breaths.

Mick turned to leave but glanced over his shoulder. "Remember," he said, his voice dark and final. "There’s no escaping. You’ll learn your place."

The door slammed shut, leaving them in the cold, silent darkness.