You Can't Spell Believe Without Lie

Chapter Eleven

Heather woke up one Saturday morning feeling very drowsy. She hadn't seen Ryan since Tuesday, after she dropped him off his tiny little home. She hadn't expected for his house to be so small and far away from the school. Actually, she figured he was filthy rich, but she seemed to be wrong. 

Ryan didn't shove up for school for the rest of the week. She went on like normal, and even decided she'd visit Jenna that weekend. Alone this time. So, Saturday she got up and showered, then made her way to the hospital. Jenna looked a lot better, now that she was eating properly. 

"Tell me what happened, Jen," Heather said softly from the chair beside the hospital bed. "I need to know."

"Just watch the news. I already told them everything," Jenna whispered, flipping throught the channels on the TV over her bed. 

"You know I won't get the whole story," Heather pressed. "Please. I'm your best friend, Jenna."

"I was at that party," Jenna began, sighing deeply. "My car broke down in the kid's neighborhood, so my stupid ass decided to walk home. I was grabbed off the sidewalk and thrown into a black car. The guy driving had a mask on. He tied up my hands and feet and taped my mouth so I couldn't really move. There was another guy next to me, holding me down so nobody would see me in the backseat. 

"We got to this abandoned building, which the cops searched already and came up with nothing by the way, and I was locked in this room for days without anything but a dirty bucket of water. Let me tell you, that had to be the most disgusting week of my life. Then this girl came in. She was gorgeous, Heather, the prettiest girl I've ever seen. She looked about twenty. She started asking me questions about you-"

"Me?" Heather repeated, her eyes growing larger. "Like what? Why hasn't anybody said anything to me?"

"The cops were supposed to warn your mom. She must be keeping it from you so you don't get scared. Anyway, they asked how well I knew you, and started saying crazy things, too. They asked who your father is and I said you never met your dad, that he died when you were a baby. Then..." She hesistated, looking off into the distance. 

"What? What next?"

"Ryan walked in," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I couldn't see him clearly, he was wearing a mask, but I know it was him. I knew his voice. The woman left us alone and he told me not to worry, that I'd be okay, and that you'd be safe... I cried for like an hour, and he just sat there and stared at me through that stupid mask on his face. Then he checked his watch and left, and that was the last person I saw, besides the woman, for days. 

"I escaped the other night, because someone cut my ropes while I was sleeping. I think it was Ryan, but I'm not sure, really. The door was left unlocked. I know that as soon as I'm alone she'll come for me again." Jenna swallowed nervously. "Or maybe they were done with me. Maybe they want you."

Heather was speechless as she stared at her best friend. Ryan walked in... I couldn't see him, but I know it was him. 

"Ryan wouldn't," Heather spoke without realizing. "He wouldn't ever go along with something like that."

"He's bad, Heather. I know it. I've seen his eyes through the mask. They were black, like coal, just like the rest of them. They... they cut my wrist one night." She held up her arm and peeled the bandage off slowly, revealing a healing cut. "It was bleeding so bad. They took my blood, but I don't know what for. It's like... like they were some kind of cult..."

"Ryan's not bad," Heather said, a little too loud. Jenna flinched. "He's a good person. I've gotten to know him recently, I know what he's like, and he'd never hurt anyone..."