Kidnapped

Learning

My eyesight came back finally. I wasn't sure about how long it took, just that Mena had walked away a long time ago and my legs were getting numb. When I did open my eyes, it was getting dark and I could smell an open fire.  I looked toward where I thought I felt the sun's rays on my skin and saw that the sun had set down low over what looked like hills or mountains. I cleared my itchy throat and moved my gaze to where I could feel another source of heat. A large, open, campfire soared into the sky as the sun set.

I squinted my eyes, noticing the figures that bustled around the campfire. It looked like a combination of boys and girls. I tried to move my numb legs and failed, but I did managed to get some attention on me from the figures around the fire. As one, they all stopped what they were doing and looked my way. My struggling against the ropes stopped, and my heart sank as the faces of the figures came into sight.

The Kool Cids. All of them. Every single one of them.

Olivia Olsen is the first person I make eye contact with and she gives the disgusted look that I've gotten used to seeing. Brandon Jennings stood next to her, holding something in his hands. He gave me an annoyed look, like he was annoyed to see me alive and trying to move. Karzahsa Lewis stood closer to me than the rest and she didn't look like she was either happy or annoyed to see me alive. Worst of all, I couldn't hear it anymore. I couldn't hear their thoughts. None of them.

I could feel the fear settling in the pit of my stomach, but I couldn't show it. I inhaled and switched my gaze to the left of the KCs where two other figure stood, whispering in low voices. The fire brighten a little, and I could easily see the color of the hair of the figure facing me: white blonde. "Mena?" I murmured it, but they still heard it. They all did. The person that Mena was talking to turned around and I realized that it was actually Justin. He met my eyes and then looked straight down. "Justin?"

I should just keep my mouth shut.  "What happened? " I ignored the stares of the KCs. "Why am I here? Where am I?"

Mena moved around Justin and approached me cautiously. "G, can you see us?"

I nodded, swallowing. My throat and lips were dry, and I could feel my eyes starting too swell up with tears, but I kept on blinking, hoping that none of them could see it. "Why am I tied up?" I know that I was in trouble. That much was obvious, with the people around me.

Mena looked back at Justin and the others, looking distressed. "I-I'm sorry. I-it's complicated. Um--"

"It's not though," a deeper voice interrupted, "is it, Sis?" The KCs split apart as another figure moved through their ranks. The firelight outlined the guy wearing dark colors and a frown on his face. Lander. "We took her and we tied her up. And now that she's awake," Lander stalked toward me until he was standing right in front of me and then crouching down next to me. His electric blue eyes had the intense glower that's always there when I'm around and his lips were curled, as he stared at me and his face very close. I pushed back into the tree, feeling the ropes tightening with my movements. But I stared right back at him, refusing to look down, and pulling back on the tears. Crying in front of him was never an option.  

A snap of Lander's fingers and Justin was running to us, with a rag in his hands. The suffocating feeling was back, along with the earthy, metallic and acrid smell. I scrunched my nose and held my breath.

It's back. The smell is back, again.

I pushed even farther into the tree, knowing there was nowhere to go, really and looked over to Mena, who had gotten closer. "Please, not again. Please, Mena."

"Justin! Stay where you are!" Mena shouted, moving faster than I have ever seen her. Justin paused in his steps, glancing back at the other KCs, who were closing in, and back at his best friend. Mena pulled Lander to his feet and poked a finger at his chest. Lander just stared at her, his expression annoyed. "You have no right, Lander Emerson! You are not going to knock her out again."

"Who says so?" Lander's voice was quiet. The air stood still. The anger in his voice stalled the little breeze that had been moving throughout the camp. I let go of the breath I had been holding, realizing that my ability to hold it for a long time was gone too. The others started murmuring among themselves, shifting on their feet. "Are you going to stop me, Mena? Huh? Why do you even care? "

"Why do I care?" Mena repeated, poking her brother on the chest again. He grabbed her finger before she could poke him even more. "She's my best friend! And you're hurting her like it's totally okay. You've knocked her out enough times."

Lander gritted his teeth. Even in the dark, I could see how hard he was gritting, holding himself back. "That Thing is not your best friend!"

I winced. A headache had started in the back of my mind, throbbing along with my uneven heartbeat. Justin was standing a little too close. The smell was too close. "Justin, please."

Mena motioned for Justin to step back, keeping her eyes on her brother. "Move back Justin."

Just as Justin took a step back Lander's gaze snapped over to mine. I shrunk back. "Justin doesn't answer to you." He was talking to both of us, Mena and I, as he moved over to Justin and grabbed the cloth. Then he was back, pressing it into Mena's hand. "You do it, right now, or I'll do it and I won't be gentle. Understand?"

Mena pressed her lips together and shook her head, staring down at me. "Lander, please. She gets headaches and she can't see for a long time. Please. For once, just once."

Lander walked off. "Either you do it or I will, Mena."

Someone, I assume it to be Olivia, snickered as Mena crouched down next to me and held out the cloth. The smell was excruciating. I looked into Mena's eyes as she moved in closer. "I'll work on getting rid of this, G. I promise. But for now....I'm so sorry." I gave her a slight nod to let her know that I understood. A genuine tear slid down her face and she pressed the cloth to my nose.

"Get ready to move in the morning," Lander's voice came as my consciousness pulled away, pulling reality away. "This location has been compromised."

An electric blue flashed through the sky and my head lolled back. And I'm gone. Again.