gone. - DISCONTINUED.

{20}

It was late, and I was positive I was the only one awake in the house. I heard Rakim leave out about an hour ago, it was obvious because he slammed the door loud enough for anyone to hear. My wrist still hurt, and the pain from the sting was the only thing keeping me up from sleep. I rubbed my eyes, fighting sleep while at the same time welcoming it. I sighed, eventually giving up and staring up at the dark ceiling, keeping my hand over my stomach. I tapped my fingertips against my belly lightly, venturing into deep thought over the day, the months, the time period. I had a feeling I was going to be in some real deep shit after this. I knew it and I could feel it. I suppose a few long minutes passed and my mouth was dry, and it made me angry and uncomfortable.

Pushing back the covers off my legs, I could feel goosebumps form instantly as I padded slowly across the cool wood floor to the door, exiting my room and down the familiar halls to where the kitchen was. On my way there, I saw a dim light under one of the doors, but thought nothing much of it--I was sleep deprived and I honestly wasn't being too attentive on much of anything besides what I was going to have to drink. I squinted as the fridge light hit my eyes, taking a moment to adjust before browsing, groaning and grabbing a bottle of orange juice. Nothing in there appealed me nor could I have it, since all they really kept in there to drink was beer, lean, and sodas. I closed the door quietly, yet I heard a loud bang in the other room, scaring me a little. I gripped the bottle of juice, staying in the same spot as I debated quickly in my head whether or not I should run back to my room and call somebody or stay put. I swallowed, trying to think of who in their right minds could be awake at 3:30 in the morning. It could be Rakim...I've seen him stumble home drunk, and he's not the greatest at perception nor holding in anger.

I heard the noises once more, louder this time, and I dropped the bottle I was holding, starting to panic. I tried calming myself in my head, if I knew anything it was that I was the most stressed out person in the world and being too stressed wasn't so good, especially not in the kind of condition I was in. I took slow steps across the kitchen floor, peeking my head out the doorway and seeing the door that was cracked open with little light showing through now wide open, and hushed voices came out the doorway. "You sure that's all the stuff these motherfuckers got?" I heard someone ask, his voice was semi deep so I could tell he was young, but it was deep enough to be over 18. "Check again. I know these niggas up to that sneaky shit..." The voice that answered him was deeper, and I covered my mouth, hoping I didn't make a noise or draw any attention to myself as I drew my head back from the doorway, pressing myself against the wall in full panic. This was either a robbery or a set up heist from one of their enemies...either way I knew damn well it wasn't ending good.

"Shit..." I cursed silently to myself, not thinking that bringing my phone would've made a huge difference in this situation. But of course, I know my way around this place, I don't need anything on me, right? I poked my head out the doorway again, trying to see if I had a chance at quickly getting back to my room. Laylani's room was about halfway from the kitchen, and the other girls rooms I determined unreachable. I sighed, pushing myself off the wall and leaving the juice on the floor, quickly scattering across the hall to my room and fumbling with my doorknob. Did I even close it when I left out? I couldn't even remember, and I had no time to think about it either because--

"Aye, bruh! Get over here!"

My breath caught in my throat, and I tugged at the door a little more frantically as the footsteps came closer and closer to me. Finally, I managed to push it open and try to dart in, but I wasn't as quick as I thought I was being in my head. I felt a hand tightly grip my forearm, jerking me back with enough force to make me yelp some. Immediately after pulling me back, a hand was placed tightly over my mouth, pressing my head against the intruder's chest. "Shut the fuck up. Don't say a fucking word and don't even think about running or screaming." I recognized the voice as the deeper one from the kitchen and I nodded my head quickly in obedience, figuring he was the ring leader out of the duo. He pushed me into room, which I saw as the main room, and saw two duffel bags laying open on the table and closed ones on the floor. Baggies of drugs and piles of money were strewn across the table, and their guns were loaded and laying beside the money on the table. The one holding me reached into one of his open duffels, pulling out a roll of tape and forcefully placing my hands behind my back, using the duct tape to tie my wrists before shoving me on the couch roughly. I grunted, feeling my back start to flare up in pain from the contact as well as my wrist, which was more than likely sprained.

"Please, I-" I started to whisper weakly, moving my wrists around in the tightly bound duct tape to keep the blood flowing as quickly as possible as one of the intruders held up his gun to my face. "Yo, what the fuck did I just say? You deaf or some shit bitch?" I held my breath in my throat, swallowing the lump roughly as I kept nodding, watching him as he put tape over my mouth now also. Without opening my mouth or freeing my wrists, I hung my head down, nodding towards my stomach carefully a few times. The intruder not pushing me around and holding a gun up to my head finally caught on to what I was trying to say and tapped the other guy's shoulder. "Bruh, I think the bitch is pregnant." He said lowly and I looked up, nodding my head quickly, still trying to keep from making any noises. He furrowed his eyebrows at that, looking down at my stomach then back at me. "Don't. fucking. move." He spat, exiting the room and leaving me alone with the second intruder. He went back to going through the stuff in the main room, tearing apart pillow cases and ransacking drawers for anything extra. I instantly tensed up as he came near me and he stopped, glancing at me as I avoided eye contact with him in any kind of way. He moved his hand towards my face, placing it on my cheek lightly and I winced slightly. "Such a shame, they've got a pretty girl like you captive here..." He started caressing my cheek, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to move myself as far away as possible from his touch. "Too bad we have to keep you alive."

He traced my cheekbone gently with his thumb, drawing his hand back and returning to raiding the room for more loot as I heard screams coming from down the hall. I knew they were from the girls, and if no one could hear us screaming then no one must be home. I shifted in my seat on the couch, continuing to wiggle my wrists around despite the occasional pangs of pain from the one I had slapped him with. Suddenly I saw the main intruder throw Yazmin down on the floor, dragging her by her brown hair over to the couch where I was. I watched her, eyes wide. She was sobbing, and blood was gushing out of her nose. The second intruder bent down, tying duct tape over her wrists as well, tossing her back against the couch. Brittany and two other girls were next, who struggled more than Yaz did. He punched Brittany across the face, and she spat blood on the floor. They were tied up as well and tossed against the couch before Laylani and one other girl was next. The other girl fought back, more than Brittany did, and got pistol whipped in the back of the head, knocking her out cold. They kicked her to the side of the room before going over to Lay. She didn't put up a fight at all, and when she was tied up and laid on the other side of me, defeat showed in her eyes with a mix of anger. The lead intruder walked up to me, his heavy boots making noise across the floor, and bent down in front of me, looking me in the eye. He pulled up his ski mask, and I took in some of his features. Brown skin, short hair shaped up in waves, and a slight scar over his left eye. He peeled back the tape over my mouth and I whimpered, flinching up at him. His jaw was clench and his stare was could, and if looks could kill then he beat Rakim by a long shot. The whimpers, cries, and moans of pain from the other girls intensified as he flicked out a switchblade, pressing the tip of it against my stomach, poking through my shirt. I held my breath, keeping my eyes wide.

"Tell me everything you know."