Set Me Free

'...I am able to close my eyes.'

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves."

There was a loud bang at the door and the sounds of shouting in the distance. I couldn't focus on what was being said, couldn't think about who could possibly be coming in. All I could think about was that knife to my neck, pushing deeper and deeper with the threat of death.

I wasn't ready for this to be the end, for me to go like this. Some small part of me truly believed I was going to make it out of here, this whole time some part of me still had hope.

Then Daniel said goodbye.

He knew that this was it, that this was the end. I had to accept this too, that these few moments were the last I would have on this earth. I had never been so terrified in my whole entire life. I always believed that my death would be peaceful and gentle. I never once thought that it would come at the end of a knife, beaten and broken.

Yet, I meant what I told Daniel. If this had never happened to me, if I was never in this horrifying situation, I never would have met him. I would have lived my whole life never experiencing the feeling that Daniel gave me. I maybe would have had a husband, and been content and happy, but I would never have felt so alive, never would have felt that passion. I will die grateful to Daniel for allowing me to experience that, for loving me until death.

The shouting got louder. Max moves the knife away from my neck and I finally take a breathe I didn't realise I was holding. Death was no longer poised at my neck, maybe I had just been gifted a little more time.

"What was that?" Max asks the group. All four men look at each other, speaking unheard words with their eyes. I had no idea what was going on, all I knew was that it may have just saved me.

"THIS IS A RAID! SURRENDER YOUR WEAPONS!" I hear the shout from an unknown source. Was this it? Was this the police here to rescue me? Had I somehow defined the odds and survived?

All men look to each other in panic, knowing that this was what they had all feared. The end to their crimes.

"Daniel," I gasp out in a desperate attempt to get his attention. He looks to me and is by my side in a second.

"They've come for you Elizabeth, you're safe. They're here to save you," he tells me as tears run down his cheeks. I sigh in relief at the idea that this is all finally over, I will soon be free.

"What about you?" I ask, suddenly worried about the man before me, "you'll be arrested surely?" I ask in a panic. Daniel doesn't deserve to be punished like these men, he is just as much of a victim as I am. He needed saving too.

"Run," I tell him, "run now. I will never tell anyone that you were here, for as long as I live, I will never tell a single soul that there were four men in this building with me. Just run, leave now and maybe you'll be free too," I plead with him.

He looks at me sadly, as if he believes there is no hope. If there was one thing that Daniel taught me in the time that I knew him it was that there was always hope. There was always a chance.

"I don't believe I would get very far," he tells me as the voices and footsteps get closer.

"Well try. You at least have to try," I plead once again, "please for me. The thought of you being treated like any other criminal kills me."

He looks into my eyes once again, the look that I believe can see into my soul. I hope he sees that I love him, that I want him safe, that I want to make sure he will be okay too. He has spent so much time protecting me, now it's my turn to protect him.

"I love you," he tells me once again, leaving a soft kiss on my lips. I kiss him back, telling him exactly how I feel without the need for words.

He stands slowly, looks at me once again and leaves through a door behind me that I didn't see until now. The rest of the men move to follow, as if only just becoming aware of the second exit, before the door before me is kicked off its hinges.

There stands a sea of men in uniforms, weapons aimed at my kidnappers as they storm the room. I sigh in relief at the sight of them knowing that this is it, my freedom stands before me.

"On the floor now! Drop your weapons!" The man at the front of the crowd screams at the criminals. Reluctantly, they all drop their weapons, the sound of cold metal hitting the floor echoing around the room. Slowly, all three men lower themselves until they are kneeling. I feel satisfaction as I watch them before me, defeated the way they had thought they had defeated me.

In the end however, I won.

A man run towards me and quickly works on unlocking the handcuffs that kept me captive against the wall. One by one, my arms are released and fall heavily to my side. The exhaustion takes over and I slump forward into the officers awaiting arms.

I suddenly feel so tired, as if all the stress over the last couple of weeks has come snowballing on top me. My body feels heavy, my eyes droop.

I fight against the darkness that wishes to take me to watch my captors be locked into handcuffs, to watch them have their freedom taken away like they took mine. I watch as they are pulled to their feet, arms locked behind their back, well and truly captured.

I can't help but smile at the sight of it.

Just as they are being lead from the room, my eyes meet Daniel's father's. As expected, there is no emotion, no remorse, no guilt, no fear. His face is as dead and soulless as it has always been, and I know deep down that that is the way it will always stay.

"Farewell Elizabeth," Daniel's father nods as he is escorted from the room. I don't say anything back, do not show any emotion to the man who seconds ago was ready to kill me. I simply watch him be lead into a life of captivity, just as he deserves.

With this parting image, and thoughts of Daniel running to his freedom, I am able to close my eyes.