Metamorphosis

Chapter 27

Reiner appeared at ease as he drove out of Club Rose's parking lot in a white van. Not at all like he was in the middle of kidnapping someone, which made my stomach plummet. If he was this calm while he had me tied up in his backseat, then how would he act behind closed doors? It was apparent that he didn't feel guilty about what he was doing, so I didn't want to find out what he had planned for me back at whatever place he was driving to now. I had to find a way to get loose. If I could somehow do that, I would have a fighting chance at escaping.

From where I lay in the back of the van, I could make Reiner out clearly in the driver's seat. He had a small, mischievous grin on his face as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the song playing on the radio. There wasn't a hint of regret in his eyes. Not a single sign of remorse. He seemed to be enjoying himself. Probably thinking of all the things he was going to do to me. The thought of him putting his hands on any part of my body made my stomach squirm in disgust. I wouldn't let it happen. I'd fight with everything I had, because the other option was to have something taken from me. Something I wasn't willing to give up to him.

"That's a nice expression," Reiner cooed, looking at me in the rearview mirror. "What could you be thinking about to make you look like that?"

I bit down on the cloth in my mouth, baring my teeth at him. That was the only answer I could give him, so that was the only answer he got. He didn't seem to mind. The grin had turned into a smile.

"You'll learn to like me soon enough. I'll be the only company you have for a while."

That comment only served to make me retch. All the anxiety building up to an uncontrollable level. I dry heaved and the cloth he'd stuffed into my mouth slid under my tongue. For a moment, I was sure I would vomit, but then the urge passed almost as soon as it had come. I was thankful for that. Adding bile to the mix wouldn't help with anything.

Still, my stomach wouldn't settle down. I felt sick. Sicker than I'd ever felt before.

This was a nightmare.

"Don't get yourself all worked up," Reiner said. From what I could see, it looked like he was turning onto the freeway. Where was he taking me? "The place I have picked out for us isn't too far from here. We'll be there soon."

No. I have to get loose before then.

I squirmed onto my back, which caused my arms to scream out in agony. They were tied in a way that forced my shoulders back at an odd angle. I tried not to focus on the pain that erupted between my shoulder blades whenever I moved. Instead I concentrated on rubbing my wrists together in hopes of loosening the duct tape that held them together. After a while, I realized it wasn't going to work. The tape wouldn't slacken. All I'd managed to achieve from this was to scrub my skin raw.

Reiner sighed. "Stop struggling. You're just going to hurt yourself."

Ignoring him, I squeezed my eyes shut. It was painfully obvious there was nothing I could do to get myself out of this situation. I was stuck here in this van that smelt of standing water. I was stuck here with a man that looked like he'd just won the lottery. Me being the prize.

All I could do now was wait for help.

But would it ever come?

---

Eren's POV

Visiting hours had ended some time ago, but I still found myself sitting in the waiting room at the hospital. Isabel sat beside me, her hands clasped tight in her lap. We hadn't spoken to each other since we'd left our mother's hospital room. There wasn't anything to say. From what the doctor told us, our mother wouldn't make it through the night. The drug she overdosed on caused her to have a severe heart attack. So we sat here festering in our thoughts.