Straight through the Heart

Chapter 18

When I wake up, I immediately have the impulse to puke. I feel nauseous and groggy. I notice there is something covering my eyes and mouth so I have no way to see or talk. The tightness around my wrists and ankles mean I'm bound. From the coldness of the floor, I assume I'm lying on concrete floor or something. I struggle around with the constraints but they dig into my skin instead. They bound me really well. 

I hear shuffling and small noises coming from my two o' clock. I try to make noises but the tape around my mouth muffles all my noises. Judging from the muffles I hear, I can assume it's another captured victim. That gives me a small sense of relief. 

I continue to shift around and adjust the binds but it feels like the tightening only worsens. It also sucks that I can't see or talk. I try not to focus too much on the ball of anxiety forming in my stomach. 

"There's no use in struggling." A man's voice, perhaps middle aged, speaks up in the silence. 

I freeze in surprise. I did not hear nor sense another person here. The voice sounds a couple feet from me, so I should have noticed his presence. The voice, however, is unfamiliar. 

"Who are you?" I ask, or at least try to. My voice is muffled by the mouth cover. 

"We tried doing this the easy way. Then, when you didn't listen, we did it the hard way. In my opinion, it's dragged on too long. I might as well get to the point now." The taps of his feet against the ground helps me determine his location.

"You two know a lot more than you let know. In fact, you two know a lot more than you think. I need some of that valuable information in that pretty little head of yours. You're going to help me." He continues like every stereotypical bad guy in a movie. I pay attention to the fact he mentioned "you two" as in I know the other captive. 

I wish I could talk. Then, I would be able to find out who the captive is. The next thing I know is that people are manhandling me towards my doom. 

Well, not my doom. I don't know where they are bringing me but it sure hurts to be dragged against the floor in a rough manner. My keen hearing picks up the sound of people picking up another body and dragging him/her to who knows where. 

It's silent as the captors carry me down a hallway and then make some twists and turns. I wince in pain each time we reach a flight of stairs and my ankles are not so gently slammed against the steps. At first, I try to struggle against the captors but their grip on me tightens painfully as I do this. I decide to save my energy instead. 

I hear the creaking of some time of metal machinery before a door opens. Without warning, I am chucked towards whatever the door leads to. My heart skips a beat at being thrown blindfolded and bounded into a random place. I panic for a second before I finally land on the ground.  I groan in pain at the sudden collision of my body and the cold concrete floor. That's going to bruise. 

I can hear the clunk of the lock set in place as the door shuts. Immediately, I try to get my hands free. From what I can tell, I think I am still wearing the same clothes as before. I curse in my mind because I only have socks on.  Most of my shoes have knives hidden in the rubber soles. 

I also realize I'm just wearing sweats and a tank top. I have no weapons to cut through the binds. I guess I have to go the hard way.

I start scooting my body so I can bring my legs through my arms. I sit on my wrists and try to bring my wrists up and around my legs so my hands are no longer behind me. However, every time I practiced this at home, I either dislocate my wrists or my shoulder. It's been a while so my shoulder and wrists are back to normal, but the doctor did warn me that if I did it a few more times, the older me would hate the younger me.