Things Happen | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Great Escape

Warning: Some sexual references and foul language used in this chapter.

When I was seven, I always imagined that I was a princess, and that a brave knight would always be at my side, protecting me. Once I was twelve, I forgot about princesses and knights, and adapted a new hallucination from the books I read and the movies I watched. The new hallucination was that I would magically fall in love one day, and that a guy would love me. Actually, love me. This guy would become my knight. He would love and protect me.

When I was fourteen, all the above was banished from my imagination. All the sweet, fake dreams and hopes were forgotten once the car accident happened. I had a new, more permanent belief that replaced it. That belief was called reality. The reality that you can't, and won't, always have a savior. The reality that you can't be a savior for someone else. People won't always be able to save you, so you must save yourself.

That was what I was feeling now: reality. I couldn't save Will, and hell, I couldn't even save myself.

The coolness of the silver knife blade pressed against my neck made me want to faint. I looked around the warehouse with wide, petrified eyes.

The people around me weren't all strangers. I easily recognized a few of them, particularly the man with the long scar across his face. He looked at me with savage hunger. He must not have been happy about Will beating him up last week in that alley.

I saw a few of the others that were in that alleyway. They all were grinning evilly at me, causing me to quake in fear. Then my eyes finally found Will.

I was slightly relieved when I saw that he hadn't been shot. At least he wasn't dead. Despite that, my fear returned once I saw the pure terror in his eyes. His appearance was almost enough to make me want to start bawling. His face was bleeding and bruised, making him nearly unrecognizable. One of his eyes was swollen halfway shut. I knew, just by looking into his one open eye, the severity of the situation. It was life or death.

"What's your name, sweetheart.", The man holding the blade against my skin whispered eerily in my ear. His warm breath reeked as it stuck to the side of my neck, making want to hurl.

I remained silent, trying to think of a way to get out of the situation. I don't think I could run. I could try to talk them into letting me go, but they don't seem to be the talking type.

When I didn't answer him, the man swiftly sliced a slash on my collarbone, drawing a tiny stream of blood. I let out a gasp at the stinging pain and instinctively pulled away, only to be yanked back into a chokehold. Tears began to pool in my eyes, dripping uncontrollably down the sides of my face.

"What's your name.", He demanded harshly.

"Sara.", I lied, squeezing my eyes shut. I wasn't about to let them know my name, even on the brink of death, I wouldn't do such a thing.

"Well, Sara. You sure are a pretty girl.", He said, causing the rest of the warehouse to burst into sick, twisted laughter.

I felt his grimy hands begin to travel down to my waist and slip underneath my shirt. Once he touched my skin, I couldn't handle it for one more second.

"Stop!", I shrieked, thrashing around in his arms. "Stop it!"

This made the men laugh harder, their rotting, yellow teeth showing as they chuckled. "Stop! Oh, please, won't you stop!", The man with the scar mimics me in a high-pitched voice. I glare at him with pure hatred. If looks could kill, Scarface would be six feet under.

The rest of the druggies formed a circle around me, staring at me with fierce expressions. Will was a useless bawling mess on the floor, sprawled in a heap as uncontrollable sobs racked his bruised body. I looked at him with a mix of pity, disbelief, and fear. If I wanted to make it out of this place before things got too bad, I was going to need his help, much to my dismay.