The Dead and The Damned

Part 19

After what felt like an eternity, the bus finally came to a stop at an old, rusty building. It was huge. Towering. Intimidating. I felt my heart jump into my throat. The lawn was caged off, everything surrounded by metal fencing expect for the pathway leading to the giant doors. Inside the cages were zombies. Dozens of them. It was as if they were being kept as pets. I flinch when the bus door is thrown open, and Bella stands there with a gun cocked at her side.

"Get out." she orders. I scoot myself to the edge of the bus, hopping out. She reaches in and grabs Liam next, pulling him out by his foot. He's still gagged by a cloth, unable to protest or yell profanities at her. She jabs the gun into his back, forcing him forward up the path, dragging me closely behind. The zombies snarl and bang themselves against the fence, which groans under their weight. One zombie manages to get their hand through a link and scratches at my arm, making me wince. Bella forces open one of the wooden doors, leading us into a bold foyer with grand staircases spiraling up into darkness. A big, glass chandelier hangs above us.

"Drew!" Bella yells out. Her voice echoes off the walls, bouncing off and coming back at us. Silence.

And then, footsteps. They pound down a hallway opposite us, getting closer and closer with every step. I glance over at Liam, watching as he tenses up in fear. A man materializes out of the shadows, a wry grin playing at his lips. His hair is black, his eyes a piercing shade of blue. I would've found him handsome if it weren't for the circumstances. He has a scar running under his left eye, trailing up from the bottom of his cheek and ending up and under his eye.

"Liam. Such a..pleasure to see you." he says. He has a thick voice, one of authority. Liam flinches, and I realize with a mix of satisfaction and fear that this is the first time I've ever seen him scared. Drew saunters across the tile floor, stopping in front of Liam. He flicks his eyes down his body, coming back up to his face, and then his arm reels back as he punches Liam in the jaw. I scream as Liam crumples to the floor. That's when Drew switches his attention to me. I freeze.

"Who's this?" he asks Bella, strolling over to me. I hold my ground, trying to keep my bottom lip from trembling as he stops a mere inch away from me.

"Sophie. It's the girl Liam's in love with." Bella explains, sounding bored. Drew smirks, his lips making his scar curl up. He ducks his head forward, brushing his lips lightly against my ear, and I fight the urge to knee him in the balls.

"I might have to use you to my advantage. Maybe if you provide me pleasure, you can live." he whispers. I feel my anger snap, and I draw my knee up, nailing him in his sweet spot. He groans, falling to his knees.

"Piss off." I growl. It's times like these I'm glad Bella didn't gag me too. Drew looks up at me, his face twisted in pain, his eyes burning with anger.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that. Bella, I'm going to have you take her to one of the many cells in this place, use a few of the torture devices on her. Think you can handle that?" Drew orders, getting to his feet again and handing her a string of keys. Bella nods, walking over and grabbing my arm. Drew points her down a hallway, and she drags me down it, before stopping in front of a huge metal door with a small window on it. But instead of glass, bars line the window. She uses the string of keys to open it up, throwing me inside. An antique bed is in one corner, tattered sheets covering it, and a small bucket in the other. No light. No windows. Nothing. Bella tears the rope off my hands with enough force to leave a bloodied scar behind, before turning and slamming the door behind her.

"I'll be back." she says. And then she's gone. I feel my breath hitch in my throat. I'm alone. I'm stuck in a cold, dank cell, and alone. My eyes sting. My throat burns. My body is weak.