Remi-niscent

Chapter 35:

Sam's P.O.V

She's gone. Just like that and I can't believe it. Staring almost uncomprehendingly at the ground in front of me, the truth however sets in much to quickly for my liking when I hear Olivia screaming for somebody, anybody to do something. To my left and right, Jase and Logan are absolutely distraught, both crying hard. And Ty? He's the only one lucky enough to not have to deal with everything right now, sprawled out on the ground unconsciously after the hefty hit he took the back of the head.

A flood of hot, salty tears are sliding uncontrollably down my cheeks and dripping down my neck at the distressing sight of one of the most vibrant, cheerful and amazing girls I have ever known lying so still and lifeless on the ground. From one second to the next, her life's essence snuffed out as easily as one would extinguish a candle.

I force myself to reign in my emotions, choking back a sob in an attempt to be strong and to provide some comfort for Olivia who had sagged to the ground beside herself and is now wailing hysterically in my arms. However, adding insult to the injury, the men following orders aim their guns and bark at us to get up without even being allowed the briefest time to grieve. "Wait, we have to bury her! She deserves that at least!"

But Denyt doesn't care, "Don't have the time, we need to go now."

After about a hundred meters of being forcefully dragged behind the men by our bonds, we come out onto a small thin sealed road. Seeing this after having been surrounded by nothing but mother nature is a shock in itself and on top of that my stomach churns sickeningly at the thought that we had been so close to making it. Making me think, 'What if we had pushed on? What if we hadn't stopped for the night where we did? Would it have made a difference?' But knowing that there isn't much I can do about it now, I lift my head from where I've been staring numbly at my feet to take in what's around me.

As I do this, I see that up ahead parked on the side of the road and waiting for us is an old army truck with a faded olive green canvas is stretched over the steel frame that covers the back two thirds of the truck and next to it two more of Denyt's men stand guard waiting for our arrival. However these ones look completely different, somehow feeling much more menacing and professional. Creepy mesh masks cover the entirety of their faces, and they're clad head to toe in black.

Without a word they step back, opening the back hatch and signalling for us to get in. Not keen on the idea of going anywhere with Denyt I can't force my feet to move as they seem to have rooted themselves to the road, however I think the others are thinking the same and when nobody moves, the guards behind us prod us roughly. So with the barrel of an assault rifle digging uncomfortably into my back, I slowly step forward leading the way into the back of the truck.

I can hear the others filing in after me. Then once the five of us are all inside, the two new guards close up the rear following us in and only then the door is shut from the outside, an extreme sense of finality passing over every one of us as the lock clicks shut and seals our fates.

Sunken deep into my own thoughts, I hadn't even noticed that the guards are moving about in front of us until I am snapped out of my daze by a loud, "Hands," by the one almost standing on my toes he's so close, demands gruffly.

Looking up with a start, I realise that they are replacing the knotted rope around our wrists with a set of smooth, cool metal handcuffs. Which once again seems so foreign and out of place to me when I compare it to the rough twine that encompasses my hands at the moment. Next, in what I am sure is an attempt to further degrade us, blindfolds are shoved on over our heads and we are left in the hot humid darkness.

The trucks engine seems to struggle momentarily but then it starts up with a dull rumble and we start to move. As the time passes so slowly, it's for what feels like hours that we sit, being shaken around in the back of that truck. The constant pitch black behind our eyelids making every thing so much more claustrophobic, every noise being amplified as all I can hear is the whiny grumble if the engine and the occasional sob from one of the others.