Feather Dark

Chapter 3

Keira

It wasn't Noah or Leigh on the other side of the door. It was three men in suits.

Instantly, I slammed the door, but they were faster. One of them kicked the door towards me, the other two charged forward. I sprinted for the balcony doors, my instinct simply to get in the air, even if it was daylight outside.

As I ran, I sensed I wouldn't make it. One suit raced around to my right and I felt the other grab for my loose shirt. Ripping free, I hurdled the back of the couch, feeling it tip over behind me. The suit on my right rounded the couch and I changed direction, heading for the kitchen.

A knife, I need a knife. A serrated bread knife lay on the cutting board on the far bench, but before I could get there, a suit tackled my legs, toppling me to the ground. I kicked him directly in the face, feeling his nose crunch under my heel. He yowled and clapped hands to the injury as I scrambled to my feet.

I threw myself towards the bench again and clutched the knife. Another suit had appeared at the far end of the kitchen, arms outstretched, closing in. I brandished the bread knife at him, but he grabbed my wrist, forcing the knife back towards me. Quickly, I dropped the knife, letting it fall into my other hand. Before he could react, I plunged the knife into his shoulder.

He released my wrist, but didn't make a sound, just keep coming. I pulled a drawer full of cutlery out and threw it at him, the clatter of dozens of forks and spoons shockingly loud. Jumping over the bleeding suit on the floor, I flew for the balcony again.

The third suit waited for me, completely blocking my access to the glass sliding door. Fine. If I can't get around you... I ploughed forward with everything I could muster, barrelling into the suit and forcing him into the door. With a mighty clap, I felt his back connect with the glass. For a moment, I swore it would give. Instead, a spider web of cracks appeared behind the suit as he slumped dazed to the floor.

Untangling myself from him, I grabbed desperately for the handle of the door. It slid open a single inch, enough for me to believe I would actually get away, when strong arms wrapped around my waist.

I drew breath to scream, my last hope to create enough noise to provoke my indifferent neighbours into action, but duct tape was slapped over my mouth. I kicked, twisted and flailed like a banshee, but my arms were grabbed and secured behind me and more duct tape was wrapped around my legs. In less than thirty seconds, I was trussed up and helpless.

They left my eyes uncovered, but the ability to see wasn't helping to alleviate my panic. The three suits stood over me, one bleeding from the nose, one hunched in back pain, one with a dripping shoulder wound. Their faces were fairly neutral, considering how difficult I was making their day.

Without speaking, one suit nodded to another, who proceeded to the corridor and returned with a laundry bin on wheels. As they lifted the lid, I saw their intent and I lost all control. Grunting, squeaking, bucking and thrashing, I couldn't stop them from lifting me in, but I wouldn't make it easy for them.

With a gentleness I didn't expect, they lowered me into the bin and laid me on the soft sheets lining the bottom. Just as I thought my terror couldn't grow anymore extreme, a huge needle appeared over the lip of the bin. Screaming through my nose, I brought my knees up like a shield. Instead, I felt the quick swipe of an anti-bacterial wipe and the sting of the needle on the underside of my exposed upper thigh.

Stuck in the butt. Classy. The ceiling of my apartment began to blend with the sides of the bin. Everything flared white for a moment, then darkness took me.

Some of you picked this happening - someone actually questioned in the comments why Keira would be dumb enough to return to her home address when the bad guys had already chased her at work.  Honestly, when heartbreak hits, you don't think clearly :(  

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