|The Tourist|

«Chapter 8»

Ashton
I sat on the bed, my arms wrapped around my legs as I shook with cries. I didn't even realize I was crying until a tear fell on my arm.

I put my hand up to my cheek in shock and wiped my tears away quickly. I didn't need Luke coming down and seeing me like this. That would make him upset or mad or happy but either way I would be the one getting hurt.

The chain on my hand rattled as I wiped the rest of my tears away. I sniffled and looked at the blank wall, there wasn't anything else I could do but get lost in my thoughts.

The only thing I thought about was my family, it was the only thing keeping me going, knowing they were safe and okay.

I don't know how long I had been sitting there but eventually the sound of the door unlocking snapped me out of my trance.

"Are you ready to behave?" Luke asked as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"Y-es." I said, my voice cracking and he only smirked. What's new.

He slowly walked toward me and unchained my wrist from the bed. My hand dropped next to me when he let go of it.

He took a step back, waiting for me to get up. I did, not without wincing slightly. He had a hard look on his face, smirk gone as he watched me.

"Upstairs." He ordered and I immediately followed his directions.

He put his hand on the small of my back when I got to the stairs and I jumped.

"Go on." He taunted and I walked up the stairs slowly. He led me back to the living room where he made me sit on the couch.

The tv was paused, it was the news and it caught my attention when there was a picture of me displayed on the screen. Luke quickly pressed play again and the news caster continued.

"Oh look, they're looking for you, who knew?" He said as if he didn't know that they were, or would. "Too bad they'll never find you." He says with such a sweet smile you would think he was just talking about a cute puppy or something.

It suddenly cut to my mum, she was holding my brother and sister. All of them had red rinmed eyes and I sat forward in my seat. My heart clenched painfully and my throat closed up as I watched them.

I peered at Luke from the corner of my eyes and the faith and strength I lost was suddenly back, double time. I would do this for my family. I wouldn't stop fighting.

I suddenly thought of Calum, of how I didn't want to end up like him. And I knew that I was going to get out of here, for me, for my family and for Calum who never had the chance to.

"You're wrong." I whispered, my voice was scratchy from the tears I was holding back, looking at my broken family.

"What?" Luke asked, amused.

"You're wrong." I turned to look at him and he only had a small smile on his face. "You said they would never find me, they will. You're gonna lose." He seemed taken aback with my new found bravery but then he laughed.

It was one of those loud laughs, where he threw his head back and clapped his hands together. When he calmed down, he pretended to wipe a tear away. "You really are the funniest, you know that?"

I bristled at that but kept my calm demeanor. "You don't know them, they won't stop looking for me. And I won't stop fighting."

"That's what I'm counting on. You see, I like a little fight, a little challenge and you're exactly that. And I'm not going to lose that anytime soon." He smirked and I leaned back.

"I will get out of here, maybe not anytime soon but I will, I won't stop fighting until I do." His smirk didn't waver as he leans forward on his elbows.

"That's what I was hoping for. And maybe your right. Maybe you will get out someday, we'll just have to wait and see now won't we?" He got up slowly and gripped my arm tightly, dragging me, not back to the basement but upstairs. I stumbled as he practically dragged me with him.

He pushed me into a bedroom, I lost my balance and fell onto the floor. I looked up at him as he turned to close the door and lock it, but before he did he turned back to me, a smile now replacing his smirk.

"The only way you'll ever leave this place is in a body bag, but if that's what your looking forward to, then hey, go ahead."

The moment the door was closed I wrapped my arms around myself, I needed all the comfort I could get.