Tainted by You | ✔️

chapter 6

I wake up in my wooden chair, and the clock that is in the kitchen reads 3:53. I have seven minutes till I'm expected to wake. My back aches from my slumped position in the seat, so I instinctively try and stand and stretch, forgetting about the ropes I'm bound to. The rope pulls me back, snapping me back in my seat. A loud sound from the impact erupts, and I hear someone begin to walk towards me.

It's Mitch.

"Rise and shine, buttercup." He says, sarcasm dripping with every word. He unknots the rope and lets me free, and I gape at the red marks they made around my ankles and wrists. He guides me to the kitchen, and hands me a bowl of Lucky Charms.

These guys, all tough and masculine, (with the exception of Mitch) eat Lucky Charms?

I scarf it down, as my last meal was dinner yesterday.

Yeah, that isn't that long ago, but I'm always hungry, 24/7.

"Looks like you haven't eaten in years." Mitch says. I hadn't realized he had been staring at me the whole time, a smile on his lips. I don't respond to him, but he doesn't seem to mind. He pulls out a pen and paper, writing a note to his father telling him that we'd left. He takes a large metal briefcase from a hidden drawer and tucks in under his overcoat, beckoning me out of my seat. He gives me a change of black apparel, and they make me look paler than I already am.

"You don't seem tired." I question, not realizing how dry my throat is.

"I'm used to it." He sighs. "I'm their little errand boy." He tries to smile but it's forced back into a straight line. "Just so you know, the sooner you show your loyalty to this group, the sooner you'll have a real bed to sleep in."

We head out the door and we're met with a pitch black sky. Mitch seems to know exactly where we're going. We don't exchange any more words, and to fill the silence he starts to hum. I can't tell what he's humming, but it's beautiful. His voice is controlled and sweet, and I can't help but hum along to whatever he's singing.

"You don't have a bad voice, pretty boy." He mutters. Did he just call me pretty? No, it must just be a nickname.

We reach a dim corner in between two old buildings and wait in silence. I become more and more anxious imagining what this guy must look like. Mike said he was a regular buyer. He must look pretty wrecked.

I hear footsteps, but I don't see anyone. I look down, and there he is.

He must be only five feet tall.

He is shorter and thinner than even Mitch, and he has a nasty mustache that winds up his jaw. His eyes look like pits of madness.

Mitch holds out the case, and the man pulls out a large wad of cash, more than I've ever had in my life. The man looks up at me, holding eye contact that I'm too scared to break.

"Who is this?" The man says, still looking in my eyes.

"This is Scott." Mitch is trying to make his voice deeper, and failing miserably.

"Last name." Is all the man whispers.

"Hoying." I say for myself. My hands turn clammy. The man grunts.

"I..I knew your mother." He replies. My blood runs cold. He knew her? "She was called Connie, correct?" He rests his chin in his hands.

"Y..Yes, that's her."

Mitch looks terrified, but this shouldn't have anything do with him. Mitch tugs my arm.

"Scott," He whispers. "Remember what my fa- uh, Mike said? We should go." He was right. The man started to look angry.

"Give me the damn case!" He abruptly yells, making me flinch. What is wrong with this man? Mitch shoves the case towards him and we hurry off, but all I can think about is what he'd said. And the fact that Mitch's hand is still holding my arm.

"I wonder how he knew my mother." I ask. "Do you happen to know?" Mitch's eyes refuse to make contact with mine and he's removed his hand from my bicep.

"How would you expect me to know?" He retorts, looking annoyed with me. What had I said? We walk the rest of the way in uncomfortable silence, and I know something is up.

Thanks for reading! Please keep voting and commenting, it really makes my day :). I generally know where this story is going, but I'm having a hard time with filling in the plot holes. Other than that, I hope you're liking this story!

~Cassie :)