Shutter Speed

II.

"Is she alright?" I hear a deep voice speak, my eyes slowly flutter open and I can feel a cold wash cloth pressed against my forehead.

"She's going to be fine." Says the man hovering over me, pressing the cloth on me. I take a moment to look around me and focus on my surroundings. When it all starts to come back to me, I begin to panic. The man above me processes this quickly and immediately speaks.

"Relax, you're safe. Relax," he says in a soothing voice, which kind of takes me off guard.

"Who are you?" I ask, finding my voice.

"We'll explain all that later. Right now, we need to get out of here."

"Out of here? Why? Where's my phone?" Dad is probably freaking out, wondering if I'm alright. My head turns back and forth, searching for it...a place I may have dropped it, but sitting here on the floor, I don't see it.

One of the other four men, walks up and hands me my phone. Hesitantly, I take it and shyly thank him. He smiles at me in return and I'm yet again a little taken by surprise,  but I don't know why. I unlock my phone and see three missed calls from my dad. He probably thinks I'm dead.

"Don't worry, we called your father." Says guy number 2. They called my dad? How?

The two guys help me to my feet, while the other two disappear somewhere in the loft. They help me into my shoes and coat, but I don't know why I'm leaving in the first place.

"Well, thanks for all your help." I say, stepping away from them. Maybe they'll get the hint to leave. Where did those other two guys go? I step in the direction of my bedroom, I think they went in there, but the first guy grabs my arm making me stop. I give him a look, to let me go, but he doesn't budge.

"They'll be back soon enough."

"Then you two can go downstairs to your vehicle and wait for them." I reply, suddenly irritated by guy number 1.

"We're not going anywhere without you." Guy number 1 replies, his hand still on my arm. I roughly tug it away and he releuctantly let's go.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. I don't even know you."

"Yes, you are. We're under strict orders and your coming with us whether or not you like it." 

"No, I'm not going with you, whether or neither you like it!" I glare at him. I'm not about to go with perfect strangers, especially after two thugs broke into my house and tried to kill me! 

Guy number 1 takes two short steps toward me and his faces is inches from mine, standing at his full height which is a least a whole six inches taller than me, a scowl is planted on his face and I swear I hear a growl come from his throat. I cower back a bit and I know that he's not going to leave without a fight. "Listen here, princess, you do not call the shots. I do. And unless you want to die, you're coming with us."

Die? Is he really threatening to kill me? "Are you threatening me?" I challenge. Where did that come from? I feel absolutely terrified and yet, I have the audacity to challenge a stranger about whether or not I'm going to live. Maybe it's my adrenaline talking.

"Even if I am, you're still leaving with us." He turns to guy number 2, growls something incoherent to him then briskly leaves. Moments later, the other two guys appear from further inside the loft carrying my duffle bag. It looks packed full, as if my entire closet was stuffed inside and I feel my face get hot at the thought of them going through my dresser and closet.

"Ready to go up here?" Guy number 2 asks and guys 3 and 4 nod. Guy number 2 takes my arm and guides me out of the loft. We're almost down the first set of stairs when I stop in my tracks.