Anywhere, Any Time, at Any Cost

Chapter 21: We're somewhere else

I wake up in another room on a mattress on the floor. The shackles are now around my waist, so I can't escape. They are tied to a rope which is tied to a steel construction on the other side of the room. A few meters away from me there is another mattress and on it is Jessica tied around the waist just like me. Only now we can move, because we're only tied by the waist. 

She's not awake nor is she moving, so I'm afraid something is wrong with her. I go to her mattress and shake her gently.

''Jessica?''

She slowly opens her eyes and turns around. I feel her forehead and notice that it's hot. She's also sweating, which is weird since we are in a cold basement in nothing but underwear and each of us has one blanket. I'm worried about her. I think she's sick, that's why I have to get her out of her soon. She needs to get help soon. 

I place her head on my legs and stroke her hair.

''I don't feel so well.'' She says and I say back:''I know. I'm gonna get you out of here Jessica. I promise.''

She looks at me with her tired eyes and says:''I feel like I know you. Like I've known you forever.''

''I know. I feel the same way. I talked to you for three weeks, but it wasn't really you, it was just your pictures. You know I fell in love with you. Now I've lost one of the most important persons in my life. I've lost you.''

She smiles and says:''Not necessarily. I'm still here, aren't I?''

I smile back and comb through her sweaty hair. I feel the need to tell her things, so I just start talking:''You know my dad's a cop, so he would never just let me go. He could never accept that I want missing and just drop it. He's gonna look for me until he finds me.''

''Let's just hope he's in time to save me too.''

I give her a reassuring look and say:''Yeah, he'll be in time. My dad is fast and he never rests or gives up. Plus it isn't just him. It's a whole group of people out there looking for us. They'll find us. I know they will.''

She smiles again and says:''If ... if I die before they do, please tell my family I love them.''

I shake my head and say:''You're not gonna die, you hear me? You're gonna be OK, and you can tell them that yourself when you see them. Because you will see them again. You're gonna be OK. I'm gonna make sure of that. I'm not gonna leave you, I'm right here OK? I'm right here.''

She looks at me and says:''Thank you. Just don't let me go.''

''I won't.'' I promise her. Her eyes are telling me something I can't quite understand, but I feel like I'm doing the right thing when I lean down and kiss her on the lips gently. I feel the need to to that, even though I don't know why.

I kiss her slowly and she kisses me back. It's my first kiss with a girl, and even though it's in terrible circumstances, it's worth it. Because it's amazing. I feel the tenderness and sweetness of her lips and it's like I can feel her love. Even though we've never met before, we've never talked to each other, and we're being held hostage, ... I still feel the love and I know in that moment that it's all worth it.

When we pull apart, she smiles and says:''I'm not gay you know.''

We both giggle, but I know it's true. I guess we could say the kiss was a way of comforting each other. Or maybe it was a cry for help in this situation, only no one could hear us. 

Out of nowhere I say:''I wish Elliott was here.''

I think of him in my hardest moments, because he's gotten me through most of them. He's helped me through hell and I just want him to save me right now.

Jessica says:''You love him. It's obvious.''

I shrug and say:''Like a best friend, yeah.''

She shakes her head with the strength that she's got left and says:''No, you love him. But you're afraid of it, so you push the feeling away. You avoid it and hide from it.''

''How do you know?'' I ask in disbelief.

''Trust me, I know.'' She says and holds my hand. ''What you feel for girls is all good and OK, but you feel something more for Elliott. I'm sure of it. I feel it.''

I won't believe a sick girl who's been held hostage for the last couple of weeks, but I don't wanna talk about this matter, so I just say:''OK. I guess I do.'' 

I feel myself telling the truth when I say that, but I push the feeling away. I don't wanna think about the fact that I may love Elliott the same way he loves me. We're fine the way we are. Our friendship is fine the way it is and I don't wanna change it.

The man comes into the room and when he sees me with Jessica he yells at me:''What are you doing there? Back into your corner. You'll get sick.''

I need to speak in her name, I need to save her, even if that means sacrificing myself. It what I owe her, and what I wanna do, because I love her. That's why I say:''She needs help. She needs a doctor. Please let her out. You can have me. She hasn't seen your face, you always wear a mask. And she doesn't know where we are. If you blind fold her and take her to the city and leave her there, she'll be OK. No harm will come to anyone and you get what you always wanted.''

He looks at me interestingly and says:''You would do that? You would sacrifice yourself for her?''

''Yes. I love her.''

His sinister laugh fills the room before he says:''I've won the jack pot.''

I say:''So you'll do it? You'll take her out?''

He laughs again, and says:''No, sorry, I can't risk us getting discovered.''

I lower my head and close my eyes. What was I thinking? Of course he's not gonna do it. He's not the good Samaritan. He's out abductor and he'll do anything to keep us locked away. Away from the world. Away from civilisation. 

He grabs my chin and pulls my head up so I stare directly into his ugly green eyes. 

''If you wanna be a saint, forget about it. You are never getting out of here. Never. As for her... when she serves her purpose, she'll go. But not back to the world, but to heaven.''

He lets go of me and leaves. Jessica says:''It's not use trying. I'll die and I know it. I'm ready for it as much as anyone can be. Don't worry about me Kacey. Save yourself.''

I go over to her once again, look into her eyes and say:''No, I'm saving you too. I'm gonna get out of here and then I'm gonna bring back help.''