Whisper

Chapter Two: Broken Roses and Broken Tears

Water clogs my throat, making me gag and cough out the freezing water. I gasp for air as a waterfall of clear liquid pours out of my mouth. I pant as I stare up at an unfamiliar stone ceiling, the water finally coming to a stop. Where-

"Venus!" I hear David call from somewhere by my feet, interrupting my thoughts. My heart skips a beat and I bend to sit up, but find my hands and feet secured tightly. I examine my position, there are large metal chains wrapped around my wrists and ankles, secured in place by heavyduty, master locks.

"What the hell?" I pull at the restraints, feeling myself panic a bit as I start to pull at the metal locks more frantically. What is this?

"Venus, they're not going to budge it's best if you stay calm." Carter calls from the same place as David. How am I supposed to stay calm? I'm in some creepy room and I don't know how far from home we are, I don't even know if this is real! For all I know, I could be hallucinating while drowning. Okay, it's okay, calm down. Calm down. I shake my head and focus on what's happening right this second.

"Where are you? What the hell happened?" I ask my voice growing higher towards the end of my sentence, but I have to keep myself calm. I take a breath and stare up at the ceiling.

"Someone get these locks off me." I plead, trying to wriggle my hand out of the tight chain. Maybe this is some sick joke they're playing.

"We would, but we can't get to you, nor do be have the keys." Carter explains. What? No, no that's not true they're just playing with me.

"Venus I'm so sorry." David croons.

"What do you guys mean you can't get to me?" I ask, ignoring David's apology.

"We're on the ground... There was a man who shoved us in tiny dog cages so we can't move or get to you." Carter responds, hesitating before finishing. Dog cages, that's extreme. I'm not sure they would go that far with a joke but, I'm willing to believe anything as long as it means I can get out of here.

"What? You're in... Cages?" I ask, disbelief filling my voice.

"Is this a prank or something? Please tell me it is." I ask, internally begging for them to tell me it's all a joke and come unchain me.

"No, we'd never take a trick this far." David mumbles, as if speaking to himself. I groan and close my eyes. Please, God please let this be a huge joke. I want them to jump out and say "got you!" but, deep down I think I know that we're all in danger and they aren't just playing a trick on me. I need to accept that before I get someone hurt.

"How did we end up like this?" I breathe, preparing myself for a gruesome answer.

"David jumped in after you." Rose suddenly says, her voice quiet and lifeless. Rose! Wait, no not Rose, please not Rose. She's too delicate for a situation like this. There's a reason her name is "Rose". It's because she's just as fragile as a flower. My expression turns to one of pity for her. She doesn't deserve this. She shouldn't be here.

"After a minute we realized he wasn't coming back and I panicked, so like an idiot. I ran over to the hole and fell in too. Only I hit my head and everything was black before I could react." She explains, her voice almost disappearing completely at the end as if she's reliving the moment.

"I went through the break after Rose to try and save her, when I passed out too. Just like that, before any of us knew it, we were all drifting in the lake under the ice." Carter finishes for everyone. I look down at my feet, desperate to see my friends but, no matter how hard I try, I can't catch a glimpse of them. As I stare down at my feet I realize that my clothes have been removed and replaced by a baggy, poorly sewn sweater -the hole for the head so big that it barely hangs on to my shoulder- and a pair of spandex shorts. The edges of the sweater are ragged and look like the cloth has been torn multiple times.