Thirteen

Chapter Seven

Over the next week, I didn’t move from the bed save for when the 13 member dragged me out and forced himself in me or in the shower. I lost my appetite for eating altogether, my body becoming thin and weak as the days went on. Every time he would use me, I felt increasingly numb, my soul withering as I just lay still when he would kiss me. I wasn’t scared of what was going to happen, I was angry that I could help him or do anything to prevent it. I would hear the other 13 members whisper about the final plans, but I always would lose focus.

      From what I had gathering when I wasn’t in a haze, they were planning to lure Niall by sending out word that I was still alive. They would then trap him and probably his other men and mercilessly kill them in a huge gun fight. Of course, after they were finished with him, I was bound to be next. They would then catch me listening and the man would drag me to the bed and punish me.

      One night I woke up with a severe pain in my side, and I felt a lump grow in my throat as I stumbled to the bathroom. As soon as I reached the toilet I immediately threw up, the back of my mouth burning from dehydration. I slumped against the floor as I heard him come in and mutter “shit” as he saw me. My breathing was labored and my side kept throbbing in pain as I held a hand over my ribs.

      I felt him pick me up and throw me over his shoulder as he carried out of the room and into a small dining area, placing me on the table. I coughed, my throat raspy and my breath wheezing as I tried to ignore the pain and sickness, hoping that it would take me away from everything. A few of the other members of 13 were watching me from across the room as I curled up in pain. The man bent down in front of me, pushing a plate of food towards me.

            “Eat.” He ordered, and I looked at him fiercely before shoving the plate away and turning over. I froze as he pressed the muzzle of his gun into the back of my head. “I won’t fucking tell you again. Eat you stupid cunt.”

            “Kyle, just let her die, imagine the reward we’d get for bringing in the body.”One of them spoke up as I lay still, hearing the gun cock behind me, and I slowly turned to face him.

            “I’m not afraid to die again.” I whispered, and he lowered the gun, placing in his waistband. He reached over and grabbed my wrist, dragging me off the table and onto the floor as my body made a loud thump against the cold tile. I silently cried as I held onto my arm, pain throbbing as I felt my elbow out of place. Once again he placed the food in front of me and motioned for the rest of them to leave the room. They exited slowly, and the one who spoke up spat in my direction before walking out the door.

      I was breathing sharply as I kept my gaze on the food, only a few inches from me. I clenched my eyes shut, trying to decide if to give in to their antics, or to suffer only a little bit longer until I couldn’t take it. As much as I didn’t want to help these rebels go through with the plan and kill Niall, I didn’t know how else to save him. I was at the point that the only way out was to end my own life and suffering.

I snapped my eyes back opened as I realized that all of them had stepped outside, leaving me alone. I used all my strength to sit up and pull myself to stand up, leaning against a chair. Stumbling over to the kitchen, I rummaged through the cabinets till I found a spare lighter. I opened the refrigerator and just as I had thought, there were several bottles of wine and beer.

My hands were shaking as I stuffed paper towels into many of them, lighting them and placing them in different corners of the house. Eventually the smoke began to pile and the couch and other items caught fire, igniting the house quickly. I heard voices retreating from the house as the flames grew hotter and burned more intense. I took that as a cue to slip out a window facing the front, just as a beam fell, causing the roof and walls to cave in. A cloud of dust billowed out from the rubble of the house falling everywhere.

Through the thick smoke and dust of the house, I snuck away from the yelling and tried to make my way as best I could. Dodging front yards and driveways, I made it a couple blocks down before my side felt like it was pierced with a dozen knives. I stumbled into a backyard and fell into the grass, the soft blades tickling my cheeks. Wincing, I leaned forward and saw a blooming spot of red on my dress coming from the stitches.

I closed my eyes and relaxed my body, letting the blood soak and my breathing slow as I lay still. Niall was flashing through my mind, and though I really hadn’t done anything to save him, I knew there was nothing left I could do.