Archer's Paradox | Slow updates

Chapter One

"Wake up!" He yells and slaps me across the face for the third time in this hour. Or minute. Time feels all the same to me. The familiar iron taste of the sticky red liquid that keeps me alive fills my mouth and I spit into his face. He jumps back and wipes furiously at his eyes.

"Don't you have manners, bitch?!" He seeths and yanks on my hair. "Only around people who earned my respect!" I spit back and the blood drips onto my ripped tank top. It's practically stained with blood and stinks of mud and body fluids. I've grown so used to it that the thought doesn't even sicken me anymore. I feel a pain in my skull as he pulls harder on my hair. He forces my face up and stares into my eyes.

"I'll be back." He is way too calm and I prepare myself mentally for the punishment that may follow. He drops my hair and turns towards the door.

"Don't try to escape."

His laugh echoes off the walls as the door slams. I pull at my restraints and sigh.

I won't, asshole, since I'm tied to a chair!

I look around the room I've become so familiar with for the last 5 years. There's a small window above my head which allows sunlight to fill the space I'm occupying and the whole room is made of concrete walls and marble floor. Probably so he can easily clean the blood when it splatters. I've become so accustomed to the silence that I focus on the sounds outside. There's a bird chirping to my left and leaves crunching behind me.

It must be somewhere between fall and winter because the cold bites at my skin. I only have the clothes on me which consists of a tattered tank top and ripped nylon shorts. My feet are bare and my hair is matted with blood and sweat.

There's a shift in the atmosphere and I grow curious about his whereabouts. I don't know him at all and this whole thing began when I was hunting with my bow and wandered into his territory. He found me in a net trap and showed me how cruel he can be to intruders. Stupid compass. I was supposed to head northwest but it went haywire when I got to a fence and led me east and a few feet from there I stepped on a pile of leaves and the net shot up around me. Hours later he found me and took me hostage. And 5 years later, here I am strapped to a chair, in a room who knows where.

The silence gets heavier and I peak my ears. Nothing. No sound comes from the house, or whatever, or outside. My curiosity makes me pull at the restraints and I wince as the ties cut into my skin. The blood coming from my mouth has let up a little and I blow out my breath. Where is he? He was supposed to be back by now. He's probably thinking of the worst way to punish me and he's probably testing it outside. I wish I had my bow. It was a custom longbow my father made and gave to me on my 9th birthday. A month before he and my mother died in a hunting accident. I have been alone since then. Luckily my father taught me how to hunt and how to fend for myself when I'm lost in the wild. The insticts are still there.

The total silence has fogged up my brain so I grow tired and soon I fall asleep with my head backwards against the high backrest. A crash wakes me, followed by a yelling voice somewhere at the door.

"In here!"

I slowly open my eyes and try to rub at them but the ties pull my arms back. I feel a snap against my anckles and look down at an unfamiliar person untying my feet. I start panicking that he'll come back before I'm free.

"What ... what if ..." I try to ask.

"What if what?" The stranger asks as he continues working on my arm ties. "What if he comes back?" I ask with visible panic in my voice. "He won't. He's gone. You can relax." He smiles sympathetically at me and I notice the other man in the room by the door. I swallow and the man who is untying me looks up. "You must be really afraid. I'm Josh and that's Lucas, " He nods towards the man at the door. "Do you know your name?" He smiles at me as the last tie snaps. I immediately rub at my wrists and sit back.

It's ok. You can trust him. He told you his name. He helped you. Just tell him your name and it will all be over.

"Layla Archer."

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"You can sleep if you want to." Josh says as he takes his eyes off the road for a second.

After they freed me I tried to stand up but being tied to a chair for 5 years had an effect on my muscles. So I had to be carried. I reek but Josh didn't seem to mind. He was a nice man and very tall. He had a stubbly chin and strong arms and he looked about twenty-something. Lucas was also tall and well built and had a more clean shaved jaw. Both had brown hair but Josh had green eyes. I haven't seen Lucas' eyes. The daylight was blinding when we stepped out of the door of the old building I was kept in. It wasn't a house and it was hidden in a forest.

Josh found him outside while he was busy cracking a whip and asked for directions. After he tried to hit him for being on the territory, Josh shot him. It must've been a distance away because I didn't hear anything. And then he wandered into the woods where he saw a roof peeking out. He called Lucas and they met up at the door. That's when they searched the place and found me in the cellar.

I sit back into the cool leather and shake my head. "I want to sit. I want to see the world outside." I stare out the window and notice a few birds out. "You didn't maybe find a bow somewhere?" I ask while still staring out the window. "I didn't see one. Lucas?" Josh's voice reaches me. "I did. I put it in the trunk along with a few other things. A custom made red longbow. This guy had quite the collection of weaponry." I snap my head towards him and a whimper escapes my lips. "That's my bow." I whisper as Josh looks into the rear view mirror with furrowed brows.

He kept it.

"An Archer who does archery, " Lucas laughs. "Nice twist."

"My parents were professional archers. Before they were killed in a hunting accident. Since then I've been alone." The car fills with silence and I feel the tears prick at my eyes.

It's been 7 years. I'm not even supposed to be sad about it anymore. But still the memory causes tears to spring up and I wish I was home again. It's probably been sold or something since no one has been there in 5 years.

I wake up on a couch. My muscles are stiff and groan each time I move. I start to question my surroundings as I look around the room but Josh walks in and hands me a glass of water. I gulp it down and wipe my parched lips with the back of my hand. "Thank you." I give the glass back and he sits on a chair opposite me. "Lucas went to get you some clothes. There's a shower down the hall if you'd like to freshen up and wash your hair." I nod and he scratches his neck. "We uh, we had to check the tags to find your size." He looks embarrassed and my eyes widen at the realization. He touched me. It's fine, Layla. These men are helping you. I shrug it off and try to get up. My legs are still wobbly but I catch onto the couch and make my way down to the hall using the wall as support. The shower is big and there are shampoos and conditioners lining the wall. Bars of soap take a spot on the corner and washing utensils hang from hooks.

I strip off my dirty clothes and chuck them in the trash before getting into the shower. The water is warm against my skin and burns the wounds. Dirty blood runs down the drain hole and I take a bar of soap and a sponge. I scrub at my skin till it's tingly before I move on to my hair. I pull at the knots and use conditioner to soften it. Clotted blood and dirt fall on the floor and I sigh as I run my fingers through my now smooth hair. A razor sits on a platform and I soap my legs and underarms. When I'm positive I'm clean, I close the water and grab a towel off the rail. I dry my hair and wrap my body up before opening the door and walking down the hallway. Lucas almost bumps into me with a bag stuffed with clothing. He hands me the bag after making awkward eye contact and retreats back to the other room.

"Left door." Josh says when he sees me standing in the hallway. I nod and open the door to my left. It must be a spare bedroom because it looks too neat. The clothing in the bag consists of a long sleeve top, a knitted sweater, dark jeans, forest boots and a puffy jacket. Underwear takes up the bottom of the bag.

They actually care about me. A new thought follows. Until they get tired of me then they'll kick me out. Maybe they don't want to look after a kid whose been held captive for so long.

I shake off the bad feelings and drop the towel so I can get dressed in my new clothes.