19th Street

Chapter #3

The gentle touch of a hand was enough for me to jump, startled. I took a deep breath at the sight of Charlie above me. I assumed he was here to feed me, as usual.
"Hey lovely, it's a good day today." he smiled at me softly, untying and removing the piece of fabric blocking my mouth. I searched for the food plate of cold soup which I could usually recognize every other feeding day, but it wasn't there. "Charlie," I called his name, my voice was crispy and dry. Probably from the lack of water in my system. "I assumed it was feeding day, is it not?" I asked, he chuckled in sorrow, and turned to the cuffs which have been holding my wrists for a long time, I'm not sure how long.
He pulled out a key from his pocket and uncuffed my wrists, doing the same to my legs and leaving me completely untied, which had never happened before. I sat up, stretching my arms and trying to get used to the feeling of moving my fingers. "Charlie, what is happening?" I looked up at him in confusion, desperate to hear what they have got in store for me today.
He kneeled to my height, and before I knew it, I was held in his arms, I jumped at first, afraid he tried to hurt me, but as soon as I realized what was happening I gave into the hug. I haven't been hugged for so long. "You're going home, lovely. Jay had finally made the money." he kissed my cheek, moving his hands towards his pocket and taking out the needle I know oh too well. I sighed, offering my wrist to him and letting him insert the sharp metal end of it to my bruised skin, soon enough, the whole room started spinning, and hear I was slipping into a world of no dreams once again.

Jay's POV
I stepped out of the car, Nike by my side. All sorts of things ran through my mind as we approached the familiar alley of El Salvador. Once, I was the one waiting inside, holding an innocent person in my hands and ready to trade them for money. And today, after two years of hard work, I had finally achieved to save the money we needed to return our lost gem. Our precious Audrey. I knew exactly what had happened to her, and I was devastated. I used to be partially responsible for the suffering of captivities at this gang, but had never truly knew how painful it is to be the one walking into the alley, holding a suitcase of cash to buy back your loved one, which will never be the same person you once knew.

And here we were, standing in front of my old good friends, Charlie and Regg. Charlie was holding in his hands a little porcelain doll, so pale she could be dead, and as thin as a paper. She was sleeping peacefully in his hands, he bare legs were bruised, and her arms were scarred with burns and cuts. She had knots in her beautiful brown hair, and purple sacks under her eyes.
That was what had become of Audrey.
"Oh god.." Nike whispered beneath his breathe, his eyes filling with tears the second he rested his eyes on his friend. "Charlie, Regg." I greeted, although my face remained blank of emotion. I tried to contain my anger. I could see they both hurt too of what happened to her. They did their best to take care of her, of that I'm sure. "I'm so sorry, J. She truly is a gem." Regg had guilt written all over his face.
"I have the money." I turned my attention to Silvio, Salvador's son and a heartless man.
"Good, step up and give it, and the girl will be yours." he said calmly, a cheeky smile remained across his face ever since I met him. I handed the suitcase over to Regg, and turned to Charlie. He took a last glance at her, kissing her forehead before handing her fragile figure to me. She was as light as a toddler, and as cold as ice. Shivers went down my spine at the image of her tied to the bed inside that horrible room.

"Give her three meals a day, and lots of water. Don't hand her any kind of drug, she had enough to last a lifetime. And whatever you do, do not touch her until she trusts you enough, you will know when that is when it happens." he instructed, I nodded in gratitude and turned away, walking back to the car and putting her at the back seat, taking my seat behind the wheels while Nike is examining her in the back, we both took a second to breathe before tears started rolling down my face. "We have her, she's back." I said, looking back at Nike, a smile spread across my face as we started driving. Nike had pressed a water bottle into Audrey's lips and forced her to drink. After a few seconds, she started gulping the water down.

She shot her hands to the bottle and squeezed it, water pouring down her face as she kept drinking, desperate for more. Nike cuddled her head in his arms, petting her hair softly as she kept drinking.
We did it.

————
just to clear up, there will be flashbacks throughout the story.