Captured

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Abriana

My eyelids felt heavy. “What do you need to tell me, Lex?”

“How do you feel?” asked Alexa.

“Huh?”

“How do you feel,” she repeated in a nefarious voice.

My head swam as panic crept up the back of my throat. What’s wrong with me?

She giggled. “Do you feel dizzy? And perhaps a little nauseous too?”

My chest felt tight as I tried to make eye contact and my surroundings started to swirl into a blue green blur. What’s going on? Am I sick? Did I catch the flu from my parents?

Alexa giggled, interrupting my anxious thoughts. “It should have kicked in by now.”

I rubbed my throbbing temples. “Alexa, what the hell is going on? What should have kicked in? Did you do something to me?”

“I did,” she responded in a cold voice.

The air whooshed out of my chest. “Wh-wh-what?” I stammered.

Licking her lips, she said, “Let me start at the beginning.”

My body started trembling violently, allowing water to splash over the side of the float. The warm lake water settled under my body, soaking my suit.

“First, I needed someone to help me… So, I found Easton one night outside of a bar downtown. He was so cute and sooo stupid,” Alexa said with an evil chuckle. “It didn’t take much convincing, just some cash and a couple of hours in bed. He thought I was going to come up the next day and tell you it was all a practical joke.”

Teeth chattering, I struggled to speak. “Wh- wh- why would you do this to me, Alexa?”

“Ohhhh, Abriana,” she said rolling her eyes. “Don’t you get it?”

My chest rose and fell rapidly. I tried to sit up, but Alexa slammed my body back down on the inflated raft. I must be having a nightmare! There is no way this could be happening!

Without warning, Alexa let go of the float.

Hissssssssssss.

My breath caught in my chest and I sputtered. “What are you doing? Is there a hole in this thing? Alexa stop it!”

Alexa paddled further away as the hissing sound got louder. “You’ve always been so perfect, Abriana! You’ve always gotten whatever you wanted.”

Confusion set in and then pure terror. Oh my God, this isn’t a nightmare! She’s trying to kill me! My own sister is trying to kill me! I swallowed and tried to take a deep breath. “Alexa, whatever has happened, it doesn’t matter. I forgive you! I promise!”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Yeah, right.”

“Please,” I pleaded. “Please stop this!”

Alexa examined her nails. “After you die, I’ll take your place. I’ll be the prettiest and the smartest! Mamá y Papá will finally love me!”

Tears began to run down my face. “They already love you!”

Alexa laughed, her body shaking the float and sending a small wake my way.

Tears sprung from my eyes. “Lex, I love you too. Please, you don’t have to do this! We can fix things. Whatever you need me to do, I promise, I’ll do it!”