Kidnapped by Pierce the Veil

Please Let This Wind Blow Me Home

"Beth? Hey, wake up." A sweet, familiar voice said.

Joey.

My eyes shot open at the sound of him. His smile was the same as it had always been, his eyes sparkling as usual. It was him.

He pulled me into a hug as soon as I sat up. It took me a moment to realize where I was. I was in my room. The walls were covered with posters and the floor was littered with dirty clothes and homework that I'd never finished. I was home!

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand when we pulled away from the hug. "How did I get here?" I asked groggily. Joey chuckled.

"That band you like brought you home. They said they'd already dropped your friend off after you fell asleep." He handed me a cup off water that was sitting on the nightstand.

"Yeah, we met them last night and got to hang out for a while. It was pretty cool." I lied. I still hated lying to Joey, even though the lies had previously kept me alive.

All throughout our conversation, I was having difficulty breathing. I figured I just needed more sleep. But after a while, I could hardly talk at all. I felt like I couldn't get enough air. The room began to get darker and darker and each breath became more difficult than the last.

I heard Joey faintly yelling. It sounded as if I had water clogged in my ears. My breathing began to come to a stop as my world blacked out.

•••••

I looked around and I saw that I wasn't in my room at home anymore. I didn't recognize where I was until I looked at a sign. It read, "Grace Hill Animal Park." It was the zoo Mom took me to the day she and Dad died, but it was different. Usually there were screaming kids, gang tags on the walls, trash everywhere. But the kids were no where to be found, the walls looked as though they'd just finished being built, and there wasn't a speck of trash on the ground. The sun was warm on my skin and flowers were in bloom all around. But why was I there?

I felt an overwhelming peace come over me as I looked in the eyes of my parents walking through the gates of the zoo. They were dressed the same as the day they passed, but their clothes were no longer stained with blood and their smiles were bigger and brighter than I'd ever seen while they were still alive. They stood over me, still grinning.

"Mom?" I asked. You'd never be able to tell that just hours before, I'd breathed in all the smoke that I did.

"Hi sweetie." She stroked my cheek with the back of her hand. Her touch sent waves of electricity through my body.

I turned and looked at my father. He didn't have the beer belly he did after he took up drinking again when he got fired. He was clean shaved and was dressed in his work clothes.

"Daddy?"

He smiled down at me. "Hey, princess."

My mother held out her hand to me, and I took it. Her fingers were as warm as her smile. "Baby, you've done so well. You've fought the good fight. And it's time to come home."

I stared up at her for a moment. "How do you know I did well, mommy? I couldn't see you."

She smiled down at me. "But I could see you.

It took a moment for her words to fully sink in. Those were the same words Vic said to me on the night of the fire.

Vic.

Joey.

I can't leave them here. Joey would be crushed. And I know the other guys would be too.

"Don't be worried about them, Bethany." My father soothed me. "Joey will be just fine. As for the others, they'll carry on as well. It's time, baby girl."

I stood up and took my father's hand as well. My parents began leading me to a bright light that didn't hurt my eyes when I looked at it. I felt more safe than I ever did before. I finally had peace and security.

I had been kidnapped and I survived, only to be done in by smoke in my lungs. But I didn't care. I was with my parents and I was happy. As I gripped their hands, I realized something.

In grade 9 English, we read a story entitled the "Most Dangerous Game", in which a skilled Cossack hunter named General Zaroff hunts people on his island for sport. Zaroff makes the statement that life is, "for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong."

This is false.

There isn't a single person alive who isn't strong in their own aspect. Everyone you meet is fighting an unknown battle. Sometimes they win, sometimes they don't.

But they always fight.

•••••

(Joey's POV)

"Bethany!" I screamed as I shook her limp body by her shoulders. Wake up, Bethie!" No response.

I pulled her out of the bed and began dragging her by her arms down the hallway. The rise and fall of her chest stopped.

We finally made it to the bathroom. I turned on the shower as hot as I could, the water scalding my hands. I placed Bethany in the tub and climbed in, holding her. Still nothing.

"No, Bethany! Please, Bethie! Bethie, stop it! Don't you dare die on me Beth!"

I held her under the flow of water for a few minutes. I put my hands on top of my head, listening to the shower water splash against the floor.

"Please don't take her." I said to no one in particular, resting my forehead against the tiled wall of the shower. I didn't know who I was pleading with. God, Death, something else. I didn't know. But I didn't stop either. "Please don't take her. Please don't take her. Please don't take her."

I was blinded by my tears and the scorching water. My skin burned, but I made no effort to move. I felt like my chest was caving in on itself.

"My Bethie." I said to myself over and over again. "My Bethie."

Her wet, blonde curls stuck to her cheeks and forehead. I brushed them out of the way, so I could look at her one last time.

I placed my hand on her neck, searching for a pulse. Nothing. I felt her wrist. Still nothing. I even put my ear to her chest, hoping for a miracle. Hoping to hear the soft pound of her still-beating heart.

Nothing.

I hugged my knees to my chest and screamed.

I screamed for what felt like hours, before turning off the water. I carried Bethany to her room and laid her down in her bed, pulling the covers over her. I grabbed the phone and dialed 9-1-1.

I looked at Bethany, laying in bed peacefully as I hung up the phone. She looked like she was fast asleep.

Do you hate me? Yeah, I hate me too.

The story will not be told from anyone's POV unless stated otherwise.

Also! I have a twitter and Instagram if you guys wanna keep up with my personal life and what not. Not that it's very interesting...

Insta: gracie.poo.says

Twitter: graciepoosays

Because I'm obviously very creative with my names on social media.

Chapter song- Sailboat by Ben Rector

Also attached is a photo of Joey! Aka Evan Peters. I don't even watch American Horror Story. I just think he's really cute. Sue me.

-Gracie