Walking Into Shadows

Chapter Thirteen

I was awakened by an intense throbbing in my head. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I was in a small, dark room.
A chill swept over me. I tried to stand up, but quickly realized that I was bound to the floor with thick chains.
Where am I?
I tried hard to remember.
"Think... think..." I muttered to myself.
And then, I did remember something. A boy, and young boy with an older woman. She was beautiful. For some reason, that hurt. Tears stung my eyes, and I didn't stop them from falling down my face.
Why does that hurt so much?
I looked to the other end of the room and found that I wasn't alone. There was a boy with me also, a different boy than from my memory. His arms were bound up above his head, chained to the wall behind him.
"I'm sorry Annie." He whimpered. Speaking seemed to put him through physical pain.
Annie. Is that my name?
His shirt was torn and stained with blood. Blood streamed from underneath the shackles onto his arms. He looked up at me
His left eye was swollen and purple, his lips were also swollen.
"Sorry for...?" I didn't even know who he was, let alone hold a grudge over something.
"I got us stuck down here. I should have been able to fight him off." He sounded angry now, but I knew he wasn't upset with me.
"What do you mean?" I asked. "Fight who off?"
The boy scoffed.
"Your boyfriend." He grumbled with a shake of his head.
Boyfriend. I have a boyfriend?
I thought over his words for a moment before asking my next question.
"Did he do that to you?" I asked nervously. Despite my inability to point or motion to what I was talking about, the boy knew that I was referring to his wounds.
"No, he let the shadows do that for him." He responded in a gruff voice.
Why would I ever be with somebody who would do this?
"How long have we been here?" I asked slowly.
"I don't know anymore. A week? Two?" I had been unconscious for a week?
Suddenly, the boy got a strange look on his face and his brows furrowed.
"Do you remember anything?" He asked.
I thought in silence for a long time, and the boy awaited my answer. The only thing I could see was the other boy and that... woman. My chest ached and stomach ached.
"I remember a couple... a woman." Was all I could come up with.
"At least he was smart enough to wipe one person's memory." He laughed without humor.
I observed him more closely. Through the blood crusted hair and brightly colored eyes.
"I wish I could remember..." I admitted in a defeated tone.
His face was overtaken by pain. A blood tear dripped from his eye, leaving behind it, a single clean streak on his skin.
I knew with all of me that I knew this boy. But from where? What was his name? Why was he so important to me?
"What's your name...?" I asked slowly.
"My name is Justin. I'm your best friend's big brother. Do you remember any of that? I gave you your first kiss... do you remember that?" He also sounded defeated at this point, but when he said 'kiss', it was like a dam had been broken and my mind flooded with memories of him and Caitlyn arguing amongst each other. Caitlyn and I were sharing secrets, and then all I could see in my mind was fire.
"You... you can control fire, can't you?" I asked slowly.
Justin's eyes lit up.
"Yes! What else can you remember?" He pressed.
I was excited to have remembered anything at all, but focussed hard on trying to learn something else.
"Caitlyn..." I was cut short when the heavy metal door on the opposite end of the room creaked open. In the doorway, I saw the boy from my vision. The boy with the blonde woman. My heart ached at the sight of him, and at the same time I felt disgusted by him.
"What do you want with us, Brandon? If all of this is over you thinking Principal Donavan will find out what you did with Amber Summers, you can bet your ass that this is going to get you into a lot more trouble!" Justin barked. It was obvious that every word he shouted weighed down heavily on his wounded chest.
Brandon chuckled.
"If you think this is all over something as small as getting laid, you've got me all wrong, Justin. My plans are much bigger than that. They're bigger than you. And your pathetic crush on my girlfriend isn't going to help you get her on your side." He said snidely.
I hated his attitude. My heart raced wildly in my ears. Was he here to hurt Justin and I?
He turned his attention to me and smiled warmly. For some reason, it frightened me more.
"Anna," he began.
"Annabeth." Justin growled. Brandon scolded at Justin but didn't strike him like I thought he would.
"Annabeth, Amber and I are currently working on a little takeover project for the AOLS, and we've run into a little problem. You see, we need a little more water power than what I can provide for us." He explained.
"And you want my help with that?" I asked. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Don't help him, Annabeth." Justin advised firmly.
Brandon turned his head to Justin.
"Justin, if you Don't shut up, I'll drown your sorry ass." He threatened.
"With what water?" Justin smirked.
"Why do you need the water?" I interrupted their dispute.
"I'll explain it all in good time. And only to you, Annabeth." Brandon replied.
I shook my head in disbelief.
"Why do you think you need me? How can I possibly help you with that?"
"Annabeth, don't you know? You're the strongest water manipulator in our school, don't you? Or haven't you been shown the true meaning of your power?" Brandon's voice was taunting, and I gritted my teeth to keep from saying anything he might be angry about. I found myself looking to Justin for guidence.
"Don't worry, Annabeth. I'm right here." Justin tried to calm me.
"Oh sure, but what good does that do when you're all chained up?" Brandon taunted.
He turned his attention to me and offered me a hopeful smile.
"Baby, please." He asked once more.
"I... I'll help you." I stamered. "But you have to promise me that you won't hurt Justin anymore!"
"What?!" Both boys were surprised at my answer.
Annoyance glinted in Brandon's eyes, but he agreed.
"Alright," he said calmly. "I won't touch him."
"Do you promise?" I repeated.
Brandon rolled his eyes.
"Cross my heart and hope to die." He said, tracing an x over his heart with his index finger.
"Then I'll do what I can to help you." I nodded.
Brandon pulled a key from his hoodie pocket and released me from the shackles that weighed me down. As I rose to my feet, I tried to think of a way to get Justin out of this prison. I had to help him.
"Follow me." Brandon commanded, leading me out of the room and into a dark, damp hallway.