NO CHANCE (SHORT STORY)

3

- Where are we? What is this place? - I was scared.

- They will kill us, - everyone kept saying.

- Where are we, people, I am asking you, huh? Huh? What is wrong with you?! Please, speak with me!

I was angry. I thought of what to do.

- Where's my cell phone? - I asked the others quietly.

The silence in response made me grasp they didn't know. Well, whatever. I didn't plan on dying in at least a hundred years, so I had an instinct for self-preservation, and I decided to find my cell phone as soon as possible. It was not necessary to look for long—it was in a jacket pocket. (Surprisingly, as I never carry a phone in my pocket, with very few exceptions, but I guess today was that exception to the rule.)

Everybody, realizing what I was going to do, hissed at me, poking fingers into the abode of the guard.

Whatever with you all. I didn't want to die. I began frantically to dial my mother's number. Long beeps made me desperate; tears came to my eyes.

- Mom, pick up the phone, please, please... - I begged.

- Hello?

- Mom, mom, save me, mom! - I began to shout into the phone. - Please, I'll be killed!

- Daughter! Hello, darling!

- Mom, get me out of here; I'm going to get killed, mom...

- Where are you? Hello?

I started to panic.

- He's coming!! It's here! Hide it quickly! - everyone shouted to me.

I was ready to go into hysterics, tears rolling down my face.

- Darling? - my mother's voice sounded like a thread of hope, but I had to cut off by pressing the end of the call button and slamming the phone somewhere in the corner of the room.

I was terrified. Like everyone else in the room with me. A tall, muscular guard came into the room with loud footsteps. He had a club in his hand. He seemed furious. And immediately pounced on me with questions.

- What are you doing here? Huh? I'm asking you, brute!

Ladies again began to sob.

- What's the buzz? Planning to escape?

He began to scan the room, pushing everyone away.

- What are you hiding here? - he looked at me, trying to read intentions in my eyes.

- I asked you!

- I'm not hiding anything, sir... - I mumbled through my tears.

- Really! - the guard chuckled. - Give me what you're hiding! What do you have there—a phone?

I was paralyzed. He is going to find a phone! Oh, no, no! Not the phone! I don't want to die here!

I prayed to all the saints that when he searched the corners, he wouldn't find my phone. I wanted to cry at the top of my lungs. But I couldn't. Voice just disappeared. I saw that someone would hand me over, being afraid for my own life. The security guard threw me to the side.

- What are you hiding here?! - he roared.

Not the phone. Not the phone.

- I hide nothing! - I shouted, hoping the black beast would believe it.

The man, to my surprise, kind of really believed. He stopped looking.

- You can't hide anything from me, you know that?

He looked at me and, without closing the door, left the room.

I rushed, paying no attention to anyone, to the place where I threw the phone. Groping it with my hand, I felt that now I would be saved. With trembling hands, I dialed the number of my husband.

He answered immediately.

- Yes? - his voice sounded like the most beautiful thing than what I've ever heard.

- Oh, I am so glad! - I cried. - Save me, please save me... I'm going to be killed! Help, please, my love, take me away from here... Help, help!

- Where are you? I don't understand. What happened to you?

- Just come and get me out of here. I was captured. I'm being held here; take me out!!

I saw the people's faces in the room. They looked at me in silence and listened anxiously to my conversation. There was despair in their eyes.

- My love... - I started to weep, terrified of being discovered. - I can't talk to you any longer. I will be killed for this...

- What are you talking about?? What is all this nonsense!?

We heard the steps. There was no point in going on; he didn't understand me. I hung up. I felt sick. Tears could not be controlled. Life seemed to have lost its meaning. I do not know how long I sat silently, only occasionally sobbing with resentment and despair, but the voices of men and women who came into the room brought me back to reality.