| Ephemeral |

thirteen

Alex

I tried lifting my head up, but it felt so heavy. It sounded like there was an alarm going off in my brain. My entire body felt like it was anchored to the floor. 

I finally gained the strength to open my eyes, everything looked to be a big blur. I could see someone's face in front of mine, and that's when my vision began to clear up. We were definitely drugged. 

I tried moving back quickly to get away from him, but my hands and feet were bound to a chair. "Get away from her!" I heard a deep voice yell from beside me. Grayson was trying to rip through the ropes like a rabid animal. Crimson laughed at his order, obviously not intimidated by a guy tied to a chair. 

I looked to my other side and saw Ethan, still, he was unconscious. I shook my head a little, trying to clear up my head more. 

"Ethan," I tried saying, but my voice was still quiet. "E," I finally gained the strength to half yell. I saw his eyes starting to flutter open and immediately, he started tearing at the ropes. 

"Now that we're all awake, we can get started." Crimson smiled, striding past us all. I'm so confused at the moment, I don't know what he wants, or what we're here for.

"Ethan, I think you really know why we're all here," Crimson spoke again, making me look at Ethan with a worried face.

"I already told you I wasn't going anywhere with you," Ethan responded tiredly. "Yeah, well I don't really take no for an answer." Crimson laughed sarcastically. "Lucky for you, I have persuasion methods," Crimson spoke as if he was excited. 

"There's nothing you could do to make me want  to go with you." Ethan argued. I took a deep breath out and gave Crimson the death glare. "Once you leave Ethan, you'll never want to come back, you'll see."  Crimson whispered to Ethan, but I still heard it. 

"I have a special guest for this evening. Trial one of persuasion," Crimson smiled directly at me this time. "Come on out," Crimson yelled behind him. 

The person I saw walk out made the air in my throat seemingly evaporate. "Alexandra!" He said excitedly, rubbing his hands together as he walked towards me. 

I felt my eyes go wide and automatic fear flood my body. I'm tied down, I can't run from him this time. 

"Trial one, meet Will. Will, meet trial one." Crimson announced, moving so Will could be in front of me. 

I tried backing away as much as I possibly could, my body felt like it was bending over the back of the chair to the point of breaking.

"You're supposed to be dead," My voice shuttered, making him laugh before his face turned cold again. He quickly placed his hand around my throat, pushing me against the chair harder. He let go after a moment, just enough to scare me. 

"Get the hell away from her." Ethan ordered in a deep, hate-filled tone. "Dolan, why don't you get up and make me?" Will laughed. He grabbed onto the arms of my chair and leaned closer to me. 

"I brought something just for you," Will smiled, reaching in his back pocket. He pulled out one of my arrows and held it up. "Remember when you shot me that day," His voice was like nails on a chalkboard, it gave me chills in the most awful way.