Twisted

Chapter 2

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." -William Shakespeare

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We had been in the car for at least thirty minutes and I had absolutely no idea where we were. I knew I should be scared for my life, but with Sara next to me, I felt like nothing would happen. She still held my hand and would occasionally glance over at me, as if making sure I was still doing alright.

I finally muster up the courage to ask the questions that have been burning in the back of my mind. "What was that? Who was that? And why.. why was I there?" It all came out at once and I wasn't sure if anyone in the car had heard me.

I hear a sigh come from the driver, who Sara had called John, and the man in the passenger seat shifts slightly. I look over to Sara and she seems to be thinking.

"Elyse.." She starts, but stops before taking a breath and beginning again. "It's complicated. Let us get you to safety first. When we are safe, then we'll talk, okay?" Sara's eyes plead with me to agree. I nod in agreement, but am hit with a wave of unease when I realize that she said when we get to safety.

Finally, ten minutes later, the car pulls up to a gorgeous three story home. It looks to possibly be an old plantation home. Huge white pillars line the front, while the elegant glass door seems welcoming. Many large windows framed with black shutters cover the front of the building and above the main doors, is a balcony connected to a pair of French doors on the second floor. It is absolutely gorgeous and if I had been here for any other reason, I would have been excited to study every single detail.

The car pulls to a stop and Sara opens the door. I see her glance at our surroundings, as if making sure it is safe to leave the car. Finally, she steps out and pulls me along with her. We make our way quickly inside and I feel a wave of relief pass through me. I don't understand why, but I know I can feel safe within the walls of this home.

"Sara, I see you made it out fine," a commanding voice surrounds us. I look up and see a man descending the stairs. He is smiling brightly at Sara and she is smiling back at him.

"I did," Sara replies. The man makes it to the bottom of the steps where we stand and draws Sara in for a gentle, but loving hug. Sara releases my hand for the first time since we left that place and I feel as if my safety net has disappeared.

I couldn't hold back the slight shake of fear that starts to travel through me once more. "Why did you bring..." The man started but pauses. He seems to sniff the air before speaking once more, "a rogue with you?" The word rogue came out with confusion, rather than hatred as she had heard in her previous situation.

"Benjamin, she's not a rogue," Sara responds, lowering her voice as if she does not want me to hear this conversation.

The man, Benjamin, turns to look at me. "What pack do you belong to?" The question comes out harsh, showing me no mercy.

I immediately cower from this man, thinking I would once again be grabbed by the throat and I figure that this time I wouldn't be so lucky as to survive.

Sara places a hand on his arm and he visibly relaxes, but the aura of power still hangs over him. "Where are you from?" Sara asks, her voice gentle and calming.

"The last foster parents I stayed with were in a small town in West Virginia," I answer. Sara walks over to me and grabs my hand once more. The feeling of safety immediately returns to me and I feel myself starting to relax once more.

"Elyse, do you know who your parents are?" I could tell by the tone of her voice that she didn't want to pry, but I could also sense that she needed to know.

"No," I reply. I had learned long ago that I was unwanted, abandoned just days after I was born. No one knew who I was or where I had been born, let alone who I was born to. Sara pulls me into a hug, but I didn't need it. I had spent years hardening myself to the 'sorry's' and 'it must be so hard's' that would follow this revelation.

But none of the normal sentiments come, instead I am met with a question from Benjamin. "How old are you?" Benjamin made the question sound as if it were life and death, that if I said the wrong thing, something terrible might happen.

"What? Why?" I couldn't help but ask. Why did my age matter to this man? Shouldn't we be calling the police to report what I had just been through? What we had just been through.

"Elyse, we need to know," came Sara's soothing voice once more. She gave me an encouraging smile.

I look between them before speaking, still not understanding why it was so important.. "What day is it today?"

Benjamin gives a frustrated sigh before speaking, "November 6th."

I glance between them once more. I want to sigh in relief that I had only been in that place for less than a day, but my answer seems to be the only thing they want to hear right now. "I'm seventeen, I turn eighteen in a week."

Sara and Benjamin exchange a look. Benjamin's eyes flash gold before returning to their normal dull brown. I thought I had imagined it, but with everything I had been through today, I wasn't too sure I had.

"Let's get you settled into a room for tonight and we will talk more later, alright?" Sara suggests.

I hesitate, questioning if I can trust the safe feeling that surrounds me within this home. Finally, I find myself agreeing after realizing just how tired I am.

Sara guides me down a hallway before stopping at a black door. She opens it to reveal a four poster bed situated next to a large window. Connected to the room is a bathroom and a closet.

"Why don't you take a shower and I'll bring you some clothes that you can change into?" Sara urges. I nod before heading towards the bathroom. I hear Sara close the door as she leaves.

I turn on the shower, before stripping off the sports bra and leggings that I am wearing. I spot a garbage bin and immediately throw my clothes into it, not wanting to be reminded of the events that occurred what felt like mere minutes ago. Stepping into the shower, reality finally catches up with me and the tears fall in sync with the water coming from the shower head above me.