Cast The Die

Chapter Twenty-Two

I haven't been asleep again. When the nice man, Cole, left me I decided to do everything I could to stay awake. It hasn't been difficult, however, the more awake I become the hungrier I get. It isn't long before he returns, thirty maybe forty minutes. I closed my eyes as the shutter opened out of habit. Cole handed me a brown bag that he had hidden in his black jacket. He was wearing black skinny jeans and black work boots that were scuffed on the steel toe caps. He wasn't wearing gloves, I always assumed people wore gloves when they were committing a crime.

"I've been trying to bring you food for days" he said crouching down. I opened the bag to find an apple and a strawberry nutri-grain bar. "The others, they already suspect something because I brought you the blanket. They're watching me"

"Well I appreciate your efforts" I said, sounding a little too sarcastic. "What others? What do you mean watching you?" I questioned him as I stuffed the strawberry flavoured bar of heaven into my mouth.

"There's two other men downstairs, one stood at the entrance and one of them is in a car parked down the side of the building..." he started explaining.

"And you all take in turns to sit at the end of that corridor" I interrupted him.

"Yes. But there's not just those two, there's more. There isn't enough time to explain everything to you, I really wish there was but..."

"It's fine, I'm too exhausted to care. I just want to go home" I said.

"I'm going to do everything I can to get you out of here. You can't go home though; they'll know where to find you there" he said.

"What do you mean? Do they know where I live? What about my parents? Has something happened to my parents?" I started to panic; I could feel the tears forming in my eyes.

"No, they're fine. They're actually..." he sighed.

"They're what? What are they? Tell me!" my voice was getting louder.

"Sshh" his hand immediately covered my mouth. "I told you, I'll tell you everything when you're out of here and safe" his hands smelled like soap. The only thing I could think of is how bad I must smell. He lowered his hand and I nodded.

"Where is here, exactly?" I asked.

"Dover" he said. I think he knew I was about to shout something because his hand was covering my mouth again. "If I don't get you out of here by tomorrow, they're...they're going to kill you and put you on one of those ferry's to Calais" he explained. I couldn't say anything even if I wanted to. "There's something happening tomorrow that will determine if we can let you go or not" let me go? Am I some sort of leverage? "I overheard them talking. They said even if they get the money, they're still killing you. Like kidnapping you wasn't enough" he sighed. "They want revenge more than they want the money"

"What money? What has any of this got to do with me?" I asked. Suddenly, it hit me. The only plausible solution, my Dad. Has he made someone angry? Someone who ended up going to prison and is now after revenge? "Is it...my Dad?" he looked down and didn't say anything. I'll take that as a yes. "So, my dad has pissed someone off and they've kidnapped me to use as leverage to get money from my Dad, and the reason it's taking so long is because the money that they've asked for, my Dad hasn't got?" he opened his mouth to say something but I stopped him. "How much money do they want?"

"A lot" he said. He hasn't told me if my theory is right or wrong, but I know I'm right. "I'll be back in a few hours, I'll try and bring more food, you're going to need more energy if we're getting you out of here. There's a lot of stairs, we'll have to run. Fast. I can't promise to get you a change of clothes, but I'll do what I can. For now, just..."

"Stay here? Got it" I said. He laughed but covered his mouth. I listened to his footsteps get further away as he walked down the corridor, and the door slammed shut.