In the Middle - Book One

Chapter 36

My head hurt so badly. My eyes were still closed but I could hear things around me.
'Damn, how long she gonna sleep for?' Someone asked. He sounded young, his voice squeaky and rough at the same time.

'Leave her alone.' Someone else said.
'Why do you care?'
'I don't.' I tried to figure out the voices but with my eyes closed it was hard. My head was still pounding away. Making it even more difficult to recognise voices.
'Hey!' Wake up. Someone's voice sounded closer, I could hear heavy footsteps approaching.
From my position I could tell I was on a bed.

On a bed!

The thought freaked me out.
What was I doing in a bed? How long have I been here for?
Who put me here?
Suddenly a cold sharp pain seared across my face.
'Hey man!' Someone shouted. 'That doesn't actually work you know?!'
I couldn't help it anymore. I squinted my eyes and slowly opened them.

A tall blonde boy with green eyes started back. His face sinister.
'See, it does.' He spoke. I lifted my head up a bit.
At the end of the bed was Andrew. I rolled my eyes and let my head crash back onto the pillow.
'She's awake! Now we bring her out.' The blonde boy spoke.
He uncuffed me from the bed frame.

I rubbed my wrist. A slight mark had formed, creating a small cut in the skin around it.
It stung, like a paper cut almost.
The blonde boy pulled me roughly off the bed and onto my feet.
'Walk!' He ordered.

I moved around the bed and past Andrew. I should have lunged at him. The second I get a gun I'm going to shoot him. I was so mad, he stood there proudly.
He killed my mother, for her I was gonna kill him. For Harry.
I want my face to be the last he ever sees.

I was pushed out of the small room and into a larger one. Was I in a house? A sleek, modern room sounded me. Concrete walls and floors and ceilings. Blue velvet couches formed a living room. This place was nice.
The ceiling was miles above, a modern kitchen and dinning were by the other end of the house. The room I had been in was strange, wood panelled walls and almost a cabin feel to it.
It made my head spin a bit, like I had walked through dimensions or something.

I was pushed into a blue velvet armchair. Men stood around the house strictly. Guns rested in their arms, ready. I glanced around.
The back wall facing the yard was floor to ceiling glass windows. The entire place was open, no where for me to hide really. A sleek modern front door stood a bit away.
I wouldn't even make it halfway before they put a bullet in me.

'Well hello!' Someone spoke. I glanced over towards the other couches.
A tall black man approached. His hair short and curly, his eyes dark and evil.

'You must be Zoie Carter. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.' He spoke.
I bit the inside of my cheeks, not saying anything.
Where was I?
I wonder if Julian knew? Was anyone going to help me?
I had to help myself, I shouldn't always rely on them.
I looked around, counting all the men.
Four, five, six. There were six, not including the boss himself and Andrew in the bedroom.

'It's a nice place isn't it?' The man looked around too.
I looked back at him, he was wearing a sleek black and white suit.
'You have been quite popular with everyone lately I see. Andrew being your father, Ezra and Ezekiel Ramos and well...you seem to have Julian wrapped around your little finger.' He laughed.
'I can see what draws them all in.' He looked me up and down. I made a disgusted expression.

'What do you want with me?' I asked roughly.
'You are a weakness for the Ramos brothers and it helps us dearly to get what we want.' He explained.
'What do you want?' I asked. He leaned back into the chair.
'Money, drugs, power! The things everyone wants.'
'Maybe everyone, not me.' I spoke. He tilted his head.
'Huh? So what do you want?' He asked.

I bit at my cheeks again.
I want things I'll never have.
Things that were taken from me. 'My mother is dead, my best friend. Those are the things I want.' I answered. Tears sliding down my cheeks.
'Family is a weakness.' He replied.
'You're wrong!' I shouted. He looked at me intrigued.
'You think it is but it's not. It's a strength, cause you know there is someone who will always have you back no matter what. They make you want things, things that aren't greed. They make you strong.' I spoke.
He nodded slowly.

'Wow, I must say. That really was something powerful! Pull that out of movie did we?' He laughed.
'Family is a weakness.' He stood up. His footsteps making echoing sounds throughout the house.
'You were your mothers weakness, and now...she's dead!' He laughed.

I jumped up, throwing my hands around his neck. I actually started choking him. Shock threw him off. Someone grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me into the floor.
A painful kick in my stomach.
'Ahh.' I yelled in agony.
I tried to breath but I felt like I had forgotten.

'Well, I must say. You have quite the strength for such a petite child.' He spoke. I was thrown back into the chair.
The man stood there rubbing his neck.
'You know I am tempted to just kill you now. Stop wasting my own time.' He spoke.

'Then do it!' I taunted. I was so tired, of all of this. Look how many people have been hurt because of me. My mother was dead! And Hannah, her siblings. Their father had been shot at.
Who else was I willing to put at risk for whatever I wanted?
'Shoot me.' I spoke. 'Right here!' I pointed to my forehead.
The man looked at me deeply. A dark, dark smile across his faces.

'That is too easy.' He mentioned. He fell back into the seat.
'Look as soon as Ezra and Ezekiel make good on their side of the deal you are free to leave.'
I didn't believe him, why should I?

'They won't do it, the twins have a thing with taking orders.'
'Well then if it's true I will just kill you. But until then...'
'And if you do? If they don't give you what you want, then you'll be down a bargaining tool. They'll get over me but you'll still be down a card.' I talk back.
I'm not exactly sure how I am getting myself out of here but the longer I talk the more my brain has time to think.
I doubt the twins will actually give something up to this guy, especially for me. No matter what Julian says.

'You're smart you know that?!' He laughs. His smug smile hasn't left his stupid face the entire conversation.
I couldn't wait till I could punch it off him.

'You get it from your father. His got brains too.' The man talks.
'I doubt that.' I respond.
He looks up from his phone and over at me.
'Mistrust? Yes, it is a shame about you mother.'
'Don't! Don't talk about her.' I spat. Tears fell helplessly down my cheeks.

Was she still there? Lying on the tiled floor? Waiting for what? An ambulance? For Julian to find her? What would he do then? I felt sick in my stomach. I just wanted to forget, it hurt too much. She was gone. My mother and I could never get her back.
It didn't feel real, I prayed this was all a fucked up dream.

The man walked up close to my face, I could feel his breath on my cheeks.
'I did you a favour, like I said family makes you weak. You should be thanking me, WHERE IS MY CROWN?' He yelled. No one moved. Standing still.

Where was a gun? Just so I could shoot that look off his face.

'We shall wait.' He smiled slipping back down into the chair.
'Family is...' he drifted off, looking into space.
'We shall see.'