Off With Their Heads | FOUR | 6 Underground

CHAPTER 3: Blood-stained

The dinner went on as it usually would. The older men talking on about businesses and the women chatting about, designer bags and clothes. Oliver and Lilah would occasionally exchange a few glances at each other, some smiles but ultimately kept quiet for the entire affair. 

Lilah swirled the ice cream around the small bowl, as she drowned out the conversations on the table. She was woken up from her trance when her father called out her name. 

" Lilah, why don't you and Oliver go to the gazebo after dinner?" 

" Oh, yes. It is quite nice out tonight, I'll have the garden lit." 

 After the table was cleared, and the adults were served tea and coffee. Oliver got up from his seat, heading towards Lilah. His mother gave the younger girl an encouraging smile that she returned shyly. He had offered her his hand, slightly rough from the hobby he had developed through the years, baseball had helped him feel like a normal guy, keeping some pressure of being an heir, off his shoulders. 

The young girl brushed the invisible dirt off of her dress and pushed the chair backwards to get up. The pair then walked gracefully to the doors that led to the backyard, leaving their parents grinning from ear to ear. The backyard as promised was beautifully lit, yet the night sky still reigned supreme as the stars twinkled. She looked ethereal, like a queen with her black dress and green eyes. The stars could never compare to those green orbs that looked like the most expensive emeralds. 

" You know Lilah, I never did get to tell you that you look, absolutely stunning tonight." 

" Thank you, Ollie. You look very handsome in your suit as well." 

She gave him a megawatt smile that made the moon shy. God, she was beautiful. The gazebo sat just by the edge of the cliff, it was far enough that you could hear the rushing water of the river below. It was beautiful, yet lethal. Much like her. They stood in the middle of the structure, both her hands in his as they faced each other. He looked her dead in the eye. His hands began patting his sides once more and Lilah's eyes went wild. She felt like someone just covered her mouth and nose, voiding her of breath. She felt sick. Oblivious to the girl's uncomfortable stance, he had finally felt it. As he reached in, he felt her soft hand reach his cheek. 

" Would you mind if I have time alone, Ollie?" 

~~~

Oliver took a while to even register what she had said, but eventually nodded and went back inside. She was left in the middle of the gazebo pacing. Heels tapping as she stepped. She felt like she was gonna faint, she was chasing every single breath that she took and it made her chest tighten. She looked to the mansion and saw that Oliver had finally gotten himself there, she finally breathed and ran. 

She didn't know why she did. Maybe because she wasn't ready, maybe because she was scared, but nothing at that moment seemed clear. The giant backyard blew past her, she didn't notice anything, up until she reached the tree line. She stumbled on her own feet as she saw it, The warehouse. She felt sick seeing it in all its damned and evil glory. It was hidden in the tall trees, probably so no choppers that passed by could see where it was. She had no idea how far she had ran but the house was no longer in sight. 

She saw many men patrolling within the wired fence. All of them completely oblivious to anything, probably intoxicated. Her observations were cut short as she heard a bush rustling not far away from her. Her head jerked towards the general area and saw a young woman emerge from the shadows. She was clutching something to her chest and she walked with such caution in her steps, Lilah watched her and then began following her, she tried to make her steps quiet as not to spook the clearly terrified girl. 

When she caught up to her she reached out a hand to try and stop her. The scared girl faced her and Lilah felt like her heart broke as she saw her face.

" Please just let us go please! We promise not to tell anyone just please!"

"I'm not going to hurt you..."

" You don't work for them?"

 Lilah, was first confused when she said 'us' but put the points together as she saw what the girl held close to her chest. A baby, sleeping in her arms. The girl in front of Lilah didn't even look like she could be a mother but she knew better, those people in that hell hole would do anything. 

" No, I won't. I promise I want to help you." 

" How do I know that you're not lying? You look so much like that woman who owns us."

" She's my mother..."

The young girl held the baby closer to her and stepped farther from Lilah. There was a big gap between them and the frail girl did nothing but make it bigger. 

" I'm nothing like them I swear. Please let me help you!" 

A twig snapped near them and both their heads, looked towards the origin of the sound, Lilah couldn't do anything but sign to the girl to hide. But it was too late, one of the men came out holding a gun to his side. He swayed lightly, suggesting that he had drunk some alcohol prior to this search, they must have been alerted that someone had escaped. The girl held the baby tighter trying to protect as best as she could while she herself froze on the spot. 

The man shot a drunken smile when he saw the girl, Lilah out of sight behind a tree trunk. She watched as the man approached the small girl and baby and the gun in his clutch slipped and landed on the floor near her. He passed her and stalked towards the girl.

" You, little girl are a naughty one. Just digging you and that little bastard a deeper grave. Shouldn't have ran! The others are still a far ways off, so how about you put that thing down and let's have some fun. huh?" 

Lilah let out a gasp as the man began to grasp the girl's arm, attempting to throw the baby from her arms. He pushed her to the ground and began taking his belt off, the girl pleading silently as she hugged her small child. Lilah felt the adrenaline pump  through her veins as she quickly picked up the gun. From the weight she knew that it wasn't completely empty, she then ran her hand through it to feel a silencer on it. "Perfect..." she whispered. 

The man was already pushing the girl's legs open, forcing himself in between them. the girl felt absolutely hopeless, her son was asleep a few feet away from her an attempt to keep him safe, better her be harmed than him. She closed her eyes preparing for an assault, but nothing came and all she heard was the body slamming to the dirt, the pretty girl now in front of her with a gun still aimed forwards.