Dark Boundaries(8)

We both watch as Riza keeps pounding at the door. Her voice goes hoarse from all the screaming but she doesn’t stop. She screams for hours until her voice is a rasp of what it used to be. I should pull her back but I’m too scared, so I cling tighter to Kelly instead.

The van stops again and my heart starts to pound out an erratic beat of total terror. When the metal sounds of the key scraping against the locked fills my ears, the terror bleeds into icy cold horror.

This is it! They’re going to kill all of us now.

I don’t want to die.

There’s so much I wanted to do still - so many dreams.

Justin opens the door. “Get out!” he barks. His jaw is clenched, he looks angry. They all look like they’re about to rip our throats out!

“Please,” I croak, my voice thick with fear. “Don’t kill us.”

Suddenly Riza darts forward. Her fist connects with Justin’s cheek. For a moment he looks shocked before he manages to pin her arms at her side. “Stop!” he yells when she doesn’t stop fighting. “He’ll shoot you if you don’t stop.”

Riza doesn’t seem to care. She keeps fighting, kicking and hitting, until Justin pulls something from his pocket. Fear that he’ll kill one of my best friends propels my body forward. “Nooo!” I watch as he plunges a syringe into her neck.

When Garrett and Warren walk into view, I start scrambling back towards Kelly and Cathy. The gun is looming huge in Warren’s right hand. “Oh God! Please don’t,” my begging turns into a yelp as Garrett grabs hold of my foot. I’m dragged back.

“Out!” Warren commands.

Garrett grabs hold of me around my waist, and I’m lifted into the air. The earthy scent of Garrett fills my lungs as I’m pulled back into his arms, and pressed hard against the solid muscle of his chest.

“Shh … If you’re quiet, he won’t kill you,” Garrett whispers hot in my ear.

All I can do is shake my head in denial. I don’t want to die!

Justin lifts Riza’s limp body and starts to walk away with her. Garrett sets me down on my feet but doesn’t let go of my waist. He keeps me pinned against him.

Warren grabs Cathy’s thick dark curls and drags her out. A look of impatience clouds his face. “When I say get out…” he throws her down in front of us on the hard ground, “then you fucking move it, slut!” He kicks her in the same way he kicked me. My ribs ache just remembering that pointy shoe. I feel so sorry for the girl.

Kelly quickly scrambles out of the van, fear darkening her green eyes.

I turn my face away as Warren pulls his foot back and kicks Cathy again. “I’ll bring them,” Garrett says, his breath stirring my hair. There’s a cautionary tone in his voice. Is he scared of Warren? Is Warren the leader?

Of course Warren’s the leader! He’s the one with the gun!

Garrett moves me to the side and grabs hold of Cathy’s arm. As soon as he pushes her into me, I grab hold of her to keep her standing. I don’t want Warren to shoot any of us. Garrett then grabs Kelly and I reach for her. The three of us huddle together, each trying to be small so we won’t be noticed. Garrett pushes us lightly and I take a stumbling step into the darkness, all the while clinging to the girls.

I try to keep my eyes on Riza as we’re all taken through the back door of a house. I can’t see the surroundings or proper shape of the house from the outside, it’s too dark. I have no idea where we are!

Once inside, we walk through a kitchen where two guys are playing cards. One gives us a scowl, the other has a light of interest gleaming in his eyes. It makes my skin crawl.

As we’re taken down a hallway to the living room, we pass a lot of doors, all of them closed. We also pass a stairway, before we enter the living room. A fat man is sitting on a chair next to a table filled with eats.

“Pop, we got them,” Warren says arrogantly. “Look at the little sluts. Did you proud, pop, did you real proud.”

Garrett nudges us forward into to the room filled with the stale air of smoke. My stomach lurches and I can’t keep my body from trembling.

“For fucksakes!” the fat man bellows. “You’ve already marked that one. Can’t you do anything right. Get her out of my sight!”

Justin turns to leave the room with an unconscious Riza. I can’t let them split us up. “Please don’t!” I panic and reach for her.

Warren grabs me behind my neck, pressing down so hard my knees buckle under me. Pain shoots down my spine and into my skull. He shoves me hard and unable to catch my footing, I fall.

Sharp pain explodes in my shoulder and the side of my head, darkness drags me under.