Seize(65)

Why?

A doll from one of the patients lies on the floor in her room, ripped to shreds. In another room, a chair is absent of all its support, the seat smashed to bits. Rubbish is everywhere. Details of the ransacking litter this place, but the more I see, the more I lose grip on my emotions, which are spinning out of control.

What happened here?

Blinded by my need to find Ashley, I run through the corridors, hoping to find her in her room. Maybe it’s only this floor, not all of them. Maybe not all the patients left, and this is just temporary. I tell myself these lies because I can’t cope with reality. If she really isn’t here … then I have failed to keep my promise. And I might have lost her forever.

Frost claims my heart as I reach her door and gaze through the tiny window.

There’s no one there. No one.

It’s true. They’ve completely abandoned this place. But what happened to all the people inside? What happened to Ashley?

Frustration takes ahold of me. I bang on the door, smashing the window to bits. “Ashley! Goddammit, where are you?”

A shuffling noise is behind me.

Footsteps.

Shit. There’s someone here. My breathing stops and I swallow away the nerves. With sweat drops rolling down my forehead, I slowly reach for the knife in my pocket, making sure I won’t be interrupted or seen before I have a chance to take it out. In a swift move, I have it in my hands and I turn around to face my attacker.

My eyes widen, and I almost drop the knife.

“She isn’t here.”

“Sebastian?” I mutter, shocked that he’s already here. I recalibrate my senses, shaking myself into alertness. “What are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you.”

“I don’t need your help,” I snarl, maybe a bit too bitchy, but I’m so angry that she isn’t here, and he’s the only person I can take it out on.

“Well, you can look around if you want, but you’re not going to find her here.”

“Doesn’t matter, I will find her, one way or another.”

He cocks his head. “One day, you mean. One day could be soon.”

God, he says that so often.

“If you will allow me to help you, that is.”

I shake my head, not able to stop the ‘tsk’ from escaping my mouth. “Yeah, right. Like you would help me break her out.” I shake my head. “I can’t believe I actually thought I could do it. I was prepared to stick a knife into someone. You know this is crazy.”

“I’d do crazy stuff for you, too,” he says, melting that ice-cold barrier I had built around my heart.

“How do you know that she’s not here?” I ask, keeping my focus on my task.

He smashes his lips together, glancing at the floor for a second. “Because they told me so.”

“What?” I gape at him. “You knew she was gone and you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to get upset.” He takes a step closer.

“Don’t take another step.” I point the knife toward him. “How dare you.”

“Let me explain.”

“You had a chance, and you didn’t take it. You thought I couldn’t handle the truth.”

“Yes, and I realize now that it was a mistake. You’re a strong woman, with an iron will and an unbreakable bond with your friend.” He holds out his hand. “Let’s sit down and talk about this, somewhere else, somewhere safe.”

“No. Not until you tell me what in the hell they did to her! What happened to this place?” I shout, pointing at all the filth, disgusted that I actually spent months in here without realizing that I was a prisoner in my own world. Maybe that’s why I despise Sebastian so much right now. I need someone to hate, and he’s the only one I have near me. The only one who can take the vileness stored inside my heart.

He sighs. “All patients, doctors, nurses, and other staff have been moved to another facility. After they had discovered you escaped, they began the transition. It was around May.”

“What? Which facility? Where?”

My questions are rapid and impatient. A rush of adrenaline fills my veins, making me clench the knife as Sebastian takes another step forward with his hands up as if he means no harm.

“I don’t know.”

I frown, making a face. “How could you not know?”

“They wouldn’t tell me.” He comes even closer, so I raise the knife. “They didn’t trust me anymore.”

“You could’ve told me!”

“You wouldn’t have believed me, even if I did.” He licks his lips. “I should have, though. I was afraid you’d want to leave me, which is selfish of me, and for that, I am sorry. It’s not something I wanted to have happen to Ashley, but when they took her, there was nothing I could do.”