Fan Fiction ❯ Smothered In Shadows ❯ Don't Say A Word ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Smothered In Shadows

Chapter 2 - Don't Say A Word

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I awoke with a jolt. When did I fall asleep? I noticed I was still in the outfit I had changed into after the auction and that Ali and Nik were gone. I looked at my clock. Its 2:43 AM.

I start to get out of bed when I hear a noise from the next room. My bathroom. Who the hell is in my bathroom? Maybe Nik and Ali are playing tricks...

I quietly slip over to the door, its open a crack and I look in to see who's there. I barely hold in a gasp when I see two people that aren't Nik and Ali. I know I should run to my parents room or dive under my bed for my quarterstaff but at nearly 3 AM I'm not that bright. I stood there looking in at the intruders, listening to them.

“We have to get them out before daybreak.” The first whispered, so quiet I barely caught it, but I could tell the speaker was male.

“And lets hope they still have the artifact.” The other responded, just as quiet and male too.

“Why? Don't like to work for things?”

“No, I don't have the stomach for torture. Especially, when you use it on kids.”

Torture!? Who the fuck are these people?

I finally snap out of it and hurry away from the door. I practically dive under my bed to retrieve my quarterstaff. Only its not there. Mother never approved of my learning martial arts in the first place so this is no surprise, but it couldn't have been at a worse time.

I run to my dresser and look through my underwear drawer for my throwing knives.

Gone.

SHIT!! Why couldn't she take everything at another time?

I hear more muffled movement from the bathroom. I move hastily over to the door to my room and very quietly open it. Looking out, I don't see anyone so I make a break for it. I take maybe five steps into the hall before I'm tackled from behind.

My first instinct is to scream, but that would alert the people in my bathroom if this isn't one of them. So I starting flailing around like a fish out of water. Kicking anything and everything in my reach since my arms were trapped under my body. I heard a grunt and found myself able to move again. I wondered why they didn't call out to their partners.

“Rayne!”

I turn back to the figure on the floor when I heard my name. “Father?”

“Yeah.”

I opened my mouth to apologize for the kick but he cut me off.

“No time for that we have to get to the elevator. Your mother's waiting for us there.” He replied.

“Where are Ali and Nik? Whats going on?” I ask.

“Ali and Nik went home ages ago and I have no idea.” He answered.

We came in sight of the elevator now and Mother was nowhere to be seen.

“Where's Mother?” I whisper.

“Right here.” A male voice answers.

A man with his face covered comes into the middle of the room holding my mother, with a knife to her throat. One of my knives.

“These are exquisite knives. I thank you for leaving them lying around for me to find.” The man laughs.

I clench my fists, seething. How dare he take my mother hostage with my own knife! I ready myself to lunge at him.

“Rayne. Don't do anything stupid. He knows how to use that knife.” Father warned.

“How observant. But these knives weren't made for your hand. How do you know how to hold one?” He asks.

“Because they were made for me. He's seen me throw them so many times he could probably do it in his sleep.” I snarl.

“Such fire. We can't have you lashing out at any of us.” The man laughed again.

With such speed that I hardly could follow he threw the knife. I barely had enough time to dodge, having it graze my left shoulder before embedding itself in the wall behind me.

“Rayne!” Father shouts rushing to me. Or tries to.

“Ah, ah, ah. I don't think so.” The man brandished another knife. “It is in her best interest that you stay put. The next one won't miss.”

While his eyes are on my father I reach back to grab the knife from the wall. I can't throw it because I could hit Mother but if another comes, I can defend myself and Father.

They must have heard my thoughts because out came three more people, all male.

“You might want to drop the knife, little girl. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your poor mother.” The man holding Mother sneered.

I narrowed my eyes further and caught Mother's eye, nodding just slightly to her. We may not understand each other on a superficial level but this was between a mother and her daughter, she knew what I was going to do.

Good thing even though she didn't approve of me fighting she practiced with me on somethings. I lifted my right hand slowly, the hand holding the knife. I made a move to put it on the floor.

“Good girl. Slid it over to me.” The man cooed. I hate being treated like an infant.

Half way to the floor I looked up and caught Mothers eye again, she nodded ever so slightly.

The next series of events happened so fast its like a blur. Mother slammed her foot into her captors instep then head butted him. He let go of her and she dropped to the floor, I spun on my heel and threw the knife at the man. I hit him in his throwing shoulder.

Now I was concerned about the other three trespassers. They rushed me. I let instinct take over and just started hitting everyone that came at me. Eventually, they got me pinned. Hey, it's three guys against one girl half their size and weight, gimme a break.

They had me pinned to the floor. My lip was split and bleeding, one was sitting on my back with both of my arms pinned to my back and another sat on my legs, not very comfortable at all. Mother and Father were huddled in a corner, the third guy pointing two guns at them.

“Spunky little whelp. You have a good arm, I won't be able to throw for a good month after that. But that doesn't mean I can't do other things.” The man that I threw the knife at said before walking over and kicking me square in the face.

I couldn't do much more than gasp for breath and try to blink the stars from my vision. I heard someone shout something. It sounded like Father but I really couldn't tell at the moment. I was fighting a losing battle for consciousness.

“Tie them up and get them down to the van. This is going to be fun.” The man laughed.

I was hauled to my feet and a blindfold was tied over my eyes and then my hands and feet were bound. I could hear Father and Mother struggling against their captors.

“None of that now. You wouldn't want anymore harm to come to your lovely daughter now would you.” The man said, still with laughter in his voice.

Then I felt a fist connect with my stomach and I was lost to the world.

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I woke up with a terrible headache. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but black and realized I was still blind-folded. I could hear though, and very well.

“The whelp still isn't awake.” A vaguely familiar voice said.

'I know that voice. Thats the guy that knocked me out!'

“She should be coming to soon. When she does put her with her parents. If they wont talk without her present, then we'll give them what they want. It's up to them whether she lives or dies.” Another voice responded. It sounded younger than the first, but with more authority.

Hearing this I started to move, quickly finding out that my wrists were bound to a wall by shackles and chains. Not only that but my ribs hurt like hell. One must be broken or cracked or something. I started yanking on the chains, not minding the pain and not really caring about all the noise I was making. They were tightly secured to the wall with no chance of coming off. Shit

“So you are awake.” Said a voice. “How much did you hear, I wonder?”

I could feel his breathe on my cheek and I shuddered from the unwanted closeness.

“I heard enough.” I reply, my voice hoarse.

“No hard feelings then. It's just business.” He laughed.

He unhooked the chains holding me from the wall. I tried to free myself from him, pulling on the chains and lashing out with my legs. He only laughed and yanked me to the ground with the chains cutting into my wrists. I grunt on pain and feel something warm trickle down my arms, with one thought in my mind.

'I won't cry out. I won't let him have the satisfaction of hearing me scream.'

He then forcibly pulled me out of the room and down a hall, I think, and into a new room. My nose was assaulted by the smell of blood and rotting flesh. I could feel the bile rise in my throat but pushed it back.

My blindfold was roughly pulled off and I found myself once again chained to a wall, hands above my head. I looked to my right and saw Mother and Father chained and blind-folded as well. Both had cuts and bruises adorning their bodies.

“Mother! Father!” I called.

I could see relief wash over their faces as they turned to the sound of my voice.

“Thank heavens you're alright, Rayne!” Mother exclaimed.

“Did they do anything to you?” Father asked.

“Nothing, yet.” He answered for me. “But if you continue to refuse to tell us what we want to know that can very well change. And I would so hate to mark up that pretty little face anymore than it already has been.”

“We've already told you! We have no idea what you're talking about! Hurting Rayne isn't suddenly going to bring the information to me!” Father roared.

“Ah, but I think you're lying.” He replied smoothly.

Just as fast as at my home, he threw a knife at me. Being unable to dodge I was hit in the side. It didn't hit anything vital so I wouldn't die, but fuck did it hurt!

'Don't scream! Don't give that bastard the satisfaction!'

I gasped for breathe and fought for consciousness. I vaguely distinguished Father screaming something over the rushing sound in my ears. And laughter. His laughter. He was laughing at my pain and fathers rage. I felt like screaming bloody murder at him, but I knew that would only make him enjoy it more. I was reduced to glaring and trying to physically assault him the best I could in this condition.

“Didn't like that did you? Why don't you scream? It might make the pain easier to bear. I know you want to.” He laughed, yanking the knife out of me with a violent twist.

I grit my teeth and when he moved away I spit in his face.

“Little bitch.” He hissed.

He raised his hand and backhanded me. The stars were back and I felt something warm trickle down my face, and there was a metallic taste in my mouth. Spitting out blood on my captors shoes I look into his face and smirk.

'You can beat me all you want. I'll never give in.' My mind and eyes said.

“We'll see how smart you are.” He all but growled.

“Leave her our of this! We don't know your names nor have we seen your faces. Let her go!” Father cried.

“We don't know what you're talking about. Please spare our daughter if nothing else.” Mother begged.

I had never heard my parents sound so defeated in all my life. They were giving up without even fighting. I still don't know what these guys want but I won't let them break me. Even if my parents already have.

“As long as I have her I have leverage over you.” He said, and then walked over to my parents and removed both their blindfolds.

I guess seeing me all bruised and bloody sparked some new fight in them because Father seemed to straighten in his bindings and Mother's eyes quickly became blazing pools of fire. He walked back over to my and pinched my cheek.

“And we know how much parents don't want to see their children hurt.” He laughed.

As he was pulling his hand away I snapped my head out and bit him. I tasted blood and knew I had broken the skin. I released his hand when I felt a fist collide with my temple and tried to spit out as much of the offending substance as I could.

“Stupid little wench!” He punched me in the gut again and slapped me for good measure. “You will regret that, whelp.” He hissed.

I know this is going to sound stupid but I just smirked at him again, spitting out more blood, this time mostly my own.

I really didn't know what was to come.

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I have no idea how long I've been here. I've only known darkness and pain. And screams. Not my own,but my parents screams. I haven't said a single word since my first day here and then can you consider 'I heard enough' really all that much talking?

Mother and Father have been very vocal. I hear them all the time. Screaming. Crying. Begging. Bargaining. The worst part is we've been separated. I haven't seen them in so long. I can't even tell if the screaming is part of my imagination and their dead or if they're really still alive. I hope the latter.

Our captor has yet to reveal his face to me and even though he has asked I have no idea what he wants. Some artifact. There are millions of artifacts in the world. How the fuck am I supposed to know what one he wants?

I hear footsteps outside the door. I start to shake, knowing there is pain to come. I don't fear him, only what he can do. Fear of a person is stupid, fearing someones actions is smart. I have broken ribs and cuts everywhere. I know he can do more. Things much worse than broken bones and stab wounds.

The footsteps retreat and I relax slightly. Its hard to relax when your feet are dangling a foot off the floor. Did I forget to mention my prison has altered? When I had footing and something to brace against I managed to use the wall and floor break some flunkies nose. So now I'm dangling by my wrists in the middle of a room. I've tried to pull the chains out of the ceiling which only resulted in more injuries. I'm sure my wrists no longer resemble anything close to a human body part. Blood always seems to be seeping down my arms.

I'm surprised I haven't died of blood lose and thirst by now. I haven't eaten or drunk anything since before we were kidnapped.

Death looked really inviting in times like these. I know thats the cowards way out, but at the moment being a coward never looked better.

A chill wind blew in from some crack in the wall, stinging like crazy when it reached my back. Yesterday I had been whipped. Punishment for trying to bite him again. This was a time when I was happy to be dangling in the middle of the room. Sure my wrists hurt but my back hurt more and I would rather not be chained to the wall.

Footsteps outside the door brought me back to reality, away from dreams of death. My happy thoughts. My captor came striding into the room. Something was wrong.

I could see his face. He had short spiky blond hair, cold blue eyes inside a face chiseled from stone.

My eyes widen in realization of what this meant. There was no way we were getting out alive, and no one was coming for us.

“The circumstances of our situation have changed. You are no longer being searched for and therefore will be disposed of as soon as we get the information we need.” He smirked.

“Now you're scared. I can see it in your eyes.” He laughed.

He ran his fingers up and down my back trying to elicit a scream from my broken body. I clenched my teeth and winced slightly in pain. He dug a finger into a particularly deep slash and I nearly lost the on going battle for consciousness right there.

“From now on I won't hold back.” He whispered in my ear with a cold laugh.

With me being chained up like I am, we were now face to face. I could smell his rancid breath on my face and neck. His hands wandered freely over my body. I tried kicking him but he easily avoided the hit. I barely had any strength left to fight. His hands continued their perusal of my body. Touching me where they shouldn't.

I hate this man more than anything. But I fear what he could do more than anything.

Fear was my downfall. My courage left me when I needed it most.

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