NOT MY HOME

A LOUD exchange of gunshots was heard not far from where Faith is which causes her heart to pound uncontrollably, her entire being getting fed with anxiety and fear all together. She has both her hands covering her ears to lessen the firing sounds as she was still held captive by the man who was holding a gun against her awhile ago inside his slick black Audi Q8.

The two of them sat at the back seat side-by-side, the only difference was that the man was casually scrolling on his phone, while Faith sat there quietly and chose not to utter a word or two as she suffers from fear and anxiety. There were also three to four of the same car they were in outside with two to three men with big guns standing right about the dark-colored vehicles, they were sometimes whispering something in their in-ear pieces as she was able to see them right before she was shoved inside the backseat of the car.

There were no words exchanged, it was slightly intoxicating for Faith as she honestly—even if she doesn't want to admit it—finds the menacious man quite attractive in a very unacceptable way yet she also finds the silence that seated with them a bit comforting—since she isn't required to spoke or utter any word at that and can mainly focus with calming her screaming emotions inside her system.

At that moment, an immediate knock on the window made Faith held her head up just to see the man from before get onto the driver's seat who then closes the door so casually. Her attention was fixated on that man that the unanticipated bump in the trunk behind her seat took her by surprise which made her look back to see what it was, only to find one of the suited men closed the back door; it was as if something heavy was placed in there.

"Don't worry about who's back there…" the man with the icy gaze spoke, not throwing Faith any glance, but Faith caught something off about what the man had said and she was about to throw a question about it when the man continued.

"…worry about what's going to be your answer." That's when the man gave her a glance, his orbs glinted a dangerous shade as he stares intrudingly at the ones she owns. Faith felt a cold and chilly feeling covered her entire body; she can silently breathe a little deep to calm herself.

As the engine roared indicating that they were leaving, Faith internally weeps as she slowly realizes that there would be no way out in this whole situation she's in. Because back in the club, where her friends were and probably doesn't have any idea where she is right now and what has happened to her, there also rests her belongings; her phone, she actually left her phone, meaning even if her friends would be sober by tomorrow or by any minute now, they won't be able to contact her—well, can, but she clearly doesn't have the phone with her—so, it will be useless.

THE car stopped in front of a very shabby and worn-out place. When its engine roared off, Faith took a deep breath as she tries to scan what's outside the tinted car windows. She was caught off guard and felt frozen on her seat when a very familiar weapon was pressed at the side of her head.

"Get off, love…" the man said, putting a much force on the way the gun is being pressed against Faith's temple.

"I'll help you settle your choice." The man continued as he gave Faith a wink.

Faith nodded hesitantly as she tried so hard to keep herself calm and with her fidgety hands, she opened the door on her side and slowly went out of the car; Faith took in her surroundings as a very moldy smell welcome her sense of smell. She was about to take a step a little further to see the place more but she was harshly pulled back with a quick grab; Faith's back ended up against the man's built front frame with his arm firmly rested above her chest.

"You're not planning to escape, right Love." The whispered to Faith who immediately withdraw a breath as she felt the man's breath fanned over the skin of her nape. She clutched the man's arm with both her little hands, pulling it off to no avail.

"Stop trying, you know you can't escape me. Even if you try your hardest." The man continued more before dragging Faith with him to which Faith can't refuse with her withering might.

As she was being dragged, she took notice of the multiple cars parked just beside the ones they were in and well, men with big guns and their unusual choice of clothing. Some of these men walked before them and some after them. They were headed to the run-down building which takes quite a few walks from where the cars were. As for Faith's case, she is really trying to keep up with the monster strides of the man who is, by any chance, won't allow her to escape.

Stepping into the old building was like stepping into a whole other world. It was like venturing onto a set of old train tracks and following them as far as they'd take you; Faith notices the grass peeking up between the slats and the bits where the metal was rusted and broken. The building seemed to shudder in the wind and sway if some rain would attack it. There were also some rusted and dusty furniture pieces that seemed perfectly at home within the building's vine-covered walls.

It was a complete mess, to put it nicely. From outside the boarded windows, the shabby wood paneling, and the pealing door that was bolted with iron rods, all looked scary and threatening enough to keep Faith's creeping chills in check. However, behind the scary exterior, the innards were equally destroyed, if not worse off.

At that moment, Faith was startled when the man with icy blue orbs lifted her effortlessly by her small waist and placed her on top of an obsolete table which made her suck in a breath. The man parted her knees and stood in between her legs. He runs both his hands through Faith's hair down to her jaw and stopping there. Faith felt a tear escaped her eye when the man motioned her head to look up to him; their eyes immediately found each other's gaze.

"Ready?" the man asked as he looked straight into Faith's eyes drowning her with sustained fear and it only doubled over when the man's full lips stretched into a very crazed smile showing his pearly white set of teeth. A loud thump was soon heard which made Faith jolt a bit. This sudden move coming from Faith made the man look at her amusedly.

"So, let's just get right to it then…" the man then moved away from Faith just to reveal a breathing person lying down with his face on the moldy and dirty floor.

"This man…" the man started again, moving towards the layperson. He stopped and looked intently at Faith whose teary eyes were already trained on him; he smirked when a tear fell from her eye once again. He then slowly crouched down, his eyes not leaving the gaze of Faith as he cruelly grabs a handful of the man's hair and lifted it up to reveal the man's beaten to a pulp's face.

"Oh—God…" Faith covered her mouth with both of her hands as she can't handle the situation laid before her very eyes.

"No, no, no, Love…" the man said as he shook his head in a sing-song manner. "This man ain't no God at all, he's human." The man stated as he harshly threw the man's head back down, facing the floor.

"So…" the man stood up and took a few strides towards Faith. "Before anything else, may I know your name, Love?" the man asked tilting his head as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why—do you—ask?" Faith replied between sobs. She's trying really hard to hold her tears but she just couldn't.

"Why…" the man repeated as he furrowed his eyebrows at Faith. He took a deep breath as if irritated before running a hand through his blonde hair. "This is why." The man then snapped his finger and pointed to the man lying down on the floor.

Faith watched as three men went to the poor man and made him lie down on his back so that he's facing the ceiling. One of them reached something inside his coat, only to pull out a sharp medium size folding pocket knife. The next thing that happened wasn't something Faith would see in the entirety of her existence. An excruciating and loud bellow came from the man then cries of pain followed as his left foot was mutilated.

Faith, at this state, is definitely balling her eyes out. She's shaking from agitation and sobbing from the contagious aghast from what she has witnessed. She can only cover her face with her hands as she breathes in what she had cried out accompanied by the continuous painful weeping of the poor man.

"Now. Name." Faith heard the man utter those two words with strong intonation; she instantly feared for her life. This man is seriously dangerous and from what she had seen just now, he also has high authority and power to put someone into an agonizing experience with just a snap of his fingers.

"Faith. My name is—Faith." Faith said in an almost whisper-like voice, restraining herself to sob even more.

"Faith…" the man softly called out to her which made her train her gaze at him who already got his eyes staring back at her. "I like your name." the man gave off an approving smile which Faith finds unusual.

"So, as I was saying. That man, he would help you to decide whether…" the man strides towards Faith, "you wanna die or live with me." He continued, now standing in front of the Faith.

"How will he help me?" Faith said sobbing.

"Good question. Well, it's like this—" the man folded his hands together then continued, "if you don't answer me properly or I didn't like your answer, he will most probably lose another limb." The man smiled at Faith.

"Why—why are you doing this?" Faith asked sobbing.

"Nope. Wrong answer, Faith…" the man displayed a disappointed look before motioning to his men again, "get rid of the right hand."

As an immediate result, another dreadful and agonizing scream was heard. The man was ridden off of his right hand in an instant. Faith, not being able to take more of the gruesome mistreatment being done to the poor man, pushed herself off of the table and landed on her two feet.

With the will to help the man, she brought her hands to the man's chest to push him away. She took her first two steps only to be pulled abruptly back by the same man; her back ended up pressed against the man's torso.

"Let me go, please. Stop this." Faith cried as she can't do anything to fight off the man who got his strong arms around her waist.

"Wrong." The man said and with just that, Faith watched in horror as the man with the pocket knife cut-off the poor man's other hand. She felt herself choke at how cold-blooded it was done. The poor man cried out for the third time as he can't do anything now about the limbs he just lost.

"Please, let me go…" Faith trashed out and writhed more only to hear that same word from the man who held her firmly on the waist.

"Wrong." It was strongly delivered, the man surely wanted Faith to see the power he has because if Faith would continue with her hopeless little act of bravery, this man would end up in random pieces. And to his expectation, she keeps giving the wrong answer and as for the man he keeps losing another limb.

After another,

And another,

And another, until;

"Stop!" Faith cried out, sobbing hardly. She got both her hands clutching the man's arm as she supported her already losing balance with it. This is my fault, this is my entire fault. She wordlessly blamed herself at the back of her mind. The man cried repeatedly because of pure agonizing pain until Faith can't hear him anymore. He's dead because of me.

"Just—please…" she breathed.

"Please what? I can't understand if you don't—"

"Just take me anywhere but here, please. I'm—I'm begging you." Faith lets go of the man's arm and brought her hands up to cover her face.

Before her lies a strongly mutilated man bathing in his own blood, eyes wide open staring above the ceiling, mouth agape, his face express clear pain and agony, his detached limbs rests near him as he was now lifeless. The three men who did the operation stood and left then soon came back with two large duffel bags in hand.

Faith felt the man untangle his arms around her waist and soon after she felt him ducked down only to realize what he was about to do. The man put his arms behind Faith's knees and lifted her up effortlessly off the floor. "Is that another way of telling me that you chose to live with me?" the man asked as he lightly pressed his forehead against Faith's temple to console her.

"Yes…" Faith quietly answered as she felt the man moved; she then buried her face in the man's chest. But she quickly thought of something and decided to ask the man away.

"Can—can I ask for your name?" her words were muffled as she has her face still buried against the man's chest but the man was able to make-up what she wants to say.

"Mikhael."

WHEN the car made a left-turn, Faith sobbed to herself ever so quietly. Her puffy eyes wondering outside the heavily tinted windows as her orbs danced lightly with the lights from every post the car passes by. When the car stopped in front of an enormous black gate, Faith's eyes become more frantic as she is now starting to get an uneasy feeling; at that moment, she heard the gate open and the car went in.

Ivy and ferns grew through the crevices of the old winding stone path, which led directly to the colossal structure. The mansion loomed proudly behind a mix of strong brown and gold iron gates, flanked by rows of skeletal trees crowned in crimson, swaying gently to the chilly wind. At its threshold stood the delicate marble fountain, the soft gurgling of the clear water melodic as it resonated in the surrounding silence.

Faith is now trying to be more observant of her surroundings but her eyes can only make up a few shadows on what's inside as the car's windows were heavily tinted. She flinched when the man sitting beside her and is silent a few hours ago called out her name.

"Faith…" Mikhael started, shifting a little bit in his seat to face Faith whose puffy eyes were already trained at him.

"Welcome to your new home." He smirked slightly before he stretches his hand to lightly brush-off the hair that is sticking to Faith's face due to her crying which is something that Mikhael is fully aware of.

"This place will never be my home…" Faith said a bit stronger than her usual tone before slapping Mikhael's hand away. Even though she has an admiration for the man, she disliked the way he is. Especially, she can still see everything that happened in that abandoned place vividly as if it was playing right before her very eyes till now.

"Well, whether you want to make my home as your new home or the other way around, it's not like you have a fucking choice." Mikhael fired back in his as-a-matter-of-fact voice. He then fixed his coat before straightening himself on his seat before the car went to a full stop in front of a very modern-state manorial mansion.

"I hope you'll immediately get used to living here because I don't have any plans of letting or making you leave." As soon as Mikhael has said those words, the doors on either side of where they were seated were opened by Mikhael's men.

Faith took in some breath before letting herself out of the car. She then saw the other cars being parked simultaneously as men inside the vehicles are helping themselves out of the car as well—of course with their guns and all that—she was thrown back to her senses when one of Mikhael's men gripped her thin arms with his strong pair of hands. Faith remained calm and huff some air to calm her nerves and for her to make use of what was left of her senses.

"You don't really need to be this harsh on me." Faith said looking over her shoulders to the man towering behind her. The man didn't say anything and remained his grip around her shoulders.

"Let her," Mikhael said sounding more like a command. He was now in front of Faith with four men before him. Faith then felt her arms free from the iron grip and she immediately brought up her hands to massage them a bit. I hope this won't leave a bruise. She thought to herself.

"Walk." The man behind Faith said making her jolt a little. Making a small nod as a response, she started taking a few steps behind Mikhael; an evident space between both of them.

Even though she is taken here with her consent but under formidable circumstances, she genuinely adored the mansion before her. The enormous place has a light cream bricked Victorian exterior. She almost forgot the beauty the front yard garden emits as it looks perfectly elegant.

The house looked almost as if it was natural as it was blended into the green garden by the ivy clambering up its side. It's like a fortress, with tall gates with more security gadgets than a military compound that the more she tries to see every little detail, the more men with guns appear. Faith was so engrossed with the exterior appeal of the place that she didn't see the uneven part of the ground where she's walking which resulted in her trip herself forward.

Closing her eyes to ready herself for the impact—yet, it didn't come. What happened is that, she is now maintaining her balance against Mikhael's back frame with both of her small hands clutching either side of his coat like her life depended on it. He stood there—unmovable; his back still facing the clumsy girl who is kind of looks like back-hugging him in front of all his men—Mikhael cleared his throat and soon after felt Faith's warmth dissipating from his body.

"I—I'm sorry, I didn't me—"

"Next time, use your eyes properly." Mikhael cuts her off, still, has his back facing Faith who has a small scowl on her angelic face.

"I am using them properly..." she whispered to herself only to be caught off guard when Mikhael abruptly turned around to face her.

Faith kept her lips shut as she trained her orbs onto Mikhael's icy one which is getting colder by every passing second. He studied Faith's face for a while which felt like centuries for Faith until he flashed his knowing smirk before turning again—facing front—then continued walking, passing his four men before him who were now trailing behind him. Faith immediately lets go of her breathing that she didn't she was holding in. Why does he have this effect on me, it's irritating.

"Walk." The man behind Faith threw that one-word command again which made her look up to him for a bit before obliging herself to follow.

Faith again took in the beauty of the exterior of the place, this time taking more cautious as she doesn't want to stumble again. She also accepted the fact that even though this place seems nice and warm, she can't rule out the fact that the people living inside this place sure is cold-blooded killers—or more likely, the mafia.

Entering the house by starlight the black and cream walls stood in perfect strength, the light from within shining upon the wide and red-carpeted pathway. The house was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. The floor was old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and the walls were the cream. The house was indeed has a hint of Elizabethan taste, with wooden panels along the corridors and ornate chandeliers.

Upon the walls were expensive-looking paintings of old bearded men in tunics and ruffs, ladies in their extravagant long gowns and puff-laced dresses and others of some sort; so obviously well-groomed. The grand stairs of brown and gold at the center was a sight to see, tamed by the carpenter's hand and above it was a very brilliant and gigantic golden chandelier Faith has ever seen.

There are many other stairs which might lead to more other unknown rooms with a rug spread out over flagstones and a fireplace big enough to park a car in. A long polished wooden table that had been set in a very enormous kitchen never escaped Faith's very observant eyes. All the more she took in the vast place; she was drowned in awe and wonder. She was taken out of her imaginative reverie when she heard a very commanding baritone voice.

"...okay. I'll be there in five." It was Mikhael talking with someone on the phone. Just by hearing those simple words, Faith can infer that it is something serious—more likely, she felt his voice to be raised in a lethal tone. As soon as the call was ended, Mikhael faced where Faith stood her ground with the man who is—she would like to take as someone who is assigned to keep her in check—Mikhael threw a simple glance to her then to the man; his eyes turning a bit colder.

"Bring her to her room and don't let her escape," Mikhael commanded with his voice becoming darker that it made a shiver on Faith's nape down to her spine.

"Yes, Boss." The man behind her immediately attended to Mikhael's command. Even though the said man is far taller and bigger than Mikhael himself, the man seems to have a handful of respect for the latter man.

"And you—just make sure you don't make a fuss around here. I'll be gone for a short while." Mikhael said as he took a few looming steps towards Faith who's eyes are now locked with his. He nodded provokingly towards Faith as he waited for her response.

"What makes you think that I'll be capable enough to make such a bold move in this place full of armed men?" Faith said in her guarded voice. She doesn't want to make the man felt like she's shouting at him as a tad irritation found its way to her system and she also doesn't want him thinking that she's cowering just because.

"Good enough. I'll be off then." And with just that, Mikhael walked past Faith towards the door where they entered a few moments ago with a much larger number of men following behind him.

When she trained her eyes up front, she can only watch as Mikhael with his men disappear through the main door as it closes soon after behind the last of the men. As everything now started to sink in, she breathed heavily as she knew that going inside this place might mean that she won't be coming out any time soon.

"If you please follow me." the man behind Faith said which made her turn around and look at him. The man has this small hand gesture but his face stayed blank.

"Can you at least tell me your name? So, I'll know what to call you." Faith asked as she tried to flash a small smile towards the towering man.

"If you follow me to your designated room, I might think of it." The man simply replied which made Faith huff in a breath.

"Okay, fine. Lead the way please." Faith immediately surrendered as she felt so damn exhausted from just everything that happened to her day. Maybe she can regain her senses if she let herself rest a little.