SIX

  MY eyelids feel heavy, too stiff to open. Tenderly flicking my lashes up, the vision before me is the blurry connection of elements. I can't comprehend if my mind is playing games with me.

Where am I?

I strive to reach up, but the pang in my head suspends me. A hammering twinge seizes my skull, thudding non-stop. I breathe softly in pain and wrestle myself to sit up. I inhale sharply. Spontaneously, I lick my lips and toss my head back. Fortunately, there is a supporter...the wall. Memory gradually hits me, electrifying a wave of umbrage down my system. I yank up, however, something ceases me, I grit my teeth in frustration and attempt over and over, but all are abortive. I look down and discover that my hands are tied behind me and my legs in bondage.

Who is the motherfucker that did this to me?!

I feel stymie, I sniff out and catch sight of the blonde at a corner. Her eyes are close. The cloth on her mouth has been substitute by Scotch tape, which seals her mouth up instead of severing it the way the cloth did. Her golden curls are all over her face. Who is she? Why is she here? Is either I've been abduct or I'm in the wrong house and they assume I broke in for a heist. I close my eyes and gurgle some prayers. Maybe Mom is always right, prayer solves everything. What trouble have I landed myself?

My lips quiver.

"Christ, help me, please help me." I pray under my breath.

My eyelashes glint up when I hear soaring footsteps. The blonde shift feebly, she squishes her eyes before lifting her eyelids. Within a sec, her sapphire blue eyes hold mine, ogling at each other in silence. The footsteps get heavier and nearer, driving our connected eyes apart. My heart races as I swallow hard. What or whosoever is coming, is the one that's holding me in captive. I close my eyes, not ready to meet any spooky-looking being. The footsteps get proximal and this time I feel a warm breath ruffling my face, I inhale. After some minutes, it stops and the heat dies off.

"Were you bored, Stella?" I hear a husky voice asking.

I open my eyes to take a peep. I see his back. He's dressed in a black leather jacket and pants. His solid body arches in her front.

"Looks like you got a company," his face reels to me with a smirk plastered on it. I tremble in fear.

He tacks back to her, "does your leg still hurts?" His large hand grips her left leg roughly. His skin is inked.

"Oh! You can't talk," Rather than providing a response, she glowers at him.

"Don't give me that look, it's not profiting either of us." He has dark curls that are really long which he packs up with a blue feminine ribbon. Stella is, however, getting upset by this man, even with her lips sealed, I feel she hates him with every nerve in her. She is a victim.

"You just have to chill with me, Stella... Just a little more time, babe," he whispers softly as he holds her face. He kisses her forehead.

What kinda psycho is this?

This man is really crazy. Why on earth will he have the woman he loves in captive on top of the ceiling tied-up? I believe we humans are supposed to care and cherish the ones we love, not treating them sorely. What kinda relationship can this be referred to? Did he really have his wife or girlfriend tied down? There is no way this man is Jeremy's uncle. I must have really entered the wrong house and poked my snoopy nose into this mess.

"Okay!" Uprising, he adjusts his jacket's sleeve closing up the tattoo then he makes a rotation to me, I scoot back in fear but, it's in vain as I stand no chance against the chains.

He is a giant, his head that scraps the wooden roofing when he rises up proves it all. His boots make a thundering ring as he bounces to me. I creep back shivering, the cold wall presses against my skin. I wish the wall can have an opening and swallow me. His green eyes capture mine. He progresses down on his knees giving me full details of his face. Forest green eyes, narrowed nose with a small cut like a stitch and thick hair covering his chin up to the skin between his lips and nose, broaden his manly angles. He's attractive- He sort of resembles Jeremy, the dark curls though.

"I...I...I." I shut my mouth quickly as I can't make up some words to back up the reason why I'm here.

Jeremy, where are you? Where the hell are you? I shut down my eyes and whimper softly, as the twinge in my head pulls in force leaving me no choice but to cry.

"Ouch! The little angel is crying." A warm touch on my face dislodges me to reality. I flick my eyes open.

His hand moves slowly to my head, I repel his touch feeling insecure. I've heard about girls getting molested sexually and there is no way I'm going to be a victim of that. He gapes, hazily down at me when I use my head to nudge his hand away. Like he didn't care, he recommences his exploration with his hand.

What a shameless ravisher!

I deeply wish I can bite him or slap his dirty perverting hand away, on the other hand, I bore timorously at him. His hand wanders through my hair in a very meek manner. I groan in pain as he touches a particular spot that sends a string of pain down to my toes.

"You're bleeding," he declares low, looking affected by the wound. He brings his hand down to my face. I watch my own blood soak in his long and lean fingers. The only time I'm used to this much blood like this from my body is always my period.

"I will get the first aid," he adds quickly, that I didn't notice him walking away until I can't see his silhouette.

I wheeze in relief.

•••

When he arrives, he is grasping a first aid kit. I watch him unbuckles the red box, it's so similar to the one at home.

"This is gonna hurt a little." he cites softly, plucking out the cotton wool and a bottle with a colorless substance inside. Before I can fathom anything, he is treating my wound and I keep speculating within me if he tied me down.

"Who are you?" I inquire and his hand whisks my wound, I whine in pain. He withdraws his hand and looks intently at me. His brows are full almost in unison and his green eyes pierce into my soul, anger flits through those eyes but, it swims away almost immediately.

"More like why you are in my domicile?" He retreats to the box and retrieves a gauze.

"Why are you here, Haley?" he interrogates, while he uses the gauze to cover my head. I swerve as he mentioned my name.

How did he know my name? Who is this man?

He laughs at my awkwardness. After that, he didn't say anything he just continues. He latches the box and migrates, leaving me in a puzzle.

I'm a hostage and my holder knows my name.

I glance around to check if Stella is awake, she just gawks at me.

"Psst," I whistle, calling her. Her long curls are clinging cumbrous on her head giving her a distress look.

She can't talk, so I opt-out. I sob, condemning myself for my catastrophe.

I'm nonsensical to advance into a hazard when there is evidence that it's precarious. I mull over what my Mom will be engaged in or what she will do when she grasps I'm missing.

He re-enters with a familiar bottle of water. I recall getting one of it earlier.

"As much as I would love to wipe you off, I still have to take care of you." he smirks while I shooting him some of my diggers looks.

He holds an unusual pale-colored pills under my nose, I distaste the smell, "it's gonna lessen the sinus headache." he motives me to swallow it.

I open my mouth ajar trusting him, the tasteless pills dissolves in my mouth. I boost him to pour the water which he does.

I look at him, swishing the acrid water in my mouth with anguish then spew the liquid in my mouth on his face. His eyes shut in reflex. He inclines silent. I gulp wearily, blazing at him.

"Untie me." I instruct him, dauntlessly.

He didn't reply, his eyes still cease and his face redden.

"I said untie-" Before I can finish my phrase, I feel his muscular grip on my neck and he proceeds by smashing my head on the wall, manufacturing an ache in my whole body. I endeavor to holler, howbeit, my vocal has been grapple. I struggle since I'm unable to hold his hand that grasping my neck as a result of my status. Tears mold in my tear glands. He is depressing my life, so if something refuses to take place I will be dead.

"Pl-ease," I scuffle to form the word, his murderous eyes bore at me, flaming with anger.

"Please." I plead again. I find it hard to breathe as I sense my soul gliding out of the window of my body.

A sudden knock gives hope of life to me.

He didn't stop, finally, the tears slip down my face.

His hand left my neck and I start coughing.

"Don't try that with me again, this is not your palace!" his warm fury breath blows my face.

He vanishes from sight.