Eighty Nine

I wasn't dead. My eyelids were heavy, and I was cold.it was all too dark, and I could barely see. I moved my hands, and it moved, and my legs moved too. The last I remember was that I was pushed into a vehicle, and that seemed like an eternity ago.

I grunted in pain as I pushed off my bruised knees. I was an idiot. I should have waited. I should have called Kyle. He warned me not to go anywhere without him. Paige warned me too. Now I've failed her. I'm caged in here by God knows who, and I won't be able to help her out of there. What is a disaster?!

Once I was on my feet, I ripped off the tape on my mouth. Did they expect me to sleep forever? 

Tch...

I took in my surroundings. I was in a cage at one end of a closed basement, and a dim lantern on the side of the space cast just enough light to see dark walls.

"Shit!" I gasped. The heat the lantern created was just too unbearable, and I thought that it was the intended torture by my captives.

Someone moaned softly. I spuned and gasped when I realized I wasn't alone in the cage.

At the back corner, a man sat, head buried in his crouch and chained from head to toe. 

Another Prisoner. Hm…

I moved closer to him until I was two feet away. If not for his muscular features, which were very visible in dim light, to have thought he was a lady. His full long hair covered his knees, I rarely see men with hair nowadays.

"Can you hear me?" I said softly.

He didn't speak or move. I waited another few minutes, then I pulled my hands under his chin to lift his head up. My shocked eyes took in the finely chiseled cheek bones and perfect brows. He looked like a cartoon character. 

What an understatement?

This person is probably in his twenties. His eyelids flickered and slowly opened to reveal sapphire blue eyes that seemed strangely familiar. Although, I was certain that I had never seen him before. We stared at each other in silence until I finally spoke.

"You can't talk?"

"You just got here?" He said in a whisper that sounded hoarse from disuse.

"I… Yes." I said. "I'm just wondering. Why are you chained and I am not?"

He stared at me silently for a while, as if contemplating whether to speak to me or not.

"You can't escape anyway. Who are you?" He finally raised his head and rest it on the wall. I took a seat by his side, grateful to God for providing me a companion. Else, I'd just die of boredom here. 

Well, that's if they'll keep me here for a long time. I thought.

I didn't want to think about the worst that could happen to me. I knew Kyle would find me. 

It's just a matter of time.

"Kamila. And you?"

He sighed. And I guessed he was just too tired to speak, 

"How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to be sick and tired. I do not count days here. "

"Oh…" I felt something in my shirt pocket and I had to check. My recorder, tape recorder. I usually have a small recorder in my pocket, anywhere I go. Since I took up the Paige's case. They took all I had on me, but didn't see this!

I took the recording in my hands, staring thankfully at how small it was and how it had managed to save all I collected concerning Paige's confessions.

"What is that?" He asked. 

"Tape recorder. It's my biggest asset now."

"Why do you have that?"

"Why are we here? Do you know who are captives are?" I ignored his question, rushing my own questions as it came to my mind.

"I know them. But I don't know why they have you. "

"I guess I stepped on the wrong toes." I said sadly. "I was just doing my job. I got a threat letter at first. I didn't report it. Until, they caught me. I'm trying not to be scared."

He smiled, and I got infected, I smiled too. He's cute!

"I sense that it's not my time yet. I'm still young and haven't had enough fun. I need to have kids before I die. Do you think they're going to kill me?"

He smiled again, and I was forced to ask why.

"Why are you smiling?"

"You sound like someone I use to know."

"Oh…" I blushed. "That happens. I'm serious, though. Do they kill…"

"Why do you think they took you? What did you do?" He yawned.

"There's this case I'm working on. You wouldn't have heard the news because you are here. A lady allegedly killed her father. I had this guy feeling that there was a bigger story behind it and…" I swallowed, already feeling dry. "I took the case. That was some weeks ago. It's no longer a gut feeling, but the truth. And even after that threat letter, I could not stop. I got caught while getting the evidence from her house."

"You're a detective?"

"A lawyer." I guessed whatvhus next words will be,, so I continued, "No one was willing to investigate on the case. She called the police on herself,, so they say it's a done deal. If I didn't take it, she's probably have been sent to hang without proper justice. Obviously, I'll have to do all the work," He was quiet.

"What are you thinking?"

"Who died and who is your client?"

"The Kam. You should know them. Only if you've been here all your life."

"Why should I believe you?" He looked as if he was trying to force on a new reality, and I wondered why he was so suddenly concerned.

"You don't have to. We might as well die here. It doesn't matter if I say the truth or not."

He groaned, then went to silence.

I hissed. He's boring!

"You haven't mentioned your name."

"Damien." I heard a muffled cry.