Ninety Seven- Escape

Ninety Seven- Escape


ROSALINE PIERCE

True to his word, late at night, my escape was executed. With an awful-smelling blanket covering my head, two cops, who definitely sold their integrity to help that fake Nathaniel, led me out of my cell.

Oh well… It’s thanks to them that I’m finally stepping outside after days in that terrible space. I shouldn't nag about their morals.

As I enjoyed the feel of the night breeze against my legs, I sensed that we were approaching a car. 

“Enter,” one of them roughly ordered.

The blanket was lifted from my head. 

“You didn’t try any funny shit, did you?” Fake Nathaniel asked when our eyes made contact. 

I scoffed. 

One of the cops released my hands from the cuffs, and I entered the passenger seat, my eyes irritated by the heap of dirt in the vehicle. As I managed to kick the multitude of cigarette butts, empty beer cans and burger wrappers aside, I noticed that the lace panties I saw last time were securely wrapped around his right wrist, like a second skin. 

“Interesting.” I slammed the door shut. “You must love using women’s undies as accessories."

“Oh. This…” His crazy gaze wrinkled into a smile. “It’s a gift from Sarah.”

“Ahh.” My face turned to the other side so he wouldn’t see how disgusted I was. “I see.”

“You really didn’t try funny shit, did you?” His subtle excitement turned serious. 

“I’m not stupid. This is my only chance to be free.”

“Good.”

“Where are we headed?” I asked. If he doesn’t give the response I expect, I’d have to cajole him to take me to where Sarah is. 

“You said you wished to see Sarah,” he answered, and my soul jumped in excitement that the plan was coming together finely. “I need you to talk some sense into her. She’s refusing to acknowledge that I’m Nathaniel.”

“Sarah has always been a stubborn one, you should know that.”

“I do.”

While discussing this plan with my mother, she mentioned a sure-fire way for my location to be tracked without drawing this fake Nathaniel’s suspicion. The prison doctor, who owed her some sort of favour, injected me with some tracker liquid. And while I’m hoping my insides don’t explode or something, I can’t wait for this idiot’s schemes to fall apart. 

I just need to make him believe that I’m on his side till everything's over. 

So, I asked, “Are you Mrs. Storm’s hidden child?”

“Mrs. Storm?” The car revved and we began moving. 

“Evelyn Storm.”

“Oh.” He laughed. “She was never my mother. She abandoned me and clung to the bastard you know as Nathaniel.”

“You were abandoned,” I repeated. 

“You don’t know, do you?” 

His excitement was taunting someone… Nathaniel, I think. 

“Know what?” I asked.

“That Nathaniel and I…” He fiercely swerved the car at the next turn. “We are not Edward’s children.”

“Huh?” My entire body faced him. “Edward’s not Nathaniel’s father?”

“Think about it. While you were fucking him, didn’t he seem weird about Nathaniel?”

“Yeah…” I especially recalled how he coldly refused to visit Nathaniel following his accident. “That’s true.”

“If only that bastard had married you. If he had done as Edward Storm asked, all this shit wouldn't be happening. I can’t complain, though.” He laughed again. “I’m about to go from abandoned to redeemed. Once I become Nathaniel Storm, the son Edward desires to have, everything will be back to normal.”

I always sensed a wicked aura around Edward, but I never thought much of it.

“No!” I gasped loudly. “Was that why…” When Evelyn hit her head after catching us together, he hesitated to take her to the hospital. It seemed he wanted her dead on the spot.

“Why what?”

“Nothing. Just realising a few things.” As I shook my head to stop myself from worrying about Edward’s terrible nature and the reason behind it, I recalled the one person I’ve been intensely worried about. “Have you by chance heard from my Dad?”

“How’s that my business?”

“Never mind.” It’s super worrying that he didn’t show up even once.

Being overwhelmed by the kidnapping antics of this fake Nathaniel, I was unable to ask my mother to confirm if my Dad was fine or not. It would hurt to learn that he stayed away on purpose, but at least I would be assured that he’s alive and well.

“Did you…” The man resumed talking in a low voice. “Did you receive another visitor besides me?”

Is he suspecting something?

“What if I did?”

“That bastard… I think he’s been making some moves since he escaped.”

“Did you expect him to sit still? His…” I hurriedly stopped myself. I was about to mention that Sarah and Raya were missing. If I had said that, he would instantly figure out that something's wrong. “He is probably confused.”

“I have to speed things up.” His eyes gently darted towards me. “You’ll help with Sarah, right? If she doesn’t cooperate, my plan will fall apart.”

“I will.” I set all worries about my father aside while observing the insane man beside me. “I don’t have a choice.”

As I hoped that my mother had found a means to ensure our car was being followed, I prepared my mind for the worst. And in the worst… I might have to kill someone. 

\~~~

SARAH PIERCE

Weakly and for the millionth time, my fist hit the rusty door, my burning eyes unable to blink.

“Please…” I begged again, but even my ears could barely tell if I actually said something. 

After another weak knock, I gave up and pushed my legs back to the bed, my shaky legs no longer minding the wet mess on the floor, my entire senses numb to the terrible state of the room. 

At this point, all I want is freedom. And water. And food. And to see my Raya. 

But, I’m starting to think that I might not get those things. The silence I’ve gotten in response to my incessant pleas has discouraged me so much that I’m losing all hope.

My face pressed to the mattress, I knelt by the bed frame and rolled out a deep sigh while clutching my hurting stomach. And for the many minutes I remained like that, I allowed myself to imagine myself living a normal life.

In my imagination, Raya was playing in the living room, and Nathaniel chatted with me, his fingers kneading my feet while I yapped about another day at work. 

While my lips managed to smile at that blissful fantasy, my aching heart exploded into shreds and the tears I thought I could no longer shed returned, leaving traces on the mattress.

I must be cursed to live a terrible life.

Nothing ever goes right.

Even when I manage to find an iota of peace, it shambles, and the cycle of pain keeps going. 

But why? Why me? Why does it always have to be me?

Because of this terrible life… My innocent daughter is missing. I can’t begin to think of the pain she might be in right now. My baby… My baby can’t… she can’t rest well if she doesn’t see me. My baby…

“Crying again?” That voice- the one trying to be like Nathaniel’s- returned and with vicious jerks accompanying my hot tears, I turned to him. “Aww, my beautiful cappuccino. I already gave you an easy way out.” He stepped away from the door, his eyes burdened by fake worry. “You don’t have to be this stubborn.”

What my mind was thinking as he approached, I don’t know. All I knew was that I crawled to his feet, held his legs tightly and began to beg. 

“Let me go,” my feeble voice pleaded, my tears not ceasing. “I won’t bother you. I won’t tell anyone about this… about you. I…”

“Sarah…” He sighed and lifted me off the floor.  “Look at me.” My eyes refused to listen because my soul hated that all I could do in front of this monster was cry. “Sarah? Look at me. I said look at me!”

More tears tore my throat apart, and through blurriness, I faced him. 

“I brought a few presents with me,” he continued while wrapping my waist with his irritating touch. “A bath sounds good, doesn’t it?”

I managed to nod.

“I know.” His other hand reached my face and gently wiped my eyes so I could see him better. “Before that, there’s someone you need to meet.”

“Raya?”

“Sarah!” he lashed. “You should have forgotten about that little one by now. What’s wrong with you?” My hands clenched, I didn’t reply. “Don’t make me hurt you, okay? There’s so much we have to do. I don’t want to hate you.”

Easily, my mind dissociated from his presence. It was clear that escape was becoming increasingly impossible. I should just go to sleep and hope to feel less pain at this point. 

“Come in,” he ordered. And while pushing my body to his, a very familiar footstep answered. 

“What sort of hell is…” Rosaline held her nose the minute she entered, her face scrunched in disgust.

Before she entered, I sensed it was her, but I chose to ignore it. 

But seeing her here…

She has been working with this bastard, hasn’t she? 

God… This woman just never stops destroying my life.

“Isn’t this a nice surprise?” Fake Nathaniel asked, his eyes all smiles. 

“Why would you lock her in this terrible place?”

He laughed at Rosaline’s question. “What’s so terrible about it? I peed in this room fifty times so that my beautiful Sarah can breathe me in everyday.”

Rosaline’s eyes met mine and they narrowed with what seemed like pity and apologies. I didn’t believe that expression. 

“This is too much,” she whispered loudly. “This is crazy.”

“Report me to the nearest health inspector, won’t you?” he countered, his lips hissing as he stepped aside. “I’ll leave you two to talk. You have two minutes to convince her.”

As he moved towards the door, Rosaline hurried to me, her hands gripping mine to my annoyance.

“Don’t fight it,” she murmured. 

Weirdly, I listened. 

After a light exhale, she leaned closer. “We have to leave here together,” she whispered.

“But the-” That nonsense man was thankfully gone, so the knot of fear within my chest loosened a bit. “How?”

“The police will be here soon. I think Mum too. Just follow my lead okay. If possible, kill that man when we get the chance to-”

“Rosaline!” I screamed, but hers overpowered mine.

It was too late. The fake Nathaniel, after his stealthy steps, plunged the knife in his hand into her back.

“You backstabbing bitch!” The knife went deeper and Rosaline could only blink once while the soul in her eyes reduced. “You lured the cops here? Huh?”

With terrifying limpness, she fell to the ground, her body lying on the side, her eyes unable to look away from the ceiling. 

“Rosaline…” I tried to move, but the angry man beat me to it. 

With a whiff, he knelt. 

“You thought you were smart huh?”

And his knife became a toy with which he shattered her body, forcing her closer to the gates of death with every plunge.

It didn't matter that screams were allI could shake the room with, the sight of blood didn't move him.

“Die! You stupid criminal cunt! Die!”

My screams didn’t matter, the sight of gushing blood didn’t move him.

“You think you have the guts to escape with my love!” He laughed, his hands repeatedly plunging the knife into every part of her flesh. “Die!”

He didn't stop. He never did, not even after my sister's soul vanished, not even when I slumped into unconsciousness.