Chapter 184 Bad Decisions
>>Eris
Something feels wrong.
I stared at the man who had taken my hand in his and was now taking me somewhere else. He told me to come with him after the call with Sera ended. I didn’t agree to it but he just took my hand and began to take me with him.
Going along with him was difficult, I was having trouble because he was tall and he was going too fast for me.
This man is dangerous.
He told Sera he wouldn’t hurt me if she came to find me. He’s a bad man. I can tell.
But how do I run away from him?
I looked around the place, and almost everyone was asleep. But if I scream, people will notice right?
“Don’t even think about it girlie,” His voice made me flinch, “If you even try to scream then I’ll have to hurt you.” I looked back at him in fear, then gulped, “Keep your mouth shut and we’ll have no problems.” He looked at me, “I’ll even buy you ice cream.”
I gulped
I don’t want ice cream… Not anymore…Not from bad men who want to hurt Sera,
I kept walking with him and soon we reached the main entrance of the hospital.
>>Somi
“A forest?” I frowned, “She said she was in a forest?” The detective sat next to me.
“Yes,” He said
The thought hadn’t crossed my mind that they could be living somewhere in the forest. No wonder I couldn’t find them. They disappeared without a trace.
“Find their trail.” I said, “Find out where the call was coming from!” We should be able to pinpoint their location
He let out a chuckle, “Already on it.”
>>Seraphina
I found a way to leave on my own.
The wifi and phone signals worked when I was in the pack, so I got to use the GPS. It took me out of the forest even though the signals were lost in the middle, But I still had the map on and managed to get out.
I need to go to Eris. I can’t have anything happening to her! Where the heck is her mother?! How did she let some random man approach her?!
I thought about talking with the pack members or Azef. But I was so angry with everyone, I couldn’t do it. And well, they’re bound to notice I’m not in the packhouse sooner than later. I don’t know how they’ll react but I don’t know if I wanna know the answer to that. I’ve known them all for a few days only. There’s no reason for them to care about me.
I continued to walk. I hope I’m going the right way. Looking at my phone, I felt nervous because I still didn’t have any signals. I know this was very rushed and stupid on my part. And no matter how I justify it, it won’t change the fact that I’m doing something very careless.
But I just wanted to get away from them all. I felt so suffocated in the pack and I needed an excuse.
Light filtered its way in, making me look in the direction.
I let out a sigh of relief when I noticed the end of the forest.
Oh Good!
Emerging from the dense shadows of the forest, I stumbled onto the narrow roadside. I was pretty much out of breath at this point, I had been walking for a few hours now. The light cast a golden hue over my disheveled appearance, my hair tangled and my clothes streaked with dirt and leaves. I stood there, at the edge of the road, glancing anxiously in both directions, my eyes wide and alert, hoping for a sign of someone passing by.
This was definitely not the part where Azef and I had entered the forest, but I was just glad I made it out. The silence of the forest was replaced by the distant hum of occasional traffic, but no vehicles were in sight.
A car or some van should pass by, I can hear the engines!
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, feeling the gravel beneath my shoes. The minutes dragged on before finally, in the distance, I spotted the faint glimmer of a taxi's headlights. I waved my arms frantically, my heart pounding with a mix of relief and urgency. The taxi slowed and then pulled over, the driver eyeing me curiously but offering no questions as I clambered into the back seat.
“Where to, miss?” He simply asked his routine question.
"The Central hospital, please," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper, my thoughts racing ahead of me. I sank back against the seat, closing my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself. The taxi's interior smelled faintly of stale cigarettes and air freshener.
“Oh? It’s a little far from here,” He said
“Please, get me to the hospital as fast as you can,”
“Sure thing,”
The taxi sped through the winding streets, the cityscape gradually coming into view. The driver remained silent throughout the ride and I was grateful for it, my mind too preoccupied to engage in small talk.
My mind was constantly focused on Eris.
I took out my phone and dialed the number from which I got a call, but like before, the phone was turned off. There was no way for me to tell what was happening to her end and that was eating me up from inside. Each minute felt like an hour, but soon, the large, imposing structure of the hospital loomed into view.
I could already feel a semblance of safety wash over me as the taxi came to a halt at the entrance. I fumbled for my fare, my hands trembling, my fingers clumsy and uncooperative. After what felt like an eternity, I managed to hand the driver some crumpled bills,
“Thank you,” I muttered and stepped out onto the pavement.
That was all the money I had. I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere on public transport now. The taxi left and I watched it leave. There was something in my head giving me warning signs.
I felt nervous but what exactly for, I had no idea.
Let’s go! I need to get to Eris!
As I took my first step towards the hospital entrance, the relief of finding the hospital was replaced by a sudden, jarring terror.
A kind of terror that emerged when I heard the sound of screeching tires.
!!??
A dark van screeched to a stop beside me, its tires skidding on the asphalt. The side door slid open with a menacing swiftness, and before I could react, a pair of strong hands grabbed me, pulling me into the vehicle with a force that knocked the breath out of me. I tried to scream, but a rough hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my cries. I tried to resist but I was overpowered by two men.
The door slammed shut behind me, the sound echoing in the confined space of the van.
My heart pounded in my chest
NO!
“Get going!” Someone yelled and the van sped away, the hospital view quickly fading into the distance.
Panic surged through me, and I struggled against my captors, “Let me go!!” I tried to scream but it came muffled out because of the hand on my mouth.
I tried to fight but their grip was unyielding. The interior of the van was dimly lit, the windows tinted black, shadows dancing across the walls as we sped down the road. I could feel the vibration of the engine beneath me, each bump in the road jarring me further into the realization of my dire situation. My mind raced, frantically trying to process what was happening and how I could escape.
My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest, and my thoughts spun wildly, grasping at any hope of escape. Fear like I had never known before gripped me, an icy, paralyzing dread that made my body tremble uncontrollably.
What is happening? W-what is going on?! Why is this happening?!?
That’s when I was yanked around and forced to sit on a seat. The hand on my mouth momentarily leaving my lips, allowing me to scream. I had no idea what was going on, my actions were being done before I could even think them out properly.
But that’s when someone put a cloth on my mouth, cutting my yelling short. It was a man sitting on the seat behind mine. His hands came from behind and slammed my head back on the headrest while the other two kept me tied to my place.
NO! No! NO! A sense of hopelessness began to creep in, mingling with panic.
The feeling was horrible, I felt disgusted and scared.
The chemical drench in it made its way to my nostrils and soon enough my world began to spin.
“Make sure to knock her out good.” One of them said,
Regret gnawed at me, adding a bitter edge to the fear. Why had I left the relative safety of the forest without telling anyone? Why hadn't I been more cautious? Why? I should have thought this through!!
Every decision that had led me to this moment replayed in my mind, each one a step towards this nightmare. If only I had done something differently, maybe I wouldn't be here, bound and helpless in the back of a van with no idea where I was being taken.
At the very least, I shouldn’t have been left alone! What is wrong with me?
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Stop worrying and press the gas,” The one covering my mouth said
The realization of my vulnerability sank in deeper with every passing second. I was at their mercy, my fate completely out of my hands. The fear was suffocating, squeezing until it was hard to breathe. My heart pounded in my chest, a wild, uncontrollable rhythm that echoed my growing desperation.
Will anyone come for me?
…
Will Azef come for me?
“We already lost the kid and David got caught by the police while trying to get the kid out. We can’t afford to lose this one.”
Eris ran away from them?
Well, that’s good. At least she made it away
But where did she go?
That was the last thing I heard before I passed out