that this unknown captive couldn’t win. If not for me, I at least had to try for Amy who was innocent in all of this.
So yes, I would fight.
Focusing back on my restraints digging into my skin, I wondered if they would work like the walls and doors I easily passed through. Closing my eyes, I focused on moving all my limbs through them. After a few seconds passed, I glanced back down and saw that the ropes lay on the bed on all four sides next to my limbs, and I was free from them.
I quickly sat up but braced myself when I heard footsteps approach the door. I looked up to see it creak open and a presence entered the room, its steps calculative. I couldn’t see his face, though. I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was seeing things but my sight didn’t correct itself.
The person standing in front of me was a blurred entity.
But I knew he stared at me, and I heard him as clear as day.
“How did you get out of the ropes?”
I said nothing, blinking rapidly.
He stalked toward me and I tried not to flinch from his strange presence and unexplainable appearance. “I tied those really tight. You must be some sort of magician, huh?”
I could hear Amy whimper in the background and I closed my eyes, trying to wish myself away from this place.
“The blonde was a mistake,” he started conversationally. “She looked back at the wrong time and I had to shut her up. But you … you remind me of someone.”
He approached even closer until he was a breath away, crouching near my head. I still couldn’t see his face but I could feel his eyes on me, the stare entirely different from that of Briggs.
“You have no idea how hard it was to find you. You look so much like her, it hurts,” he whispered roughly. His fingers stroked the side of my cheek and I turned my face away, not enjoying the sensation. He dropped his arm. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were her. But you’re not,” he said shortly, dropping his hand. “You’re just my imagination hoping for the best, aren’t you? The voice in my head playing a joke on me, and a means to an end.” He waited for my response; I remained exactly as I was. “Why aren’t you answering me?”
I looked up into his face, defiant. I tried to show no fear, staring at nothing but emptiness.
Why is his face a blur?
“Answer me!” he roared and I flinched from the tone.
I sensed an evil lurking inside of him.
A rustle of the doorknob caused us both to glance up. “Shit.” The guy looked down at me in what I can only imagine would be alarm. “I guess you’ll be the one that got away. It must be your lucky day.”
He rushed toward the window to my right. His blurred face found my stare. “You know I’ll find you again. I’ll bring you back, Sophia.”
Then he was gone.
Sophia? It was the name written on the walls. Who was Sophia?
Before I could analyze what had happened, the door burst open and a tousled Dante greeted me.
“Mia!”
I was grateful that I could see each individual feature on Dante’s face. I had probably been drugged while looking on at the stranger. Yes, that must have been it. No one’s face could actually be blurred.
I focused back on Dante. How was he even here? How did he know Amy and I were here in this strange place?
Dante looked down at my hands, soothing my marred flesh. “Briggs woke us up and said you were in danger. I don’t know how he knew but...”
I tuned out the rest of his words. I was confused as to why Briggs would even care about my well being, considering the way he treated me. He couldn’t even stand my touch. But then I felt the hand that clutched my own and looked up into Amy’s tear-streaked face as she gave me a huge hug, and Kaede who looked on in relief. Realization dawned on me. Of course: Amy.
That had to be the reason for Briggs to care at all.
•••
B Y THE TIME we all got home we were all spent. We were all trying to process the last few hours. I wanted to get out of the clothes
So yes, I would fight.
Focusing back on my restraints digging into my skin, I wondered if they would work like the walls and doors I easily passed through. Closing my eyes, I focused on moving all my limbs through them. After a few seconds passed, I glanced back down and saw that the ropes lay on the bed on all four sides next to my limbs, and I was free from them.
I quickly sat up but braced myself when I heard footsteps approach the door. I looked up to see it creak open and a presence entered the room, its steps calculative. I couldn’t see his face, though. I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was seeing things but my sight didn’t correct itself.
The person standing in front of me was a blurred entity.
But I knew he stared at me, and I heard him as clear as day.
“How did you get out of the ropes?”
I said nothing, blinking rapidly.
He stalked toward me and I tried not to flinch from his strange presence and unexplainable appearance. “I tied those really tight. You must be some sort of magician, huh?”
I could hear Amy whimper in the background and I closed my eyes, trying to wish myself away from this place.
“The blonde was a mistake,” he started conversationally. “She looked back at the wrong time and I had to shut her up. But you … you remind me of someone.”
He approached even closer until he was a breath away, crouching near my head. I still couldn’t see his face but I could feel his eyes on me, the stare entirely different from that of Briggs.
“You have no idea how hard it was to find you. You look so much like her, it hurts,” he whispered roughly. His fingers stroked the side of my cheek and I turned my face away, not enjoying the sensation. He dropped his arm. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were her. But you’re not,” he said shortly, dropping his hand. “You’re just my imagination hoping for the best, aren’t you? The voice in my head playing a joke on me, and a means to an end.” He waited for my response; I remained exactly as I was. “Why aren’t you answering me?”
I looked up into his face, defiant. I tried to show no fear, staring at nothing but emptiness.
Why is his face a blur?
“Answer me!” he roared and I flinched from the tone.
I sensed an evil lurking inside of him.
A rustle of the doorknob caused us both to glance up. “Shit.” The guy looked down at me in what I can only imagine would be alarm. “I guess you’ll be the one that got away. It must be your lucky day.”
He rushed toward the window to my right. His blurred face found my stare. “You know I’ll find you again. I’ll bring you back, Sophia.”
Then he was gone.
Sophia? It was the name written on the walls. Who was Sophia?
Before I could analyze what had happened, the door burst open and a tousled Dante greeted me.
“Mia!”
I was grateful that I could see each individual feature on Dante’s face. I had probably been drugged while looking on at the stranger. Yes, that must have been it. No one’s face could actually be blurred.
I focused back on Dante. How was he even here? How did he know Amy and I were here in this strange place?
Dante looked down at my hands, soothing my marred flesh. “Briggs woke us up and said you were in danger. I don’t know how he knew but...”
I tuned out the rest of his words. I was confused as to why Briggs would even care about my well being, considering the way he treated me. He couldn’t even stand my touch. But then I felt the hand that clutched my own and looked up into Amy’s tear-streaked face as she gave me a huge hug, and Kaede who looked on in relief. Realization dawned on me. Of course: Amy.
That had to be the reason for Briggs to care at all.
•••
B Y THE TIME we all got home we were all spent. We were all trying to process the last few hours. I wanted to get out of the clothes
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