The seconds, minutes and hours drag on, and I wonder which one will be my last. I can’t help but dwell on how they’ll do it. Willthey be merciful, or will they make me suffer a long and dramatic death to send a message to my father? And if I do die, will they continue to look for Darby, or will she be forgotten and left to her own devices too?
Shaking my head to force out the awful thoughts, I try to reposition myself in the hard, metal chair. I’m going to survive. I’m going to fight. I’m going to do whatever is necessary until I don’t have a choice anymore. I need to just stay strong. I know Dimitri would want me to do that. Even if I never see him again, I want him to know that I didn’t give up. I don’t know why that’s so important to me; it just is.
Shifting in my seat, I look around the dimly lit room. I’m currently alone. I’m assuming it’s close to bedtime, because the men have quieted down in the other part of the warehouse. Usually, they drink and play cards at all hours of the night, but they must have called it early tonight. I’ve been trying to rest but have not been able to since my body is in so much pain, and the only position I can find myself in isuncomfortable. My breathing is shallow as my chin rests against my chest. My eyes sting as I force them shut, attempting to get a few minutes of sleep. I can’t remember the last time I actually slept. It was definitely before I was kidnapped. The night before the rehearsal dinner, although I barely got a few hours of sleep because of my nerves.
It's almost laughable. When I put everything into perspective, the wedding doesn’t seem like the end of the world right now. Apparently, marrying Pavel wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to me. No, this definitely surpasses it all. And I have a feeling it’s going to get much worse before it gets better. This might be the true end to my story, and a tear cascades down my cheek just at the thought of that.
I open my eyes, sleep escaping me once again. And then I begin to sing quietly to drown out all the horrible thoughts running through my mind. I swear it’s the only thing that has calmed me the past several days. It’s an old Irish ballad that I heard one of the mensinging, and it sounds terrifyingly haunting echoing off the walls. I’m on the second verse when the entire room suddenly goes dark, silencing me. Blood rushes in my ears as I strain to listen to every sound. The thundering of boots on the concrete floor in the other room; the disgruntled voices yelling in confusion as they try to figure out what happened.
My breathing becomes panicked as I stare into the darkness. Maybe this is all a distraction or a diversion from something else. But what?
And then that’s when I see it. The shadows to my right suddenly move, and a large, dark figure forms out of them. It’s coming straight for me, moving closer and closer as I stare at it, tracking its movements. Oh god, have I finally lost my mind? The shadows look like people now.
But when the shadow says, “Shh,” and closes their gloved hand around my mouth, which was opening on a silent scream, I know I’m not hallucinating. “I’m going to get you out of here,privighetoare mica,” the deep voice whispers against the shell of my ear.
Dimitri.
He’s here.
He’s really here.
Tears fill my eyes and I instantly relax in his grip as I feel the ropes behind me getting looser as he begins cutting through them. “They took Darby away a couple of days ago. I don’t know where she is,” I whisper through a quiet sob.
“It’s okay. We’ll find her,” Dimitri promises me. “But right now you need to stay focused. Be my good girl and listen to everything I tell you, yeah?” he questions.
I nod in response.
“I want you to step backwards until you feel a wall. And then you’re going to run to the right until you come to a door where someone is waiting for you. Don’t stop running until you find my friend. His name is Andrei. Gotit?”
I nod again.
“That’s my girl. Now…go!” he whisper-yells.
My legs protest as I exert myself, but I manage to make it to the back wall of the building. Then, I scramble, my nails scraping against the peeling paint until I feel a cool, metal door. Fumbling in the dark, I try to find the handle, but suddenly the door bursts open, cool, fresh air hitting my face as I’m pulled through it.
I dig my heels into the ground, not wanting to go a step further with this stranger. “Who are you?” I demand, my body locked up in defense mode.
“Andrei,” he answers. He’s tall and ruggedly handsome with long, brown hair cascading down his shoulders and kind, hazel eyes. He has the same accent as Dimitri, and I can’t help but wonder if this is a childhood friend of his. Since Dimitri trusts this man, and he trusts hardly anyone, I would say that’s the case.
I slowly relax my stance and let him lead me away from the building. Andrei takes me far away to a van situated at the end of the property. Pulling the sliding door open, he ushers me inside.
I collapse onto the bench seat, barely able to hold my head up. I’m exhausted, tired, hungry and every possible emotion and feeling in between.
“Water,” Andrei says before thrusting a bottle of water into my hands. “Drink it.”
It takes me a few tries, but I manage to open the lid, and then I down half the bottle before I force myself to stop. “Thank you,” I mutter through panicked breaths.
“No problem,” he says. He leans against the van and watches me with a curious gaze as he pulls an apple and a switchblade out of his pocket. He meticulously cuts off a slice and hands it to me. I take it and eat it greedily. The sugar rush I’m feeling from just a slice of an apple is glorious. I’ve been so deprived of food that I almost forgot how delicious a piece of fruit could be.
I take another slice when he offers it, savoring it this time and eating slowly. Staring out the window, I impatiently wait for Dimitri to emerge from the building. And with every passing minute and nosign of life, I’m getting more and more anxious. I stare out the window, my teeth gnawing at my lower lip nervously.
“How many p-p-people does Dimitri have with him?” I question, my voice shaking.
“He’s by himself,” he says.
My eyes widen at his words. “Oh my god, we need to go help him!” I cry before scrambling out of my seat.
But Andrei blocks my path and shakes his head. “Dimitri told me to keep you out here no matter what.”
