My button goes next, but I lean just enough to the side that the hold on me allows, fingers scrambling for what I need. My palm cups around it. Morgan’s deep laugh rumbles off the walls, thinking I’ve finally given in to the inevitable when I force myself to relax the best I can.
I have one shot at this.
One blindly led chance at hitting him in the perfect spot.
Please God, let me fucking do this.
The moment Conrad tugs at my cargos, the last surge of strength comes from me to smash the rock into the side of his face.
And it works.
Conrad wails incoherent profanities, his weight off me, and the hold Morgan has on my arms loosens on me.
One foot pushes to the ground as my other knee rears back, sending the heel of my boot smashing into Conrad’s face.
“What the fuck just happened?” Morgan panics, and I send the rock ramming backwards into his face, and the crunch of bone meeting rock has never felt so freeing.
“God dammit!” he screams, and I scramble backwards until I manage to get to my trembling legs to work, numb fingersforcing my zip up and losing patience when they won’t bend for the button.
They didn’t do it.
But I’m now on my last life.
“Put on the fucking lights!” Morgan shouts. Gravel crunches as each of them move around in the dark.
A primal urge takes over as I run faster than I ever have before towards the light, even when I hear another bang, even when I swear bullets zip past my ear. I don’t stop.
Nothing stops me.
I can’t feel my body; it feels completely detached.
I’m running on what’s left of the fire in my soul.
The light at the end feels brighter. The smell of salty air shoots up my nostrils, settling in my tattered lungs, and my legs work faster.
But then it’s over as quickly as it came when arms wrap around my waist and yank me into the darkness.
I fucking knew it. There’s doors along these tunnels; that’s how they’ve been able to sneak alongside me, letting me think I’ve been on the home run to getting out of this hell hole.
The brightness from the tunnel snaps away as I’m swung into an alcove. Blood pounds in my ears, but the warmth that sets my skin ablaze has my breathing picking up for an entirely different reason.
Soon the light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t feel like freedom anymore. It doesn’t pull me towards it like it has during this whole ordeal.
It’s nothing compared to the safety these hands that squeeze me tightly provide. To the thump of the pulse that pounds against my wrist as I wrap my arms around his neck.
To the sense of home my heart recognises in our proximity.
My eyes flutter closed when he whispers in my ear, “Fuck, Indie. I’ve got you, darling. You’re safe.”
My knees buckle at his voice,his real voice.Not the one that’s been in my head. He’s really here.
I collapse against his hold, him gripping me to his body as shouts and bangs thunder around us. “I’m here, it’s me, darling. I’ve fucking got you.”
His hands swipe up and down my entire body rapidly, his touch making my cries grow louder. It’s something I took for granted once, missed it for an entire six years, and then found my need for it once more.
It feels like a shield against the world.
I never thought I’d have it again for a moment back there, and even if I did survive what they had planned, I don’t know if my mind would have allowed it back for a second time.
