Chapter Eight: Rip Out My Tongue.

I slouch uncomfortably in the ripped seat of the man's vehicle. My breathing is heavy and I can't contain the pain I'm in. My whole body is spinning, ribs hurting, and bruised shoulder feeling out of place. Even though my head is low and I'm making sure to avoid any eye contact, I still feel the man's stare. The locks clicked the second the doors shut, and now that he's begun driving I'm completly out of control.

I blink out the window with tears in my eyes hoping he won't see them when they start running down my face. They're warm against my cold cheeks, making me shiver uncontrollably. The atmosphere is deathly silent, causing my ears to hear every single log, leaf, and stone getting crushed by the vehicle's thick tires even as the rain comes down in sheets.

My eyes search for Koda, almost believing that he'll be chasing the car that just got in motion which can't pick up speed yet. It's almost pitch black outside, even worse than before. The only light I get is from the glare of the dim headlights at the front of the car.

The more I hunt for him, the more I confuse a tree or a bush as Koda, hoping to catch a glimpse of him to know he's there. When I determine he is really gone I'm utterly stunned. Heartbroken. Angry. Abandoned. My mind doesn't want to decide what emotion I'm feeling and I can't comprehend that Koda has just left me behind so easily. I start sobbing silently, it was one thing I learned how to do while being alone and afraid of getting beaten.

This isn't fair. Nothing ever is.

Koda was right there with me just minutes ago, the memory is so clear I can relive the adrenaline of escape. The coldness of the rain against my tired skin, my hair sticking to my face and his presence next to me. His heartbeat was quick but promising, and his breath was short like breathing was less important than escaping the man who he calls a Hunter.

The faster he drives the more mud begins splattering on the windows and the more his air conditioning decreases its temperature. It's extremely cold, especially since I'm soaked through my clothing and my feet have puddles in Koda's shoes that I'm wearing. My attention goes down to the sweatshirt clinging to my skin, it still has a hint of his scent. The rest of my body shakes even more than before as I take a stab at cuddling into Koda's sweatshirt a bit more hoping to conserve some heat.

Maybe he left for a good reason, I decide after contemplating with myself for a long amount of time. I was waiting for him to come after the vehicle but as time passes he never comes. Besides, its already too late and the Hunter is driving me away from my freedom.

I should be humble and hoping that my new family is safe but I'm not. I can't deny I want them safe but I won't deny that I'm being selfish too. Koda should be here with me. He shouldn't have left me behind to begin loathing him and wondering if Jane lied making it clear I could trust him.

Maybe it is my fate to just be miserable and die all alone. What if I am a monster and I deserve to be punished, left alone in a cell forever? Nothing ever goes my way and just when I've convinced myself it will, it doesn't. The only thing I can admit about this awful situation is that they really want me for some reason and I'm going to find out why. Whether I live or die in the end I will find out why they want me.

The driver clears his throat startling me out of my head and back into the physical world of me being abducted. He speaks for the first time, "Now, all of my fellow colleagues..." He snickers, "well, they'll be delighted to find you back!" He sounds almost excited.

I can't manage to take a single glance his way but listen to his voice carefully.

"This time we will make sure you are taken better care of, and by that I mean watched every hour of the day. You must know what they plan to do to you when we get back. I bet your punishment will be great to watch."

His words haunt me, I know what it's like in there but being paid attention to would be a leap of change. Maybe I can get some information on them before I die.

"This world is not meant for you."

Finally I speak softly, "Why? I might as well know before I'm left to starve to death."

The man chuckles, almost sounding sympathetic, "That's the spirit!" He takes a long ponder on the road and eventually says, "Well look at you, you're pathetic. In all seriousness we are here to break you. At the beginning you weren't so quiet, but now things have changed. I see that as a big step for everyone."

"Why me? Just me-"

He cuts me off, "Shut your mouth or I'll make you. We're here."

The car screeches to a stop and in all it has only been a few minutes since we left. My eyes blink up to the road and see nothing ahead but dark creepy wilderness. It gives me the shivers like it did the first night I was out here. Something strange is in these woods and it is not human.

For the first time I take a glance at the man next to me in confusion. I catch him taking something out of a plastic box that was in the center console. He dumps some liquid from a vial onto a rag and shoves it in my face.

The panic that sets in is purely horrifying as he smothers me with the rag. The smell of the liquid is putrid, making me need a breath. My neck becomes stiff and my eyes droopy. The lack of air reminds me of drowning, making me grab his arms and tear my nails into his skin.

This only makes him push the ran into my face more, putting so much pressure on my nose that it throbs. I get woozy within a matter of a second and feel my brain slipping away from me. The last thing I do is let my hands fall from him, in dead weight.

****

"WAKE UP!"

Right as I jolt awake a forceful hand strikes my left leg causing an unintentional scream. I don't dare look up, trying to calm my shaking. I hear the man turn off the vehicle and open his door. As he walks around to the passenger side I try getting my eyes to focus but everything is blurry. My eyelids keep drooping and I get confused on what's happening.

I don't recollect myself until I'm getting yanked up the steps of a building. The rain behind me comes down just as hard and I can feel the coldness wash over me again. Thunder claps in the sky making me flinch against the man who's holding me over his shoulder.

My eyes catch glimpses of the interior and memories resurface of the horrors that depress me down to my very soul. The tears well in my eyes and drip down my cheeks. I hear them splatter to the floor as well at the raindrops that swelled inside my clothing so quickly.

My chest heaves from the pain that has rushed through my body and I'm bawling so hard that every part of me tenses. I cry into the man's shoulder feeling his warmth, it's almost comforting yet terrifying at the same time. I never thought I wanted that feeling until this moment, but I won't ever get someone to keep me warm.

"Hey you!" The Hunter calls to another, "I've got the girl! Speak the news. I need the head man right away!"

The other person sounds relieved, "Yes sir!" I hear him go running off to some unknown area. His footsteps are so loud that they eccho through the old building.

I sob even harder, making my breathing worsen and the time to pass like a snail. Eventually I'm taken through a doorway and into a room I've never been in before. It's stuffy and small, with no sound other than the man's footsteps. He drops me down on a chair so fast that I almost loose my balance and fall out of it.

Shivering I look up to him who only stands there looking proud of himself. His figure seems to waver in my eyesight but I know my brain still isn't able to control my body well. I can't see his face clearly, even as he stands over me for so long.

My tears eventually subside but don't stop completly. I try to keep it in but as a man greets the Hunter that brought me here their words make me continue to cry. My captor is congratulated and then speaks softly, "Sir, I have some important information you must know."

They exchange looks and then stare at me. The newest one steps closer to my kidnapper who whispers in his ear, "I heard a conversation between the girl and her brother. He spoke of the gate..."

My stomach drops but I stay frozen, still with tears running down my face and dripping onto Jane's clothing that I wear. I watch as the other man nods and then dismisses the Hunter to catch up on some work he had missed while he was away.

After he's gone, the new man, who I can assume is the head guy slams the door shut. He locks it with a key in his pocket and throws it into his shirt pocket, it taunts me the closer he gets to me. I flinch when we pulls out the chair across from where I sit and plops himself down within a second, "Never again will you be let out of anyone's sight, unless you are locked into a room!"

I look up, still unable to see completly normal or to feel less woozy than before but I catch a memory sent from my empty mind. I'm sure this man is the man that I recall almost giving me a severe punishment on one of those bad days I'd had. Thankfully I was only given a warning but I know by the grin he shows on his dangerous face that he has something awful up his sleeve, I will get no mercy this time.

"I am not letting you leave this room until you tell me how you got in the hands of your family." His voice didn't waver and he us quite calm, which is disturbing me deeply. I keep my mouth shut, terrified of what his reaction will be. "Lets make a deal, if you tell me what you know I can rethink my punishment for you."

I still don't speak and he stands, "You will tell me, even if I have to send you to our tourture chambers and have my men do what I told them to. I was very vague by saying I wanted you to be perminantly unable to use your legs. They could just break em' or cut them off, or worse. Depends on who does it."

Without a doubt I agree, "Okay I'll tell you, but is there any way you could answer a question?"

He starts pacing slowly, tapping his hands on the table as he goes, "Tell me everything, now."

I guess that's a no?

Whispering, I alter the truth slightly and leave out everything about the rabbit in the woods and how Jane had informed me of my true home. To me those important details will give me an advantage, he won't think I'm crazy.

"That is all?" I nod my head avoiding his stare. "Good..." He pauses dramatically. "You failed to mention one thing to me."

My stomach heaves and immediately I start breathing heavy, feeling almost sick. "I don't think I did."

He flat out says, "You know about Elyria."

I'm shocked, "I- I- haven't been..." I'm at a loss for words but he just frowns and shakes his head. I look down to my trembling hands in my lap and start picking at my fingertips.

He laughs, "You can't lie to me, your captor already told me. For your own sake it isn't too bad that you've never been there, most places aren't the most likeable anyway."

I blink up, only being brave enough to look at his large hands on the table, "Will you answer my question now?"

"I suppose. You're going to die here anyway, but not for a long while. I might as well give you some thoughts to dwell on."

My body springs up in excitement. I'm completly suprised, "Why are you and your men holding me here?"

"They aren't necessarily my men, I'm just following orders from the man in charge. It is too much of a risk for him to come here, for everyone's sake." I look at him confused. "It's a tradition of the organization."

He's not telling me very useful information, "That's not what I asked."

I almost expect a hard slap from my superior but he nods and replies, "You are here as punishment to prevent you from doing something..." I've heard this statement before but thought it was someone just messing with me. "...You don't belong there and if you ever go back terrible things will happen."

"All of the people here are from Elyria," I state, hoping to get more information without asking any further questions.

"We are mostly criminals, half humans that don't belong on our home planet or on Earth. Our families created this and it has transformed throughout generations since the foundation begun."

"So you all knew and taunted me this whole time trying to make me afraid of the world!" I'm almost enraged but not suprised.

"It has always been told that since the day we formed, once we finally got you in our hands, we'd never speak of Elyria just to keep you quiet." He chuckles, "Mostly everyone here dispises that planet anyway, I guarantee most of them are afraid of it. These woods do hold dangerous creatures that have snuck over to the other side and stayed."

"You've seen something, haven't you."

His eyes widen but he shakes it off, "You aren't meant to know about Elyria, that's why we wiped your memories. It is to keep you from knowing, in order to stop the future from happening."

Why don't you just kill me instead of keeping me alive? I mean, if I'm supposed to be so dangerous wouldn't it be the better thing to do?"

"We can't go that far just yet. We were created to hunt down certain people in order to stop you. We have everyone except for the last most important piece of the group that we need. Your death with be a ceremony, along side with the man you love."

This must be a joke, "I love nobody."

He stands in a serious manner disregarding my precious statement, "We are unsure who he is, and so without him we can not have the ceremony."

My mind forgets all about punishment and is distracted instantly about this strange man I'm supposed to love. Is it that we've already met? I'm waiting for him? Is it that we haven't met yet? How can any of that work anyway?

"Have I already met him?"

"We do not believe so."

I'm quite confused, "And you know all of this?"

"And you my little monster are awfully chatty, but we can change that."

"How would you know I'm a monster?"

"I've heard the stories... now shut up," I stay silent as he grins at me. "I think I found the perfect punishment for my chatterbox here..." Now it's my turn for my eyes to widen.

He laughs, "Cutting out your tongue will be painful, well for you not for me..." My stomach drops and immediately I feel nauseous. "I think it is a great start to your punishment. Then during further tortures we won't have to deal with you pleading for mercy."

I shudder into the chair, feeling the rain water that is still in my clothing drip down my back. My breathing becomes heavy and all I can think about is the future pain they will be putting me in.

The man leans over the table, "Most of my family members are pirates. I've learned a bit from them. You're lucky you only have to deal with me."

I look down to my trembling hands that are practically purple. I'd rather die of hypothermia then get my tongue cut out. I want to die quick and skip all of the torture.

The man slams his fist into the table, making the loudest, most startling boom I have heard in a while. I flinch and skid my chair back. I'm done talking for now, prabobly for the rest of my life if they do cut out my tongue.

"Don't say another word or I'll have them pull your teeth out as well."

I bite my cheek hard.

"Now, you will be a good little girl or we'll make you beg for death." He laughs, "Oh right, you can't bed without a tongue. You've never seen much of the torture chambers, but I'd like to introduce you to them."

He starts pacing the room, "You will not escape ever again. I will make sure your hands and feet are tied at all times. And if you attempt a stunt I will give the rest of the men permission to do their worst."

I should not have broken out...

"Lastly, you will be guarded at all times. And if we find that you're trying to break out I'll personally break your legs, then you won't be able to walk." He stops to look me up and down, "You are a prisoner and need to be treated like so. You will no longer have a bedroom, I'm moving you to the basement. No window or bed, just a floor and some walls. I'm thinking our smallest one, it's called the box."

After he paces again for many minutes a man stops at the door and he opens it, "Please fetch me some shackles, and the old butcher to cut out her tongue."

It's really gonna happen, he is going to do it!

My head gets dizzy and my vision starts to blur. I stand, not even risking to stare out the wide open door. My head drops down so I'm looking at the floor, "I think I'm going to be sick." I whisper loosing my balance and falling into the table.

The superior man stomps around his table to grab me, "Not in my office you're not!"

He grips the collar of the oversized sweatshirt I have on and pulls me up so I'm balanced on my feet. Before anything else can happen he's yanking me out the door and pushing me into a room across the hall. I fall to the floor just as he shuts me in and locking the door on his side.

I blink up, finally feeling more myself now that I'm alone. The cramped bathroom is a nicer view than I expected. I try to settle my breathing as I think of something I can try to do but my stomach gets the best of me and I almost throw up. My stomach gurgles as I catch a glimpse of a small vent a foot away. My eyes light up realizing the cracked and rusted metal is what's going to get me out of here.

Without any second guessing I pry the vent apart, finding how it's a lot easier than I thought it would be. To my advantage it doesn't make a godawful sound and so I'm hoping the man pacing outside the door doesn't notice it. Carefully I place the cover down on the floor and crawl inside. Its cramped and making me very claustrophobic but I would rather be stuck in here than have my tongue cut out by those men.

After an attempt at closing it behind me I then make my way through the tunnel, hoping to get as far away as possible. It is made from stone, making me wonder where it leads to and why it exists. I pass by other vents but can't decide where I need to go to actually escape the building. To light my way I only get a tiny ray of yellow that comes from the room's dim lights.

My ears pick up on a pounding sound, more specifically the head Hunter pounding on the bathroom door. He calls for me, saying its time for me to go to my holding cell. When he doesn't get an answer from me, and I continue crawling through the cramped vent, he jingles his keys as he sticks it in the door frantically.

I move faster, knowing that when he finds that I am no longer there he's going to be completly enraged and send people searching for me. I hear the door unlock even though I'm now quite a ways away from the room I was locked inside. His voice wavers in confusion when he finds the room empty of me, "Where did she go?!"

I hear him start running, "She's escaped, she's escaped! HELP! HELP!"

He goes back into the room and I hear a big boom and a crash. If they find me I will not ever get out of here on my own, and when they allegedly find the man I love I'll be dead. All of it sounds like rubbish but I thought the same thing about the forest and that was mostly true. It definantly isn't a normal place, even if it may not hold evil like they say. So I shouldn't question them as much.

I assume I'm about halfway across the building by now and I need to get out before they find me, cut out my tongue, and snap my legs. Finding my last chance of freedom I come across a vent that is not looking so well. Inspecting the room before hand doesn't cross my mine before I push it open and crawl out onto a cold tile floor.

I'm unable to get to my feet before a figure stands above me, staring down in complete horror. I almost scream, expecting them to call for help but when I get to my feet I pay attention to the sound of their pounding heartbeat. This person is just as frightened as me.

I move to stand in the light to get a better look of the stranger, "Please don't tell!"

She nods in the dim lighting, "Okay okay!" Her voice is almost to a whisper.

The panic-stricken expression upon a young womans face as I tell her I'm trying to escape. She takes a step backwards with an open mouth as her hands clasp together, "Another one?"

"No it was me before too."

We don't get a chance to introduce ourselves or do anything more before I hear a man's shoes hitting the floor of the outside hallway. He's won't be here for a while but still I become alarmed, "Someone's coming!"

She timidly questions, "What do I do?"

I look around the room, "Act normal..." A door to my right is popped open slightly so I run to it. "I'll hide in here."

A pounding knock on her door and jangling keys make me so afraid I forget how to breathe. I shut the closet door and hide beside some kind or robes hoping I'm not caught.

My ears listen closely knowing the door has swung open and a Hunter starts yelling at the woman I just met to sit on a chair that I recall was in the corner of the room.

"Have you heard anybody run by? Someone escaping?"

"No."

"You wouldn't lie to me?"

"No."

"Then why are you awake at this hour? The sun has not risen."

I hear his footsteps get closer to me and then stop right by the door. I bite my lip trying not to let out a single breath. He paces just on the other side, so close that I can practically know that he's about to reach for the handle.

"Sir..." The woman speaks, "I could not sleep, that is all."

He chuckles, "Alright, I must go."

And with that he is gone so quickly it's like he was never here. I stay inside the closet until the door has been locked again and he has gone running back down the corridor outside.