Dark Basement

(Trisha Volkov)

I groaned as consciousness peek the darkness I was in. I smelled the gross musty smell. It was as if someone was torturing me with a pair of dirty socks near my nose.

I opened my eyes and tried to sit up straight, It took me a moment to realize that I was on a dirty floor of a stinky basement.

My hands and feet were tied with rope, I tried to flap my feet but the rope did not open.

How did I come here? Why can't I remember anything?

Somewhat I managed to get myself in a sitting position, one side of my hair got sticky and gross with the dirty mud on the floor.

"Hello!!!" I yelled, my voice echoing loudly in the closed dark room.

My head was throbbing, I tried to remember the last thing I can think of.

I remember a dizzy image of Christian telling me to stay near the firework station while he was gone, I was enjoying the view waiting for the new year when I had felt a sting on my neck as if someone pricked me with a needle.

By the time I had turned to see who it was, everything had already gone black.

I heard a shuffle of feet near the locked door, "Hello???? Is someone there? Open me!" I yelled at the person who was outside the door.

The sound of a key jiggling in the hinge of the lock surrounded the room just before the door opened. Revealing a man clad in black clothes, his face wasn't visible in the darkness.

"What do you want from me? Untie my hands!" I said to the person who still was yet to reveal his face.

"I am telling you If you didn't open me right now I will not leave you once I get my hands on you!" I tried to threaten him.

Although, I won't be able to do anything even if my hands were not tied, but I don't want to show my fear or helplessness to the person imprisoning me.

He didn't answer me, instead, he walked closer to me to kneel in front of me. The lack of brightness in the room was irritating me because even this close I failed to map out his features.

"Get away from me," I told him, snarling at him.

"Huh! I was thinking you are annoying, but you are amusing me," He said in a British accent. His voice was edgy yet thin to the ears.

I thrashed to free my hands so I can scratch his face, Then I will ask him how amusing I am. If only my tied hands were free. It only fuelled my adrenaline which made me angry.

"Shut the fuck up! I will kill you if I got the chance!" I growled the words out at him, the image of Christian peeked my thoughts. He and his anger was growing on me.

"The cat got claws," He said, genuinely sounding impressed. Before he added, "But you see, your claws will not get you out of here. If you cooperated with me, You might get out."

That got my attention, my ears perked up at the offer. "What cooperation?" I asked him in a voice that says his offer doesn't interest me at all. It was quite the opposite.

"I will tell you that, but not here. You have to come with me, without any fight, You got what I am trying to say?" He asked.

I debated on his offer inside my head, It wasn't like I have any choice. After days I was feeling helpless again. It saddened me to no end.

Eventually, I nodded, then realized he might not be able to see me in the dark. "Okay, but stay away from me. I will walk on my own," I presented the condition in front of him.

He hummed before he shifted slightly to open the ties around my feet.

"Can you stand up on your own Trisha," He asked me.

I was surprised that he knows my name, "How do you know my name?" I asked him as I stand up.

I hadn't paid any attention to my body but now that I was standing, Only now I realized how much my bones were aching. Jesus! How much time I had been here?

"We have to research about the person we picked up, how do you expect us to kidnap you?" He said answering my previous question.

I frowned but didn't say anything.

"Let's go?" He asked before walking out of the room.

I stared at his back, should I try to run now? But if there were chances I can run I doubt he would have left me alone.

Heaving a sigh, I followed after him. Let's see what they got there.