Chapter-10

I flicked my gaze to my left, and saw pieces of glass from the broken beer bottle lying on the side. I moved a little surreptitiously and took a chunk in my hand and hid it behind me. The leader went back to the car and sat on the car bonnet, relaxing on it - like waiting to watch a movie. The other guy came to me. Two of them held me up, the other guy tucked the gun in and stood in front of me.

"You bitch, this is for last time" he punched on me the face.

My heads gets whipped to the side causing my neck to hurt. I could feel my lips get split. I tasted a metallic taste in my mouth and spit out the blood.

"You have got the wrong girl buddy,"

Although my mouth was hurting, it felt good to be brave and sassy in the situation. They guy grunted and came forward again to hit me. I leaned forward just in time to smash my head into his making him lose senses for a second. The other two guys who were holding me got shocked and loosened their hold. I used that time to get out of their grasp and took out the glass piece, striking it into one of the guy's hand. He quickly backed away, clutching his hand to stop the bleeding. I then moved forward to do the same with the other guy, but he reacted on time and moved away so I attacked on his leg. By now, not only the guy who had a gun regained his senses, but also the leader left his places and ran towards us. I showed my reflex and pushed the guy on the floor. He fell back with a thud, I punched him on the face, and took the gun from him which he tucked in behind his back.

I pointed the gun at the leader. Though I didn't knew how to use it, I couldn't have let them know this. Before others could get up too, I threw the gun at leader's face, hitting straight on the face. I quickly ran from there before they could catch me, but it was a little bit difficult for me to run as my leg was still hurting from the time that guy stepped on it. Although I didn't stop and kept running. I could feel my body getting tired and was about to give away. Few houses away, I saw a turn and took it. I thought I escaped, but I was wrong.

"Shit,"

I cursed as out of nowhere I was pushed to the side, hitting my left shoulder on the sidewall. I looked to my right side to see the leader-guy glaring at me. He pushed me to the wall by strangling my neck. I gasped for air and hit on his hand to remove it.

"That night you acted so brave, so what happened today?" He asked with a smirking face,

His eyes zeroed on my hoodie, that ridden up a little when he pushed me. His eyes widened, and he took a few steps back. I leaned on the wall for the support and tried to regain my breathing system. I knew I should not be amused after I was so close to death few seconds ago, but how could I not when I knew what he was thinking. After all, there's no science and technology yet, in this world that could disappear a gun wound from body in a span of two days.

"How is it possible? I had myself shoot you there, then why there is no wound? It means..." he murmured to himself then looked at me in shock.

"You are not her," He took out his gun and pointed directly between my eyes, "Tell me, who are you? You are not her, then who the bloody hell are you?"

I felt close to my ending and was aware that no one was here to save me. I couldn't believe I was going to die like this, even I didn't have any energy in me left to run. If I did, I knew I'll get caught.

I couldn't tell him who I was and I was not Crystal. Otherwise, it would risk her life. Slowly time was slipping away through my fingers and I couldn't think of any way to save myself. I didn't wanted to die yet.

I closed my eyes as he looped his finger through the trigger, keeping another hand around my neck to stop me from running away. I waited for my end but it didn't came as I felt my neck being released and a sound of someone falling, making me confused. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the guy lying on the floor unconscious. I looked up and almost gasped at the sight of blue eyes staring at me. Suddenly my knees gave away and then blankness engulfed me.

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Darkness,

That's what I could see or feel; it was so black that it made me feel gloomy and empty from inside. My eyes were straining to see through the murk of dusk. I could make out that I am inside a room with no escape, then suddenly like a ray of hope, I saw a constrained light reaching to me through the side of my eye.

My breath hitched when I saw a little girl standing behind a door at my right end - with a teddy bear in her hands - staring right back at me with so much intensity in her eyes, it made me gasp in shock. But it also brought a warm feeling in my heart; like I had known her; like I had some deep connection with her. I wondered how such a small girl can have so much densed emotions in her eyes. I moved towards her but stopped when I saw a shadow approaching her. She was as still as a statue, just standing there in her pink floral dress and looking at me like I am her last straw for something. I flinched when I saw the shadow of the guy taking out a knife and moving towards her. I shout for her to move, but her expressions were neutral as if she didn't hear me, even I couldn't hear my voice.

I tried to move, but my legs were paralyzed and my heart was crying for the girl. I felt sick as I saw the man nearing her and I could do nothing. I shouted, thrashed, signed her to go away, but she just kept looking at me. The guy stood behind her, and slowly pointed the knife at the girl. Weirdly a bright light illuminated around the girl, but it was a dark mist behind her that his the guy's face. Suddenly he raised his hand and moved forward to attack the girl with the knife. That was when an ear-splitting scream came out of my mouth, and I jerked up.

I looked around to find myself in unfamiliar room and realized I was just having a nightmare again. I couldn't understand why would I dream of such a thing and the most important thing, who was that girl? It was like I knew her, and the same time I didn't. I shook my head to stop thinking about it. I had more better things to worry about, like why those guys attacked me, and who saved me.

And just like that I got up again and looked around. The first thing I noticed was a well-furnished fancy room. Everything seemed so expensive and fragile, like they would fade away from one touch.

My whole bedroom, compared to it was like a mouse in front of an elephant. I didn't get how I ended up in this room.

I was lying on a king-size bed; the covers were even softer than silk. I ran my hand through them, relishing its feeling. When I tried to get up, a sudden pain went through my whole body, making me fall back on the bed.

"Damn"

I looked down at my arms to see them bandaged and there was a wet cloth tied to my leg. I removed it to see a blue bruise forming on the knee. It looked awful, but it was not paining anymore. I slowly got down of the bed and stood in the front of the mirror at the dressing table. There was a dull ache in my body and my head was throbbing. My lips were split, and there were fingerprints on my left cheek. It stung when I touched them.

I made my way out of the room as the door was already opened. I went out of the room and saw a long corridor with only two rooms - leading to a staircase. I moved towards it while inspecting the whole area.

Once I reached the staircase, I slowly and very discreetly went down, trying to not make any noise - scared that someone might hear me. Stepping onto the last stair, I saw a large hallway with a entrance in front. I enjoyed my surroundings in a daze until I heard some hushed voices coming from the right corner. I moved towards the source and stopped when I saw the opening of the living room. I quickly hid behind the nearest wall and peaked in. Sam was standing with the guy - who saved me - and they both were talking. Last time I didn't get a chance to see the guy properly, so this time I examined him closely. The guy's features were sharp, giving a dominant vibe to his demeanor. He poise indicated both confidence and dignity.

God took his time while creating him.

His blue eyes were so deep that anyone could easily get lost in them. I stopped ogling him when I heard my name.

"Aiden, we can't have this conversation again, stop doubting Tessa," Sam all but yelled at him.

He was that famous Aiden about whom everyone was talking.

"Honestly, Sam, I can't understand why you all are suddenly trusting her so much?" Aiden rebuked. "All we could know is, she the reason behind Crystal missing."

I gasped at his accusation.

"It can't be such a big coincidence that she found Crystal in such a place where there was no other person," Aiden spit out the words angrily. Although his words held accusation but they made sense. It really couldn't be such a coincidence, there definately was something big behind this.

But I couldn't ponder much thought over it as the anguish from his words overtook me. Suddenly all my admiration for him flew away after hearing his thoughts about me. I felt upset as to why he would accuse me like that.

"Aiden, don't forget you also found her at such circumstances only. She is also a victim," Sam replied in a defeated tone.

"To me, she looks crazy," Aiden taunted.

"Who did you just call crazy, you dim-witted monkey"

They both turned their heads towards me and then realized I spoke out loud, but it was too late to back out now. I came out from behind the wall and stood in front of them, glaring at that rude-stupid-arrogant-Aiden-guy. Hr glared back at me with the same level of fierceness.

"Oh, so you are awake?" he mocked.

"Oh so with mind, god didn't give you proper eyesight too," I scoffed at him.

I could see his veins popping out as he flexed his jaw in anger.

"Look I have no time for your stupidity, just tell me why are you doing all this?" he gritted his teeth in irritation.

"And why would I tell you?" I said that to irritate him, which worked.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead before exhaling as if to calm down himself.

"Miss before I do something you won't like, tell me what you are up to?" he threatened.

He thought I wpuld get scared of his lame threat, but I had already seen much worse.

"No, I won't." I reprimand him.

He stalked towards me, fuming in anger, and for a second I did got scared but Sam called out to him.

"Aiden, stop it, what you are doing?" Sam pushed Aiden back, creating space between us. "Calm down, she is hurt, can't you see. Just stop with your nonsense."

Sam stopped him otherwise I would have taught him a great lesson.

Ya! Like you weren't just scared of him,

My inner conscience laughed at me.

"Also, we have captured one of the guys, right now he is unconscious, but later you can interrogate him, then you'll know the truth" Sam made Aiden sits down, but that arrogant man stood up again and came exactly in front of me. This time I didn't back away and looked straight in his eyes. We were standing nose to nose.

"You all could trust her, but I won't," he spoke, stepping closer to me with each word. He was to close for my liking. I pushed him, and he took a few steps back.

Tears welled up in my eyes, as his words sunk in mind slowly. His eyes softened for a second, but he quickly went back to his cold self.

This guy, he was so hard to read. He was so mysterious, and that's what made me so uneasy. I could feel that he was way more dangerous than Sam and something told me to stay away from him.

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