by Clara Lewis
She reached out and gently lifted one girl’s chin to see just how far the marks went. The girl, who Ava later identified as Kate, although afraid, lifted her chin and presented the bruise around her neck.
“I’m sorry,” Ava whispered.
They were interrupted by the sound of crashing upstairs. Ava directed Ellie and the others to stay in one corner as she walked up the stairs to hear better.
“I’ll kill your kid, I swear!” the man had yelled.
Well, that connected everything. He was holding these girls for ransom.
“Hey, Ellie,” Ava said, turning around to face her, “How did you manage to contact this guy?”
“I wanted to leave my foster house. I didn’t like them, and they didn’t like me, so I thought it was better to leave. One day I was approached by some guy in a beat-up van—and I know what you’re thinking: ‘a white van and a suspicious man’— there’s no way I’d fall for that. But I did. I was so desperate to go away that I agreed to meet him at that gas station.”
“Was it that bad?” Ava asked softly.
“The house? Yeah, I was only brought on to be a free babysitter,” Ellie commented with a bitter laugh. “The guy promised to take me to a bus station outside the city. And now I got you involved in this.”
Ava shook her head, reached out and patted Ellie’s hand.
“Things would have been worse if I wasn’t here, and I promise you, I’ll get us out of here,” Ava said.
Ellie nodded, hope blooming in her chest, while Ava buried herself under the thin blankets. Promises were easy to make. What she worried about was how she would deliver on them. She patted around her boots and cursed when she couldn’t feel the outline of her phone. If it had fallen out during the altercation with the man at the gas station, he would have seen it and kicked it away just as he did with her gun.
There was only one other place where her phone could have fallen out of her boot and that was his truck. Ava shifted around the mattress until she found a position comfortable enough to sleep in. There was nothing she could do now. Trying to get her phone back was impossible, but assuming it hadn’t died yet, there might still be a chance that Carl and the other officers would track her phone to find her.
Chapter 6
Ava couldn’t sleep. She hadn’t realized just how used to the sounds of the city she was: to the cars driving on the street and the occasional siren, to her loud neighbors and how she unintentionally knew everything going on in their lives.
Now she was at a farm, with no neighbors in sight for a few kilometers. And worst of all, it was deadly silent. Sure, there were crickets outside but that could barely compare to a busy highway. It wasn’t an irritation to her at all. The noise had always made her feel safe. In this silence, every rustle or creak or thud would cause her to open her eyes and stare at the ceiling, body tensed and ready for some threat to harm her. The incessant dripping of water from some unknown part of the basement gave her no peace. Giving up on the prospect of a good night’s rest, instinctively she turned her head, expecting a clock to tell her the time. Obviously, there was none. She guessed that it was probably early morning.
Ava sat up, careful not to disturb Ellie who slept beside her. She tiptoed around the sleeping figures of the other girls as she inspected the basement. In the darkness, moonlight shone through a small window located along the top of the wall.
She quickly quelled the sliver of hope when she began to measure the size of the window. Of course, they wouldn’t all fit through there; it was too small. There was only one way out and that was through the trapdoor.
Ava suddenly crouched and froze when she heard the sounds of the man waking up and shuffling around the floors above her. When she heard his footsteps get louder, she curled up into a little ball in the corner where it was darkest. The trapdoor creaked open, and the man descended the stairs, the light from upstairs hiding his features from her. In his hands he held what seemed to be a packet of food and some supplies. He set them down on the stairs and swiftly turned to go back up. Ava stayed as still as possible, holding her breath as she waited for him to leave.
As he turned, she saw a silver key glint from around his neck. The closer he got to the light emanating from the entrance, the more Ava could see. She caught sight of a gun tucked into his waistband and filed that information away for when she decided to escape.
When she saw the trapdoor close shut and heard the sounds of his footsteps fade away, Ava stood once again, staying still for a few moments to check if he would come back. When the coast was clear, Ava approached the packet and breathed a relieved sigh when she saw a bar of soap among its contents.
She looked to the side and found a makeshift bathroom which was more like a recently installed toilet and showerhead with a tap and a drain in a floor, the only privacy a curtain that wrapped around the area.
Ava noted how it was built hastily and by one person. The tiles around her seemed as if they were slapped on in a hurry; some were askew. The shower curtain was made from cheap plastic, she noted, seeing the rip in their hem. The rails which held the curtains were simply scraps of metal that could be found anywhere. They were shaped just to serve their purpose. Ava got up on her tiptoes and scrutinized the man’s handiwork.
Well, he did good. Even though the room lacked aesthetic value and gave more of a horror-movie feel, Ava couldn’t help but give the man credit for his do-it-yourself skills.
Suddenly, as if a light bulb clicked on in her head, Ava clapped her hands.
A workshop. There had to be one on the premises. If she could just get her hands on anything inside that workshop, it would tip the odds of everyone’s escape in their favor. She first had to find a way out of this basement.
Ava helped herself to the soap and stepped under the shower. The sudden burst of cold water hitting her skin caused her to yelp and curse which in turn woke the other girls up. When she was done, she checked her face in the mirror. Even in the low light, she could see the extent of her bruises. Ava winced as she poked at one particular bruise which had split open into a small, open wound.
When she had dried herself and changed back into her clothes, three heads turned to look at her, and greeted her in soft whispers. Ava greeted back. One girl, Lena, noticed the bruises on her face and walked up to her.
“I’ll help you with these,” she said.
Ava shook her head. She really didn’t need help. She’d had worse injuries. However, upon looking into Lena’s eyes, she noticed that this help wasn’t for her benefit. The girl looked frightened, and she slowly reached her hands out toward Ava’s face again.
“Please,” she murmured.
Ava eventually obliged, and the girl hurried back to a box seated by her mattress. Ava sat on hers and waited patiently for the girl to come back with medical supplies. She set them gently on the mattress and motioned for Ava to turn and face her.
“I know who you are,” Ava said bluntly.
The girl stopped her movements and stared at her, the terrified look not leaving her eyes. She quickly shook her head and worked on Ava’s bruises again. Ava didn’t push the topic; clearly the girl didn’t want to talk about it.
“This salve will help them heal quicker,” she said. “It might hurt a little.”
Lena smeared the salve across Ava’s cheeks, and Ava grimaced as she pressed onto the sensitive flesh.
“Sorry,” the girl murmured.
Ava reached a hand out to place on Lena’s shoulder. When she saw Ava’s hand though, she flinched. Ava quickly retracted her hands and bunched them into fists at her sides. She had confirmed one more thing: the man liked to hurt others.
Ava could only imagine the feeling of the first girl in this place, how terrified she must have been. Surely, the sight of another human being was some sort of comfort. She was no longer alone. This misfortune had broken these girls but at the same time, had bonded them somehow.
Ava looked over at Ellie. She didn’t want this for her, but it ha
d already begun. Ellie and Ava had been together when they were abducted. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they already were bonded.
It was all so unfortunate, and it angered Ava. She had to get them out.
Ava leaned over and shook Ellie, grabbing her attention.
“Hey, kid, I need you to help me with something.”
Ellie rubbed her eyes and yawned. She nodded, still sleepy. Ava decided to give her a few moments. The moment Ellie registered her surroundings, her sleep dissipated, and she clutched the sheets close to her chest. She turned to Ava, a guilty look on her face. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and she wiped them away aggressively.
“I got us into this mess.”
Ava shrugged.
“No, no,” Ava assured her, “it would have been worse if I didn’t come with.”
Ellie’s eyebrows furrowed at Ava’s choice of words. She had made it seem like she chose to come with. Ava moved to step in front of Ellie when she heard a lock being turned. The sound of the trapdoor made Ava move in front of the girls subconsciously.
“Get up, now. Stand behind me,” Ava ordered.
The man stomped down the stairs, gun in hand. Unlike earlier in the morning, he had covered his face once again, thus concealing his identity.
He walked toward them until he was right in front of Ava. He towered over her.
“You smell familiar,” Ava blurted out.
The man took a few steps back, causing Ava to laugh.
“Don’t push me,” he warned her.
She had said it to annoy him and possibly distract from the fact Ellie was standing behind her.
“You want another one of those?” he asked, pointing at her bruises.
“No sir,” Ava replied, raising her hand in a mock salute.
The man ignored her and pointed at Lena.
“You, get over here,” he commanded.
Lena followed his order easily and walked toward him timidly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the entrance aggressively. Ava stepped forward on instinct which only irritated the man. He brought his gun to Lena’s head and she whimpered in fear.
“I will shoot her right in the head if you don’t stay where you are.”
Ava froze but that didn’t stop her from sending the man a death glare.
“More trouble than you’re worth,” she heard the man mumble under his breath before he closed the trapdoor on them again.
Ava looked at his retreating form thoughtfully. She knew this man, somehow. Now that she thought of it, he did smell familiar. She just couldn’t quite place it. His gait was familiar as well, although that could be attributed to someone who had more or less the same training he received.
Turning to the other girl in the room, Ava beckoned her to come closer.
“Does he do this often?”
Kate nodded silently and Ava bit her lip.
“Why does he do this?” Ava asked, curious.
“He wants m-money from our parents,” the girl said, soft enough that Ava had to lean closer to hear better.
Ava sighed; she had confirmed as much.
“And did he get any?” Ava continued.
“He says our parents don’t love us enough to pay the full amount,” the girl replied.
Her head had been bowed and Ava could tell that she believed her parents wouldn’t be so dismissive. The man only called them upstairs to hustle their parents for more money and if her suspicions were correct, he had no intention of ever letting them go. If he were successful enough, he could just keep them here forever as his personal cash cows.
Ava opened the bag again and called the others over to get some food or drink. Looking closely at the food in the bag, Ava frowned. Did he honestly think that a few bananas and three bottles of water was enough to keep everyone alive? Ava gave the food to the girls, saving some for when the third came back.
After some time had passed, from the corner of her eye, she noticed Kate rocking back and forth. Ava thought nothing of it until she heard Ellie gasp. Ava held Kate's body in her arms as she ordered Ellie to give her a bottle of water.
She placed the girl on a mattress and stormed up the stairs, pounding at the trapdoor until the man opened it. His eyes zeroed in on the unconscious girl and pushed past Ava. Ava stumbled back and almost fell, but she quickly blocked his path when he moved to carry Kate. He got one girl up there; she wasn’t going to let him take this one.
“She needs water and rest,” Ava called out, grabbing at the man’s sleeve roughly, “let her stay here for now.”
He shoved her with one hand, causing her to lose balance. Ava tightened her hold on the man’s sleeve and heard the sound of cloth ripping as she fell. Looking at his now exposed arm, Ava stood stunned. She held onto the torn piece of sleeve long enough for him to grab it from her hands. She’d seen this particular tattoo before.
“Fine,” he growled.
He was itching to get away and far from Ava’s scrutinizing gaze. Ava looked up at him and slowly smiled. It was far from friendly. Rather, it was vicious. Ava was dangerous with the right information in hand.
Thank you, Detective Murphy.
Chapter 7
Lena never came back and then Murphy called for Ellie. Ava had fought him but ultimately lost when he pointed a gun at Ellie’s head. Ava sat on her mattress, inconsolable as she waited for Ellie’s return. Her mind had been reeling with thoughts that, just like the other girl, she wouldn’t come back either.
The trapdoor creaked open, and Murphy shoved Ellie down the stairs. He followed after her and raised his hand to hit her, but Ava intervened. She positioned her body in front of Ellie’s and looked Murphy right in the eye.
“I dare you to try that again.” Ava seethed.
It would have been laughable, Ava trying to protect Ellie who was much taller and stronger than she was. Murphy lowered his hand, his face red from all the pent-up anger. He opted instead to roughly poke Ava’s shoulder.
“Your friend here? She’s a liar.”
Murphy gave one last glare toward everyone in the room, threw a plastic bag down the stairs and stormed off, slamming the door behind him.
Kate rushed to look into the contents of the plastic bag and announced excitedly that they had new supplies. Ava didn’t care much for that. She quickly took Ellie’s face into her hands and searched for injuries. Ellie tried to wrestle free, but Ava was adamant.
“Oh, I am going to kill him,” Ava whispered under her breath when she took in Ellie’s bruised eye and split lip.
“What happened up there?”
Ellie laughed despite the gravity of the situation.
“My foster parents were well off, so that guy did his research well. What he didn’t consider was if they cared for me or not. When he told me to call them, he was surprised at how they denied me being their daughter in the first place. Then he accused me of lying.”
“So he took his anger out on you,” Ava muttered darkly.
Her thoughts wandered to Lena. What if Murphy lost his temper with her too? She herself had been on the receiving end of Murphy’s rough treatment. There was no doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to use violence to get what he wanted. These girls were here for far longer. They flinched when anyone made any sudden movements. They shied away from loud sounds, and they were too comfortable to stay in the shadows. Looking at the other girl in the room, Ava could guess that she was thinking the same thing.
The urgency of the situation made itself clear. They needed to get out of here and fast. Ava made a mental list of things they needed for their great escape. Her mind swirled with possibilities as she tried to mentally map out the area. She thought long and hard, but being met with only negative results gave her a headache.
“Hey, Ellie,” Ava called out. “You asleep?”
“I was. What do you need?” Ellie replied groggily.
“Have you ever stolen something—successfully?”
Ava heard the rustle of some sheets. Even in the dark
, she could tell Ellie was observing her.
“Are you looking for a reason to arrest me when we get out of here?”
Ava laughed softly and shook her head. Ellie couldn't see that and waited for Ava’s serious answer.
“I’m going to need you to steal a key for me.”
“Which key?”
“The one Murphy keeps around his neck.”
Ellie answered immediately.
“I’ll do it. You got an idea for how I can get them?”
Ava suddenly reconsidered her plan. Maybe bringing in a seventeen-year-old to steal something from a man with anger issues wasn’t the best idea after all.
“You know what? I’ll do it. Never mind,” Ava said.
It had been more for her sake rather than Ellie’s. Although, if Ellie had gotten hurt during another plan Ava orchestrated, she wouldn't be able to live with herself.
Ellie sighed in annoyance.
“I’m not a kid, Ava. Just tell me what to do. We don’t have much time here.”
Reluctantly, Ava explained her plan. They had to get into the house somehow, and the easiest way in was to fake an illness of some sort. Ava worried about Lena who never returned, and she emphasized to Ellie that there was an exceedingly high chance of the same thing happening to Ellie.
“You mean I could get killed in there?”
Ava bit her lip. She was regretting this plan even more, but she couldn’t think of anything more. She couldn’t ask the other girls for help. They were too afraid of Murphy to do anything that would displease him.
“Yes,” Ava replied eventually.
But they had to do this fast. Ava couldn’t just rely on the hope that they would eventually be found. If they were to escape in the dark, it would be more successful anyway.
“You ready?” Ava asked.
Ellie nodded and Ava rounded up the girls.
“I need both of you to memorize the number I’ll give you. We’re planning to escape tonight but in case I don’t make it with both of you, I want you to call this number, ask for Carl and tell him the location of this place and that it was Murphy. Can you both do that for me?”