Liam couldn't take in his surroundings fast enough. Every new room that they entered, he tried to look around for Phin, but they were moving too fast. After calling out her name at every floor they were on, the men had taped his mouth shut.
He anxiously looked around.
So many white walls.
So many folding chairs.
So many stairs.
Was that a window?
Or a door?
Is this a closet or an elevator?
Were they going up or down?
The walls started getting closer.
The footsteps were getting louder.
Was that him breathing?
Was he breathing?
Should he be breathing?
He couldn't remember.
~~~
"Steve."
The man slowly dropped his head into his hands.
"I can't with her. Please. Someone else take over. I just can't anymore."
Annalise tried not to smile. So far, breaking the men had been pretty easy.
The door to the interrogation room opened once more and a determined man traded places with the broken man.
"Alright. Let's start with an easy question. What is your name?"
"Steve."
He cleared his throat. "What is your birthday?"
"Steve."
He stood from his seat and walked towards her until he was only inches from her face.
"What are you doing here?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Steve."
The man straightened his posture and walked right out the door.
Annalise bit her lip as she heard the man complain to someone outside.
"I won't put up with this! This is ridiculous! She is disturbed! She can't possibly know anything of importance! She is an idiot!"
"You're right. What could she possibly know?"
Annalise stilled at the voice.
"She is, after all, no one of importance."
Her breath quickened.
"Isn't that right, Annalise?"
Her heart dropped as The Collector entered the room.
"Why don't I take a stab at it?"
~~~
"What is your name?"
Liam desperately tried to open his mouth.
"Your name."
Was his mouth still taped? He touched his face.
No.
"What. Is. Your. Name."
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
The man seated in front of him frowned. He raised his hand to slap him.
But Liam could barely tell.
He was too focused on the white walls.
The white floors.
The low ceiling.
He felt the man's hand make contact with his face.
Liam's nose immediately started bleeding.
I'm so weak.
And then he saw it.
The blood on the floor.
The red streak.
Red.
He stopped breathing.
The man loomed over Liam as he started to hyperventilate.
"So that's what gets a reaction out of you."
~~~
Annalise sobbed quietly in the corner.
She hurt everywhere.
Blood seeped through her clothes.
It hurt to cry.
He left the knife a few feet away from her, knowing she wouldn't take it.
Knowing she couldn't use it.
Knowing she wouldn't use it.
She was no killer.
She shuddered.
No one would save her.
She was alone.
Again.
~~~
"He is useless."
Liam had his eyes closed. Trying to distract himself from the pain.
He tried to clear his thoughts enough to understand what the two men were saying.
"He won't speak. It's like he doesn't even know he is here."
"He knows he is here."
"He is still useless if he won't talk."
A sickly laugh echoed throughout the white room.
"He doesn't need to talk."
~~~
His eyes flashed open as he gasped for breath.
Wires.
So many wires.
"Ah. He's awake."
Noah searched for the familiar voice but failed to find its owner.
The table held him fast.
"Good to see you again, friend. Maybe this time we will finally get somewhere."
YOU ARE READING
Trails of Secrets
General Fiction"So, what's your name?" "Yeah... about that. I don't know." "Don't know what?" "My name." "How can you not know your own name? Were you never given one or something?" "I don't remember it." ~~~ Just a small, average town. Quiet. Peaceful. Friendly...
