Our Mission

Chapter 21

- Isabella's POV -

I couldn't stop myself from going down the dark hall no matter how hard I tried standing my ground. I was being controlled like a puppet as I felt the forceful pushes on my legs making me continue my way to a tall chipped painted door with a bloody streaking handprint. I wanted to let out a sob, I wanted to scream for help, I wanted to run out but I couldn't, I was frozen and numb.

My shaky hand grabbed the handle, slightly opening the door when loud unknown screeching screams and cries began to ring in my ears. The force I felt on my legs came back forcing me down the beat-up wooden stairs that creaked with every step I took. My eyes wander around what looked like an abandoned basement once I made it down the staircase.

Who's screaming and where am I?

The tingling numbness in my body disappears as I felt a burning sensation on my skin. My screams mixed with the others filled the dark empty room when I began feeling the excruciating pain of my skin being peeled off slowly layer by layer.

"Stop, oh please stop" I let out a sob pinching my eyes shut, the pooled up tears stung my cheeks as they ran down. I continued to scream until my throat became scratchy and dry not being able to go on. I begged whoever, whatever was doing this to end it but they didn't.

My weak legs were no longer able to carry my heavy body and I fell onto my hands and knees. I crawled on the rough concrete floor to a corner wincing at the prickly pain from the bloody blisters that filled my hands and shoved myself in the corner.

"Who would've known someone who acts so strong is just as weak" I heard a deep chuckle, the voice was unrecognizable and dark.

The fiery flames wrapping my body continued as I felt the presence of someone. A tall muscular man in a fitted black suit walked out of the darkness and towards me. His face was covered with a black mask leaving only his dark brown hair that flopped over his forehead, sharp jawline that could cut my finger with a swipe, and mesmerizing grey eyes the only features visible.

My knees were up to my rapid rising chest and my arms wrapped around them pushing them closer as my body pulled as far away as it could from the man. He crouched down placing a hand on the wall behind me while the other lifts my chin.

I flinch at his touch that cooled down my burning flesh. His pink lips pull into a smirk, he opens his mouth slightly flashing his pearly white teeth at me.

"I'll make it fast"

The tormenting pain came back quickly once his icy fingers let go of my face.

I shot up from the bed and an echoing scream escaped my lips. My face was warm and damp from the droplets of sweat sliding down my forehead. I could feel the stabbing chest pain from my rapid heartbeat and my screaming continued as I began rubbing my shaking body trying to stop the burning torture that stuck with me.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I heard Lorenzo's raspy voice filled with concern.

"Tell him to stop!"

"Please make it stop! It burns so bad!" I continued to cry out, my body felt on fire no matter how much I rubbed, why wouldn't it just go away?

My eyes scanned the darkroom, I wasn't balled up in a random person's basement and the man I saw was no longer there. Realization hit me, a nightmare, I rarely had nightmares but this one was so random it felt real. I didn't know who the man was and why he was even in my dream which made the situation even scarier. I was getting tortured by a random person, was it a message? possibly a warning? Or maybe I'm just overthinking the situation like I always do.