THE UNEXPECTED

24

My eyes flutter open and it takes a moment for them to adjust to the bright light streaming through the window. My limbs are stiff and I soon realise I'm practically hanging off the edge of the mattress as my body is pressed into Joel's side, I don't even remember falling asleep.

"Morning cowboy." I lean down and press a kiss to his cheek, and even though he doesn't respond it's become a habit to do so over the last month or so. His eyes flicker open for a mere moment but in a flash they're shut again, "Ellie! He moved, oh my God!" A jolt of relief spikes through me and I'm elated, but then it dawns on me - where's Ellie?

My body twists around to face the room and she's nowhere to be seen, and immediately my heart rate increases rapidly. Surely she wasn't stupid enough to go outside without me? That was the one ground rule I'd set - do not leave under any circumstances without me.

A thump from the room above sends my heart racing and suddenly I'm up on my feet, searching for my weapons but Ellie has taken them. What the fuck? She's left two knives, I'm guessing one for me and one for Joel.

Leaving one of them, I quickly shrug on my coat and cautiously venture upstairs. All is quiet but just then another noise sounds, it was coming from the garage and I prayed that Clarke and Callus were okay.

"Ellie?" I hiss, treading lightly as I approached the garage. The door squeaks as it opens and I cringe at the noise, taking a look inside I notice the garage shutters are up and Callus is missing. Fuck, it must've been Ellie and I hope she wasn't too far away.

"Find that fuckin' girl, the woman too. Alive - David's orders!"

My ears prick at the gruff voice in the distance and my body completely stiffens, my palms are sweating and my knees buckling. I just knew that David wasn't done with us yet and my guess is that Ellie wanted to draw them away from us. My sweet girl.

My instincts immediately slot into place and I'm leading Clarke out into the open before using the stirrups to pull myself over his back. I squeeze my legs and he goes into a light trot, my eyes are practically bulging as I scour the area in hopes to find Ellie.

"Down there!" I hear not too far from me and the bustle of men are running in the opposite direction to me. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck.

I pray to God that Ellie has escaped, I wouldn't able to live with myself if she'd been taken. My blood runs cold as I turn Clarke in that direction, at this point I don't even care about being seen Id rather it be me than her.

In the distance, I see a horse sprawled out with blood pooling at its side - It's Callus and he's been shot dead. My stomach drops and I immediately feel guilt looming in my belly. I always had a soft spot for animals, they were so innocent in all of this mess. The men are circled around him and that's when I notice that Ellie's body is nowhere to be seen. I breath out in relief, she's escaped.

I know what I need to do,

"You motherfuckers! Leave my daughter out of this, take me instead!" The word just slips out before I can even think it through but somehow, it feels right. I feel so protective for Ellie that I don't even mind it, it just works.

"Oh, she's better than David said she was.." One of the men says which makes me feel sick, perhaps I'd gotten way over my head and this was a bad idea. Shaking my head, I remind myself that I'm doing this for Ellie - better me than her.

"Fuck David, you leave my daughter out of this - and don't kill the horse." I repeat myself, hoping to convey the message. The men glance at one another before one of them nods and comes close, he grabs my arms and restricts my movement making me scream out. My limbs are flailing as he rips me from Clarke, "Let go of me!" My voice is hoarse as I yell out, hoping and praying that somehow Joel could hear me. Perhaps he's well enough to get to his feet and rescue me, a girl can only dream.

"Shut up, bitch." It's then that I'm out cold, the last thing I remember seeing is the butt of a rifle slamming into my forehead.

I awake with a gasp, unsure of my surroundings and how long I'd been out for. It was still day but who knows what time it was. Glancing around myself, the first thing I see is the metal bars entrapping me, as well as the butchers table and the array of knives. Shit.

In my panic, I failed to realise another body is here with me,

"Ellie!?" Oh my fucking God. My stomach churns as I realise that they've taken her too, my efforts were for nothing and I'd gone and gotten myself captured for what felt like nothing. I feel as though I've failed her, I couldn't keep her out of this mess.

Ellie seems to be out still, so I move over and shake her shoulders a little,

"Huh? What?" She springs forward, also gasping as she looks around the room we're in. Her eyes are wide in panic and her breaths are laboured.

"Ellie, hey, hey, it's me." She seems to calm at my voice and turns to face me. She then frowns, looking at me.

"Fuck! You aren't supposed to be here! I was meant to draw them away!" Ellie cries out which makes my heart break, I was supposed to protect her not the other way round.

"Hey, shhh. I'm the older one here, not you so don't worry I'm gonna get us out of here." I say, quickly formulating a plan and while we're alone I'm hoping to execute it. "I've got a plan, trust me okay?"

"...Okay." Ellie eventually calms her breathing and shuffles closer to me.

"This may sound crazy but just hear me out, I need you to bite me. Draw some blood, anything-"

"That's fucking crazy! I'm not biting you!" Ellie quickly interrupts me, her arms are crossed as she faces me.

"I know, I know. But think about it, you've got that bite mark and at some point they're gonna come back to check on us so if we say we're infected they'll be caught off guard and then we can strike. Fucking kill those assholes..." I trail off, Ellie is listening to me intently but something catches me off guard. Human remains are left clear as day on top of the butchers table along side a bloody knife.

David and his men are fucking cannibals that kidnap women. My lips part in shock but at the same time I can't say I'm surprised, like I said, it's practically lawless in places like these.

Ellie catches my drift and stares upon the table, she gasps and shuffles back against the wall shaking her head furiously,

"Okay we need to get out of here, pronto. You're right, it's crazy if you bite me. I'll bite myself, just enough to draw blood." Ellie begins to protest but I'm already rolling up my sleeve, I brace myself before bringing my arm to my mouth. Breathing in and out, I quickly bite into my wrist.

I nip at the skin, biting at it. My mind wants me to stop as the pain infiltrates my receptors but I'm determined to set this plan in motion and escape.

"Okay, that's enough!" Ellie pulls at my arm to free it from my mouth, I was so wrapped up that I didn't even realise the blood seeping from my wrist. The bite mark isn't that noticeable but the blood sure is. Wiping my mouth, I taste this metallic substance - blood.

Fucking hell.