Hidden in the Shadows

Is it madness? Is it?

Layla's P.O.V (shocker right?)

Alex dove out of the car and ran inside the mansion leaving me outside, I quickly unbuckled and started to walk towards the door when someone behind me grabbed my hair and started pulling me back. Deja vu much? I turned as much as my body would let me and clocked the person straight in the nose, the guy was huge! He must have been six foot something because I had to look up to see his face, I started to run towards the door when something hit me in the back of my head. The guy was standing over me grinning, if I'm getting kidnapped again I might as well go out with a bang. I mustered up all my remaining strength and kicked him where the sun don't shine, the last thing I saw before the blackness took over was the guy doubled over crying in pain. Good he deserves it for hitting me from behind, only a wimp attacks a girl from behind!

When I woke up my nose was violated by a putrid stench. "Ugh what died in here?" I thought as I opened my eyes and had to wait for them to adjust to the darkness of the room, I was lying on a squeaky old twin bed and there was no other furniture in the room as far as I could tell. When I sat up my phone's light turned on notifying me of the time, they obviously haven't read the kidnapper's handbook since I still have my phone. I unlock it and check my bar coverage, I have awesome service where ever I am so I text Alex in hopes he can come and get me. I turned off my ringer and lowered my screen brightness, I slid it under the mattress of the bed as a precaution in case these people get smart. I walk around the room looking for a possible exit, there was a bathroom attached to the bedroom but all the windows were barred and the main door was locked. Since I can't escape the room without explosives I begin to look for something to use as a weapon, the only thing that could be used as a weapon is the bath towel they left me. Maybe they aren't as stupid as I thought, I grab the towel and look for someplace to hide.

There wasn't a closet and the bathroom would be a little too dangerous, under the bed would be easy but then I would be confined to a small space. I was about to give up when a cold blast of air blew into the room, I followed the draft to a vent behind the headboard of the bed. I quickly pushed the bed back enough to inspect the size of the vent, it was just big enough for me to crawl into. I began to look for something to unscrew it from the wall with, I found a paperclip in a drawer in the bathroom. It took forty-five minutes but I finally unscrewed the vent cover, I grabbed my phone and crawled in the vent. I pulled the bed back into place in order to buy me some time, I have no idea where this vent leads but its got to go somewhere. I crawled around for a bit before the vent dropped, I crawled down as quietly as possible till I reached the bottom and began to crawl again. I had to use my phone's flashlight the further I went due to the darkness, when I could hear voices I knew there was an opening coming up. I crawled up to the vent and peered down, there were six men playing cards and all of them were armed. I was about to keep going when the door burst open and a man came in yelling in a language I didn't recognize, they all went running out of the room leaving the door open.

I beat open the vent cover with my foot and dropped down to the floor, my ankles hurt like crazy from the drop but I didn't move until I was sure there was no one near the room. I poked my head out the door to make sure the halls didn't have any guards, when I decided the coast was clear I began to sneak down the halls. My senses were on full alert for any scent, sound, or change in temperature. I had determined I was in a tall warehouse and I was about to go down the stairs when the sound of heavy boots began to stomp down the hall, I ran to the closest door and slid into the room. I watched as the shadows of  several men ran past the room, I was about to open up the door when an arm wrapped around my waist and a hand covered my mouth preventing me from screaming.

I bit the persons hand as hard as I could and elbowed them in the stomach, I was about to kick them when they turned me around and held me by my shoulders. The guy must have been in his early twenties, he had blond hair and was covered in old cuts. "Who are you?" He whisper yelled, "I should be the one asking that." I said brushing his hands off my shoulders, "are you trying to escape?" I almost laughed at the stupidity of the question, no I'm not trying to escape I thought I would take a vacation in a psycho kidnappers warehouse! "Ya I'm going to escape are you?" He nodded, "my name is Layla, and you are?" "Harold" He said offering his hand to shake, "well Harold we need to get to the first floor and run like its the end of the world." I was getting a bad vibe off of him, but I played along hoping to buy me some time.

When we reached the bottom floor I felt cold metal being pressed against my back, "I was wondering how far you would let me get." I said feeling the metal of the gun tremble slightly meaning he had tensed, "so you knew?" I turned around to face him, rule one of staying alive in this situation intimidate you're enemy. "I knew you were the enemy the moment I saw you," he grimaced and held the gun firmly. He was about to say something but I didn't give him the chance, I side stepped and kicked the gun out of his hands. Risky move? Yes, but it paid off and I ran grabbing the gun as I passed it, I spun around and pointed it at his head. As I flicked the safety off it made a loud clicking noise, "one step closer and I'll put a bullet in you're heart." "For all I know you've never even shot a gun before" he said stepping closer, I aimed at his right leg and pulled the trigger before aiming at his left leg and shooting him again. "Too bad I have" I said running down the hall, with adrenaline pumping through me wildly I kept running until I came up to a pair of loading doors.

I threw them open and walked into the loading dock. There lined up on different sides of the platform were Alex's men, and the opposing side had a man that looked vaguely  familiar as their leader. They all had guns drawn and ready to shoot, I knew Alex would come to save me! Everyone turned to look at me when I made my explosive entrance, "princess?" Jackson said with a bewildered look on his face, I gave a small wave "whats up Jax?" I was about to walk down to them when someone fired their gun, all the men were at attention and firing their weapons. I stood there petrified as men began to fall injured, I knew I was going to faint but if I had to go out I was going to take out the other side's leader. It took a minute but I spotted him trying to kill Jax in hand to hand combat, I aim take a deep breath and pull the trigger before nothing.

Everything was dark and empty "hello? Is anyone here?" There was no response, I floated around looking for an exit or way out. I was about to give up when two objects popped up in front me. One was a teddy bear my dad given me when I was two, the other was the map I had highlighted for Alex when I first met him. I reached for the map but it vanished along with the teddy bear, I kept waiting for something to happen but nothing did. Then a bright light lit up the place I was stuck in, I was suddenly standing in front of the mansion. Everything was the way it was when I first arrived with Alex, the sun was shining and there was a light breeze. "Come on daddy lets go play!" A child yelled, a small boy came running out of the front doors. He looked like he was around five or six, he was a spitting image of Alex. "I'm coming Felipe, let me just help you're mother." Alex yelled from inside, I was confused I thought Alex said he didn't even have a girlfriend much less a wife and kid. I walked up to the little boy and reached out to touch him, my hand went straight through confirming my theory that I was invisible to them.

Alex came out of the mansion holding a ladies hand, her face was blurred to the point that I couldn't see who she was. "Are you going to come with us to the park mommy?" The boy asked skipping over to Alex and the mystery woman, she was about to reply when the scene began to rapidly fade from my view. "Wait I did't get to find out who she is!" I yelled at who or what was doing all of this, I wanted to know why Alex would lie to me about not liking anyone else. Maybe he didn't lie maybe I'm dead and I just saw him with his wife and kid since I'm dead! I began to cry thinking about the fact that I never had the chance to tell Alex how I felt, he had given me hope for a better future. I left Adam without telling him thanks for all that he did for me when I felt alone or depressed. Maybe that's why I was able to see Alex one last time, for closure? If I'm really dead and gone I'm glad Alex was able to find someone else to make him happy and give him a family, I began to wipe my eyes from the tears and felt slightly better. But if I'm dead shouldn't I see a white light or something? I floated there pondering on this for awhile until I saw a small but bright light, I could hear my name being called from within it so I floated over and jumped through it hoping whatever was on the other side would be better than this place.

A/N: And that's the end of this book! There may be a book two that features Jackson or I'll just post the epilogue to this one. I may add a bonus chapter so that you can find out what Alex did to Grant(lalya's dad) but I'm still deciding. Anyways Ciao!