Fatal Trust

Chapter 8

I lay on the ground of an empty, white room. I sit up and look around. Nobody is in here. Weird, there should at least be a guard or two. Unless they are guarding the door from the outside. But that doesn't even make sense. There is no door in sight. Not even a faint outline of one.

I stand up and spin around in a circle. There is no sign of life in this room whatsoever. And it appears that there is no exit either. Why am I here? What are they going to do to me? Quickly, I look up at the ceiling. I search for any signs of the blue lightning. But there are none. This sets me on edge. Something is wrong here.

Then sections of the floor open up all around me. My heart beat speeds up and my palms become sweaty. Metal chairs come out of the floor. They look the same as the one I was in yesterday,accept I am not the one sitting in them. Instead, the members of my family are in them and so is Nelli.

" Stop! What are you doing? Don't hurt them please! " I scream. Nicholas's deep voice echoes around the room.

" You had your chance girl, " he shouts. Blue lightning wraps around Nelli and my little brother, Jake. And figures in a gray cloak begin cutting up my parents with knives. The four of them scream.

" No! Please stop! I will do whatever you want! Leave them alone! " I scream. Tears stream down my face. I step forward, to try to interfere, but I am stopped by some sort of an invisible wall. I shake my head rapidly back and forth. Then I step backwards only to find that I am stopped by another invisible wall. I swing my arms out to the side and they hit another set of walls. I throw myself against the walls and bang on them with my fists. They don't even shake. " Stop! Stop! Don't hurt them! No! Stop! " I scream desperately as I throw myself, once again, at the walls surrounding me.

Jake's eyes lock onto mine and his lips form a single word. It is my name but the sound of his voice never reaches my ears. It is drowned out by the screaming of everyone else. The lightning leaves him and his body slumps forward.

" Jake! " I scream. His head doesn't move in my direction. Not even the slightest bit. No! No! No! This isn't happening. I stare at his chest willing it to move, to show him breathe. But it doesn't. It stays completely still.

" The boy is dead! " shouts Nicholas's disembodied voice.

" No! " I scream in horror. His chair disappears into the floor. My gaze travels to Nelli next. Her eyes are locked on mine as she screams.

" Penelope! Penelope do something! Help me! " she screams. I throw myself at the walls surounding me, but still they don't budge.

" I can't! Nelli! " I scream as the lightning leaves her body limp in the straps of her chair. Her chest stays still as well then her chair drops through the floor.

" She is dead! " shouts Nicholas. I stumple backwards against the wall. They look over at my parents who are being repeatedly stabbed. My mother's screams stop first, then my father's. Their chairs sink into the ground and Nichols's voice surounds me.

" They are dead girl! " he shouts. Then his laughter fills the room. I collapse onto the ground.

" No, " I murmur, " No. No. No. "

I gasp and shoot bolt upright. Pain travels through my body and I scream. I am drenched in a cold sweat and shaking uncontrollably. I sit on the cot Logan laid me on yesterday and I am still in my prison cell. I run my hands through my hair.

" Wasn't real. Wasn't real. It was just a nightmare. Just a nightmare, " I mutter as I rock back and forth, whimpering in both pain and fear. The pain is excruciating. I scream again. Then I clench my teeth together and keep quiet.

I hear the door of my cell open and I look up. Even the slightest movement envokes more pain. I let out a muffled scream. In front of me I find Logan. My first instinct is to reach out to him and have him hold me to calm me down. But, then I remember all he has done to me and I bring my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them. Bad move. I scream in pain.

Logan's brow furrows in concern. It is not real. His concern means nothing. Do not let it break you.

" Pen? Are you okay? " he asks.

" Don't call me that, " I growl. He steps forward and reaches an arm out to me. " Don't touch me! " I scream as I scoot away from him. I whimper from the pain. Hurt flashes acrossed his face.

" Baby, " he starts, but I cut him off.

" I am not your baby, " I say curtly. He sighs.

" You have to trust me. I will help you get out of here, " he says quietly.

" I can't trust you, " I say as my voice shakes. He gives me a pained look.

" Ba- Penelope, please, " he says desperately. I shake my head slowly and whimper. He steps closer to me and I scoot back until my back touches the wall. I cry out. Still he comes closer. And I can't move any farther away. His hand reaches out.

" Don't touch me, " I say. He ignores me and his hand grazes my side. I suck in my breath. Then he reaches into the waistband of my training pants. " Get your hands off of me! " I scream. He pulls his hand away and lays something in my hand. I look down at it. It is the healing slave he gave me yesterday.

" At least try to take care of yourself, " he mutters. Then he turns away and walks to the door of my cell. I close my hand around the slave. I take a deep breath.

" Logan, " I call. He turns his head back around. " Why? " I ask. That simple one word question is talking about a million different things and he seems to understand every single one of them. He walks back over to me and sits on the floor.

" I really did love you. I have been searching for the owner of that knife for awhile, but I never thought it was you. When I found out though I was determined to complete my assignment. I was planning on delaying telling Nicholas that I had found you, but he found out on his own and ordered me to go retrieve you. I was going to keep you out of it completely, but once he found out I couldn't. So I mad a deal with him so he wouldn't hurt you. I have held up my half of the bargain, but he has not held up his. But I had to do something to help so I stole that healing slave. And I will get you out of here. I promise, " he says.

" Logan, what did you bargain with? " I ask slowly. Fearing that I already know the answer.

" I told him I would do anything he asked, without questions. I didn't think he would want me to do what he does," he says.

" What does he want you to do? " I ask.

" Hurt you and... marry his sister , " he replies.

" Marry his sister? " I question.

" Ya, she was kidnapped a year and a half ago. She has been pretty messed up since. She screams at every little sound and is afraid of everything. He wants the knife so he can locate the kidnapper. He wants revenge, " explains Logan.

" The knife doesn't work like that. It only shows you what cannot be seen so you can defend yourself. It won't show you someone you are looking for, " I say.

" I know that, but he doesn't, " he says. " I will be back tonight we leave then, " says Logan. Then an image of my Yorkshire terriors face comes to mind.

" Chloe? " I ask.

" Don't worry, she is safe. She ran away from the lightning. I found her after they took you away. That's one smart dog you have, " he says. I sigh in relief.

" Thanks, " I mutter. Then he gets up and leaves.