Hostage

Gone

Kimberly's POV

"It's a beautiful painting." A voice said from behind me. I whirled around quickly. "Duo stulti."he continued. I examined him for a while and then inhaled.

"Two fools." I turned back to the painting.

"You speak Latin?"

"A little." I nodded. His silence urged me to continue. "Two men on their way to paradise. One has a bad leg and a pair of shoes, the other is perfectly fine and barefooted. They can help each other out but 'as long as he doesn't have what I have,I have the advantage'." I rolled my eyes. "Human nature." I added. He stood still for a while, his deep brown eyes staring right at me. I took a deep breath.

"I'm-I'm sorry if I said too much. I tend to talk more than I'm supposed to sometimes and I end up saying a lot of meaningless things, I-"

"It's okay" A smile crossed his face. "I've just never heard it that way before. It's amazing." He turned to face me. "Really amazing."
My cheeks turned red as a beetle.

"I'm Kimberly." I stretched my hands towards him. "Kimberly Hastings."

"Kimberly Hastings." My name rolled easily off his tongue as he took my hand. "Would you do me the honor then, Miss Hastings?" He extended his other arm towards me. A smile played on my lips as I slid my arm into his. He led me to the center of the hall and then lowered his hand to my waist, causing me to inhale sharply. I placed both hands on his shoulder and we began to dance slowly to the rhythm of the song.

"You still haven't told me your name."I said slowly. He grinned.

"You never asked." He spun me around.

"I am now." I said when my hands were on his shoulders once more. He looked at me for a while.

"If I told you-" he pulled me close, closing the space between us. I could feel his breath on my cheek literally. His eyes scanned mine for a moment and I recognized those brown eyes. I recognized the pit in my stomach, I recognized his breathtaking gaze.

I knew this man....

"If I told you-" he repeated. "Then you'd run away." He continued. My eyebrows furrowed.

"I know you." I muttered. "Tell me." I urged him. He looked me for me for a short moment, his eyes never leaving mine. "Tell me-" I paused. "Show me." I pressed further. I reached for the white volto mask on his face. My hand was just a few inches away from his face when his hand grabbed mine. I looked at him for a while. "Let me see you." I told him, my voice almost pleading. He was still for a moment before I felt his hand slowly slip away from mine, giving me all the access I needed. I drew in a deep breath and my eyes never leaving his, I reached for the mask and then pulled it off. I let it drop before I looked up at the face of the man in front of me. I gasped

"It's you."

I sat up from bed quickly, breathing quickly, gasping like I had just seen a ghost. I drew in deep breaths and then exhaled heavily. Strands of hair glued to my face, making me quite uncertain as to whether the salty fluid I had tasted earlier was my sweat or tears.

"She's awake, thank goodness!" I heard someone say. I whirled around quickly and then inhaled sharply. My head hurt. "How're you feeling? Are you alright? Should I get you some water? Meds? Aspirin? Does your head hurt?" The voice echoed through my head. "Kim?" She called. I rubbed my temples and then gasped.

"Mum?" I muttered under my breath.

"Are you okay?" The figure drew closer. I squinted.

"Roxi." I paused. "Wh-what are you doing here?" I stammered and then rubbed my temples. "My head hurts."