Without A Trace(Luke Hemmings FF)

Thirty-Three

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Zo? You don't have to go through with this." Luke tells me as he sees how nervous I am, looking at my appearance in the mirror.

"I am. I can do this." I tell him. I'm more trying to convince myself than him. I look professional. I'm wearing a pastel pink blazer over my floral blouse, white pants, and pink heels. My eyes are a natural smoky eye and my lips are a soft and subtle pink and my hair is pulled back into a curly ponytail. I wish my mum and dad could make it, but they're still in France. Luckily, my grandma came back this morning and took Zahra so that I can focus one hundred percent on this. I'm scared. No, I'm terrified. I don't know how I'm going to react to seeing Mark in the same room.

"We should get going, baby." Luke tells me. I gulp and nod.

...
"It's not going to be easy." Mitchell tells me.

"I didn't expect it to be." I retort. We're in the court room now, but Mitchell, Luke, and I are the only ones in here right now.

"Mark's attorney is going to do all he can to back you both into a corner and make Mark look good." He tells me.

"Well, then it looks like he's got hardest job of all." I tell him.

...

"Are you sure about this?" Luke asks. I'm getting ready to walk into the courtroom and this time it's for real. Mark is on the other side of those double doors sitting at a table.

"I'm sure." I tell him. I take a deep breath with my eyes closed and the doors open. I open my eyes and see my attorney sitting at a table with an empty chair next to him where I'm going to sit. Luke will sit with everyone else in the crowd until he's called up. On the other side about ten feet away is a table where a man with a bald head and a suit sits next to Mark Hemmings in a jumpsuit. The knot moves up and down in my throat.

I wake up and take in my surroundings. I sob when I see that I'm in this basement in this house. I remember the events of yesterday. When Mark took me from the beach. I wish he would have just killed me on the spot. What does he want with me? The basement door opens and I gasp.

"Are you hungry? I hope you like bread. It's the only thing you're going to be eating for the rest of your life. But who knows? Maybe you won't last that long." Mark says as he walks down the stairs, a loaf of bread in his hand.

"Don't be scared, sweetheart. I'm not going to hurt you.. Not if you behave." He says, sitting on the edge of the mattress. I'm curled up with my knees to my chest. He reaches his hand out and I jump as it touches my leg.

"Don't cry. We'll have fun, I promise."

"Zo?" Luke says and I jump as his hand touches my back.

"Another flashback?" He asks and I gulp.

"Yeah." I say, then immediately walk into the courtroom. I make eye contact with Mark as I approach the table and take my seat. He looks angry. We're in a room full of people and there are four guards in this room, yet I'm still terrified that he's going to hurt me. Mitchell leans into my ear.

"Are you okay?" I fake a small smile.

"Fine."

"All rise." Judge Collins says and we all stand to our feet.

"The trial of the people against Mark Hemmings in the brutal captivity of Zoey Delaney. How do you plead, Mr. Hemmings?" Judge Collins asks.

"Guilty, Your Honor." He says and the sound of his voice makes me sick. I turn around and make eye contact with Alice. She fakes a smile at me. I can tell this is hard on her. I turn back around and face the front. Guilty? I'm shocked.