Owned (Sequel to Sold)

Chapter twenty-three: Can't run no more

Each breath I take sounds like a loud siren in my ears. Like a blaring alarm telling everyone my exact location. I'm hiding in the closet in only my underwear and a bra. That's all I had time to put on before I heard the door get kicked in. I was able to sneak out of the bathroom and into Aaron's room before they started tearing the whole house apart. I could hear their heavy footsteps and maniacal laughs, but when they started coming up the stairs they quieten down as if they were predators hunting their prey.

Every now and then I’d catch a small hint of a footstep against the hardwood floors. Or the heavy breathing of a man. I felt unsafe, almost exposed to the world in this closet; the dumbest place to hide would be a closet, yet I was stupid enough to have chosen it as my hiding place from the many intruders invading my new home. I need a new escape plan, because if I’m discovered here, God knows what they’ll do to me, and I’m not waiting to find out.

I hear Aaron’s bedroom door creak open and my breaths became shallower. Heavy footsteps dominate the floor. I press both my hands to my mouth and bring my knees up to my chest; trying to muffle my breathing and  make myself seem smaller than I actually am. The intruder breaths heavily and walks further into the room. I began to shake and goosebumps covered my skin; everything sounded loud in my ears- my breathing, my shaking, even the water dripping to the floor from my wet hair. During my fear-filled moments, I managed to get in a few thoughts, they mostly consisted of: Where are my brothers? Who are these people? What do they want? Then a darkening thought was shoved into my mind: Am I going to die?

“Where are you?” he taunts in a low, sing-song voice, then he laughs. “I’m going to find you, little bitch.” I shake and a sick feeling washes over me as bile threatens to break free from my hold on it. After everything that’s happened, this is how I’m going to go down. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. The worst part of it all- the old me wouldn’t have carried. She would have just let the pain come and kept her mouth shut, because she thought that’s what she deserved. She believed she was nothing, so she should be treated as nothing, but they made me believe I could be different...and now I’m going to die. Fuck my life. Without warning, the closet door is pulled open and a laugh of victory fills the air around me. “There you are-” without thinking, I kicked the unwelcomed guest in his lower region. He fell to the ground; groaning in pain and I bolted out of their without a second thought. The rest of the men had gone back downstairs to my luck, and I made it to my room with enough time to shut the door and lock it.

The noise gave me away and soon their shouts and fists came from the other side of the door. I worked quickly to get my window open and then climb out. I did my best to close it before they knocked the door open. I climbed to the very top of the roof with little problem and hid behind the chimney.

“Go after her!” I hear one man shout and the others agree.

“Me? Why not you?” The other demanded. They bickered back and forth for a long time, and I almost fell asleep to the sound of their angered voices, until I realized that it had gotten quiet. I sit up in alarm and hold my breath as I wait for any type of sound that will give me a hint as to where they’ve gone. Nothing, but the sound of the wind fills my ears.

I crawl towards the very edge of the roof at the front of the house and look down. There are cars still parked outside. They’re still here. Okay, I think if I can get down to the side of the house, I could possibly make a run for it. With that in mind, I crawl back towards the chimney and crawl closer to the edge near it. It’s a long drop, but I can try to hold on to the bricks of the house for support in my venture down.

I sit on the ledge and twist my body, so that my legs are now dangling off the side of the house. I begin to slide down when the sound of heavy footsteps come from the roof. I take a deep breath and remove my elbows from the ledge, so my hands are now the only thing keeping me from falling into the bushes below.

I try to stay quiet and my knuckles bleach as my hands begin to ache. The footsteps get closer and I feel fear sink in me.

If this were a story or even a movie, the intruder would get distracted by something else or someone would come to my rescue...if only I we're so lucky. “Looks like I found you?” The man sneers. I glare up at him and look down at the ground below. “You wouldn't.” He mocks. I get ready to let my fingers slip when the sound of a branch breaking comes from below. I look back down to see many other men waiting to catch me. Looks like I'm trapped. I look back up at the first man, “No getting out of this one, slut.”

“So, what's it gonna be?” Someone questions from below. “Up or down?” they all laugh as I'm left with the only choice I'll have tonight. Either way I'm done for. I sigh and reach up towards the first man. He chuckles and helps pull me up.

The other men below boo while I'm dragged to the other side of the roof. I have to admit, I hardly struggled to be released. What's the point? Ever since the brothers I've been trying to go back to my old self and I'm almost there. Maybe this is what needs to happen for me to bring that girl back.

Doesn't look like I have much of a choice anyway. I'm dragged back into the house and when we reach the stairs the man pushes me and I tumble down. Darkness consumes my very being and I see no more.

Everything is just dark and I find peace with that.