Phase 43

Chapter 17 - Finn

"Take the girl to the back room," the man said. I clung to Sam, shutting my eyes tightly as hands reached for me. They grabbed my arms and waist, pulling. I screamed, throwing all my energy into my fists and feet. I landed a few weak punches, but one hand fisted my hair and pulled my head back. My neck tweaked. I stopped struggling for a moment, trying to breathe. My body started to move.

"Please! Just let her go!" my father's voice was high. I resumed my thrashing, screaming as I did so. I had to get back to them. I had to stay with them. Sam had collapsed to the floor after I was torn from him, blood dripping to the ground around him. As I was pulled away, I reached for him.

"Make sure she's quiet. Can't have the others locating us," the man called as I was shut into a room. Blackness swept in, clogging my throat. I struggled to breathe. It didn't help when a piece of duct tape was slapped onto my mouth.

"So, the little lady has finally been silenced," a gruff voice slurred. I was thrown forward in the darkness, my stomach slamming into the edge of what had to be a table. I tumbled to the ground, scrambling to find my footing. My fingers scratched at the duct tape on my mouth, but they were grabbed before I could touch my cheek.

"Oh no, the little lady doesn't get to take this off," a difference voice cooed. I used the man's grip on my arms to lift myself up and kick my legs out. I hit home, my heel slamming into the man's lower stomach. He immediately dropped me, his body coiling in on itself. I threw myself backwards, trying to get as far away from my captors as possible. The only problem was that it was still dark. I was about to stand when a bright light flashed in front of my eyes.

"Now that wasn't very nice to do to Cody, was it little lady?" the first voice said. I blinked fast, trying to see through the light blinding me. The first man was holding a flashlight right in front of my face.

I wanted to respond, but I couldn't. My fingers once again clawed at the tape, but I was only able to peel a corner off before I was grabbed again. This time, duct tape was wrapped around my hands. They pinched painfully together, my skin moaning as tape pulled it this way and that.

"Now, since Morgan is still working with your parents, we thought we could keep an eye on you. Morgan liked you, he did since you came for your brothers. Quite the heroic act, by the way," the second man, Cody, said. I struggled against the tape, scooting my body backwards with my feet as the two men inched closer. My heartbeat was loud in my ears. I could hear talking coming from the sanctuary where Morgan (I guess that was his name) had them. My mother was pleading for something, but I couldn't make out the words. But then, her voice rose painfully loud.

"STOP IT! PLEASE!"

My lungs collapsed in on themselves, and then I staring wide-eyed at the door from which I had come. The men in the room, Cody and the other nameless one, were grinning.

There was a moment of silence before the unmistakable sound of a gunshot was filling the church we had been taken into.

No... This isn't happening...

Morgan was laughing.

"You asked for it!"

Sam was sobbing. I could hear him. Snapping out of my stillness, I threw my body up. The men stood no chance. It only took Sam's first cry for me to let go of everything and attack. My bound fists flew, hooking around Cody's neck and pulling his head down. My knee, the good one, met his face halfway, and with the added force of my hands, Cody dropped like a sack. His nose was already bleeding.