Entangled | Zayn Malik

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I don't know what's happening. My head is pounding rapidly - pain spreading all around it. The back of my hair feels matted and wet and I'm positive I'm bleeding. My brain still feels fuzzy and I can't process any of my thoughts. I'm positive it's seconds away from exploding inside my skull. I'm warm, too warm. Stifling actually. I'm struggling to breathe. My mouth feels tight and constricted and I can't move my body. All I can see is darkness. There's something over my face. It's scratching my skin and it's warm and heavy. I'm partially aware that I'm struggling to breath but it hasn't quite sunk in yet, which is fine by me. The longer I can prolong the panic the better. I feel like my body is in a state of shock and I'm unable to feel anything. My hands are pulled back tightly and bound - the pain shooting up my arm due to the angle they're being pulled in.

All at once the soul crushing memory of being thrown towards Darryl's lifeless body hits me like a freight train and I feel extremely nauseous. I try to move my body as much as I can. I try to thrash against the ropes around my wrists but it only causes me more pain. I shake my head from side to side to try and get this thing off of my face but it backfires completely when the pain in my head multiplies and everything goes blurry, and then black.

—

I don't know how long I drift in and out of consciousness for. I have no clue where I am. I don't know where Zayn is. I want to call out for him but I can't speak. I can hear muffled voices, a man's voice, and then a woman's voice. I don't know what they're saying. I can't hear properly - I feel as though I've got water in my ears. My eyelids begin to feel heavy again and I try my damnedest to open them and fight the darkness, but it's just too strong.

—

I don't know how long has passed before I open my eyes again, but there's nothing on my head anymore and I've cooled down significantly. My eyes are still slightly blurry but I manage to take in my surroundings.

The room is dark and dingy. Nothing like any of the bedrooms in this place. It's like a cell, the walls look like they're made of steel and there's metal bars over the windows. The only light is a candle on a table behind me. The room is completely empty except for a television in the corner. My eyes scan slowly round the room until I see a sight that slices my heart in two. Zayn.

Tied to a chair with his hands and feet bound like mine. His head is hung low, eyes closed, blood stains on his face.

"Zayn?" I whisper. Nothing.

"Zayn?" I plead, tears brimming in my eyes.

Please wake up Zayn. Please, please wake up. I need you.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to wake up." A voice disturbs my pleading thoughts.

My head snaps up and I stare at the man in front of me, utter confusion setting in.

"Wha-what?" I manage to croke out in my confused state. I don't understand. What is he doing here?

"Surprised to see me?" He mocks.

"What's going on?" I manage to ask, my voice not daring to go any louder than a whisper.

"What's the matter, Kaya? Aren't you happy to see me?" He smiles.

He begins to walk closer to me and that's when it finally sinks in - it's Mr Hedshaw.

He takes a strand of my hair in his hand and lightly tugs at it making me shudder. The thought of him touching me is making my skin crawl.

"My dear Kaya," he says, "such a beautiful girl." His hand grazes over my cheek. My insides are turning and I have to fight the urge to be sick at the feeling of his skin on mine.

Suddenly he lifts his hand and smacks me full force across the face. My face stings and I can feel my body heating up rapidly.

He forcefully grabs my chin and pulls my face forward. "But you had to fuck it all up by getting involved with this...delinquent." He says, gesturing towards Zayn.

"Don't talk about him like that." I say, the pain suddenly dissolving to anger. He just laughs in my face and it riles me up even more.

"He's useless. He's a poor excuse of a man." He laughs.

"You don't fucking know him." I say, raising my voice.

"Oh, but I do." He laughs again.

"His uncle keeps me well informed." He says, a smug grin appearing on his face.

So his uncle is involved in this, whatever this is.

"You shouldn't be with someone like him. He's weak, he can't even handle a beating." He says.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, my blood running cold.

Just at that moment Zayn's uncle walks into the room with a nasty looking grin on his face.

"Oh he didn't tell you? Of course he didn't." He says. "Why would he tell the girl he's fucking that he gets his ass beat almost every night?" He laughs viciously.

My heart sinks to the very pit of my stomach as I recall finding Zayn doubled over in pain, clutching his ribs. I knew he didn't fall down the stairs. I think about the scar on the back of his neck. I should've talked to him about it. He could've told me the truth and he could've gotten away from his uncle. He could've stayed with me. The thought of this horrible, horrible man laying a finger on Zayn feels like a knife straight through my heart.

"You're sick." I say and the both of them begin to laugh, mocking me.

"You're sick, you sick bastards!" I shout, my voice raising higher and higher until it turns into a deafening scream. Please, someone hear me. Please, someone hear me.

Zayn's uncle raises his fist and the metallic taste of blood fills my mouth as it brutally connects with my face.

I clench my jaw, trying to ignore the pain surging through my face. Trying not to let these sick fucks see that they've hurt me.

"What's all the noise about in here?" A woman's voice calls from the hallway, then she steps through the door.

"No." I say, shaking my head. No no no no no.

"I'm sorry, Kaya." Madge says, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"How could you?" I ask, tears forming in my eyes. The betrayal stings me like a bee leaving its venom in my skin.

"I never wanted this to happen." She says.

"D-Darryl? Were you part of that?

She nods.

"Oh my god." I choke, tears running down my cheeks.

"I didn't want you to get caught up in this Kaya. I really do care about you."

"So let us go." I say.

"I can't do that dear."

"You're twisted, I can't believe this." This can't be true. It can't be.

"Don't call me that." She says, walking closer to me.

"It's true, how could you? How could you do that? To a poor innocent boy?" I say, struggling to understand the reasoning behind any of this.

She lurches forward and grips her hand around my throat. "He was far from innocent. You know nothing about the situation. So shut your mouth, shut your filthy little mouth." She digs her nails into my neck before moving her hand up to my chin and gripping it tightly.

"Do you strangle everybody you care about?" I manage to say.

"Shut up." She scowls.

"You're full of shit." I say, the sting of betrayal turning to one of pure anger.

"You know what I need." She says to Zayn's uncle. He gives her a smile before retrieving a box from his pocket.

"Open it." She orders, and he does as he's told. He pulls out a syringe and I feel as though my heart has just stopped. He hands it to her and she glares at me before stabbing it into my neck. I exhale harshly as the needle pierces my skin and I feel the liquid swimming into my bloodstream.

"You bitch!" I spit, before everything around me turns hazy.