The Unknown

The Stranger

Slowly Hannah opens her eyes but it’s a tad bit hard. It feels like someone has glue them shut. Groaning she notices that everything is coming into focus. She can’t move her arms or her feet. Trying not to freak out she looks down, taking note of the very tight ropes tying her ankles together she breaths in deep trying to remember what has happened. Her heart rate is picking up and if things keep going the way they are she’ll surely have a panic attack.
After calming down she tries to move her hands again. She feels the burn of ropes cutting into her wrists conforming that her hands are tied together also. Panic raising again until she feels the warmth of something. Moving her fingers around a little bit more she realizes that it’s a hand. The warmth meaning whom ever it belonged to was still alive. Right now she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad.
She needs to ignore the tingles running through her right hand. Its possibly just the blood lose to her hands from moving them around in the ropes. “Hey are you okay?” ‘Please be okay cause there isn’t much I can do to help you right now.’ She thinks to herself. Wiggling some more she grabs the persons hand. The hand wraps around hers.
“Hey buddy can you hear me?”
That earns her a grunt. Which makes her body flood with relief. At least she’s not alone. The relief is quickly replaced with regret, she shouldn’t feel that way. If she was going to be in this hell part of her wished she was alone, the other part wished she wasn’t.
Sighing she tries talking again. “Hey my name is Hannah and I know you’re scared right now, but I want you to know its going to be okay we’ll get out of this. I’ll make sure of it.”
A dry laugh came from the warm body behind her. ‘Who would be laughing now.’
“Well Hannah I hope it is I that saves you. More like I know it will be me.” A gruff voice came from behind her.
“How can you know something like that?” she replies.
“Because this isn’t my first time in a situation like this. Just the first time I’ve had a cell mate. Oh my name is Jeremiah.” He says casually.
She would of laughed if this had been any other place, in any other situation. His words did settle her nerves a little bit.
“Why would someone find themselves in a situation like this?”
“That’s a very personal question Hannah. I could ask you the very same question. So?”
“Honestly I don’t know I was enjoying a walk before work and that’s the last thing I can remember. Everything after that is just dark. I wish I knew why I’m here.” Sniffling she tries to hold in the tears that are ready to pour from her eyes.
“Hey Hannah its okay I promise. Before you know it we will be out of here and safe.”
“I can’t keep being optimistic you know when everything is dark. I was trying when you were out but it was hard.”
“I know and you don’t have to be right now listen I’m here for you… Wait shush. Is that foot steps?”
He was right it is foot steps.
“Yes.” She says almost like she breathed the word.
“We need to be quiet okay?”
She doesn’t have time to answer because the only door in the room swings open. The sunlight blinding them slightly. Enough for their captors to blind fold them, untying their feet.
Standing on shaky legs. The people gives them no time to adjust. They drag them to the door. Out to the left. Down a stair case with 12 stairs. Hannah counted every one of them. Heading to the right of the steps they are lead 100 steps to another building. The cool air making her hair on her arm stand up.
Blinded from the light inside as the blind fold is taken off she squeezes her eyes shut. Slowly opening them till they adjust. She notices she’s in a bathroom with three men.
‘Yep this is where I get raped.’ She thought to herself.
“Go to the bathroom.”
“Umm sir I know I am in not place to make requests but can you let the lady go alone.” The man who was tied with her upstairs said with power and not really as a question. The man that was holding on to her arm grunts in response but unties her.
“We will be right out there don’t try anything.”
After Hannah nods her head they leave. Not sure how much time they’d give her, she uses the bathroom quickly. Then washes her hands. Not sure what to do she knocks on the door as a signal to the men she was done.
The one that had untied her walks in with the rope and blind fold. Not putting up a fight she holds her arms behind her. Wincing when the ropes bite into the sensitive skin on her wrists.
Earning a unhappy noise from Jeremiah. Sighing deeply he composes his self the best he can. The world becoming dark once again when the man put the blindfold back on.
Letting her other senses take over she can hear them removing Jer’s ropes and blindfold. A man pushes her out of the bathroom. Taking note that she can hear two sets of foot steps. Its just her and man one now.
Clearing her throat she says “So is there anything I can call you? I know I can’t know your real name.”
“Jared. You can call me Jared. I’m sorry about this.”
“Jared you don’t look much older than me. What are you 24?”
“You are good at guessing ages.”
“I’d almost call it a talent of mine. Why are you doing this Jared?”
Swallowing hard he answers “I am not personally doing this ma’am. I shouldn’t even be here.”
“Call me Em.” I start laughing “I’m sure you know my real name. So Why are you here then?”
The sound of the door opening cuts us off. Well at least I know a little bit, he’s 24 and really doesn’t want to be here. If he doesn’t want to be here why is he here? What’s his real name? Whose in charge? I wish I had more answers.
“Ready to go?” Jared asks.
“Yeah ready as ever.” Other guy says.
Do either one of them want to be here? If not why are they? One hundred steps back to the stairs. We head left up the twelve stairs. This time Hannah takes the time to count her steps to the door. There were fourteen. Jared being gentler with Hannah as he sets her down. The other guy didn’t care if he hurt Jeremiah or not, which pissed Hannah off. Both men tie their feet. Hannah’s ropes were tight but not tight enough to hurt her.
Taking a deep breath she nods her head at Jared. With that she listens for their foot steps to leave. The slight bang of the door letting her know that they had left.
“Jeremiah, are you okay?”
“Peachy!” The sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“What were you and that jerk talking about?”
“Really that’s what this is about?” She turns her head slightly. Not that it mattered because she can’t see anything and he possibly can’t either. “Here I thought you were hurt. Ha how stupid of me to care about the stranger that I just met today.” No point in hiding her hurt she just lets it all out. Huffing she lets her body drupe.
“Hannah?”
She doesn’t care to answer. Just lets the tears wet her blindfold.
“Hannah?”
She doesn’t even turn her head toward him anymore.
“Hannah please. It was stupid of me. I’m sorry. I’m fine they didn’t hurt me.” He whispers “No more than the others.” Hoping she wouldn’t hear. “Just answer me please.” Clear desperation in his voice.
“Not like I can go anywhere. I’m stuck here no matter how hurt I am.”
He sighed but said nothing else. Hannah didn’t have the energy anymore to compose herself. Deciding sleep was the best thing at the moment. No ropes were there, no men holding her capture, no cell mate, and no emotions she couldn’t explain. Just dreams of a happier time or that’s what she thought.

A\N: 1423 words. I hope you enjoyed feel free to leave a comment! Sorry for any errors.