Protecting You ("The Shadows" Series: Book I)

XLIII.

Lily's POV

The metallic stench was the first thing that entered my senses. Next, I felt pain in each and every part of my body. A groan left my lips at the obvious hurt my body was feeling.

"Lily can you hear me? Wake up Lily. Open your eyes. Talk to me Lily. Please." The voice had an undertone of pain. After a lot of effort my eyes opened to see Alex hanging with his his hands tied above him to something I couldn't decipher from my place on the ground. His shirt was missing and his jeans had rips in them. His body showcased cylindrical marks that I assumed were due to rod. There were places where his skin looked normal, but on others, looked black and blue. His left eye was swollen and black, his lips was busted and the bandage that covered his wound on his head had now turned red and was dripping.

"How long have I been out this time?" I asked in my hoarse voice and coughed. I felt blood coming out of my mouth and spat it out. I focussed back on Alex who grimaced when he saw me spitting blood.

"I can't calculate. I can't see whether it's day or night. But you were out for longer this time." He wheezed out.

I was lying with my cheek on the floor and my legs tied. My wrists were chained to something behind my back to the wall. My hair stuck to my body and my clothes were torn too. I was only in my bra and my jeans was barely sticking to my body.

I still remember each and every hit I got from Zach and the other two puppets of his, Jackson and Warner. They had brought baseball bats, knives, and what not. They were merciless on me and Alex. That time Alex was taken in another cell, but when they were done beating him around, they had brought him back, and that's when they had started serving me.

Alex was out cold when they torutured me. Through the first session they kept making small cuts on my body so that I survive, but don't bleed out. When they were done cutting me they sprayed boiling water on the wounds, literally. I still remember myself screaming bloody murder and that's how Alex had woken up. He was horrified by the sight, by my appearance. And then they left. Alex continued talking to me until I passed out from pain.

The next session and after that, every session consisted of them beating us together. We saw each other crumbling under the pain they inflicted on us. There was nothing left that they hadn't used on us till now. After our ninth session, I stopped counting how many times I passed out or how many days had came and gone. Alex and I were in the same cell after the first session. We kept talking, but didn't mention about Ryan and Evan or Jim and Anthony. There was this understanding between us that they'll come. We threw those words at Jackson, Warner and Zach. Zach had stopped coming down after the fifth session, saying he'll visit us later when he feels like it's time to kill us. Only Jackson and Warner visited us, sometime they brought company too who would drain their pent-up anger on our bodies.

There were a few times I wanted to quit. We both wanted to. But we reminded each other that we had to survive for our fellow gang members. We have to make it out alive for Ryan and Evan. We were family and family doesn't let go.

I would start crying whenever he would mention family. Here I was with my blood relatives. My family who wanted to kill me and there they were, Ryan and his gang, Jim and my gang who were behaving like my actual family. I was scared to quit after that. Ryan would shatter if he finds me dead. Zach's betrayal was hurting enough, I didn't want to burden him with my departure. And I knew he will find us. We will have to survive for them. Alex and I kept looking at each other and suddenly heard foot steps heading in our direction in the basement. We diverted our eyes towards the door and saw someone entering. The bulb above our head was still lit up so, the darkness hid the faces of people that entered.

"I see you're awake. How do you feel now?" It was Zack who spoke. I hated his voice now. He could feel my hate too because he chuckled.

"You hate me. I get it. The feeling's mutual. As for todays session, this will be some of your last moments in this basement or jail or cell or whatever you would like to call this place. I don't give two flying shits. Jackson and Warner will ease you through the burn." As he said that the duo walked into the light with lanterns in their hand.

What the fuck are they going to do to us?

"But before that, let us invite our new guest. Warner." Zach said and Warner left. Alex and I glanced at each other. He looked worried and I was feeling that too. Who was going to torture us today?

"Let me introduce to you our new guest and your new companion, none other than, Mr...-" Zach was cut off by the man's screaming.

"Lily!!!"

The remaining blood in body ran cold. My eyes met his and found him checking me from head to toe. His face showed his dilemma, anger, helplessness and pain for me. He then glared at Zach who instantly back slapped him. His head turned to the ground. He looked a bit healthy now and was not beaten up yet. I hope that I'm not jinxed on that one.

"Dad." As soon as the word escaped my mouth, his head whipped back in my direction. Anthony was more of a father to me than Adam. It took me this confrontation with Adam to realise that I can be his blood but Anthony will always be my Dad.

"Lily. You'll be fine. I'm here now-"

"No you did not just say that." Zach said and hit him with the baseball bat.

"NO!!!"

...

Hello Lovelies!!!

I'm not going to say anything today. Because I really don't have anything to say apart from the fact that I'm really happy after seeing the increase in the number of reads. I'm really glad that you chose this book.  I hope you liked it so far.

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Treat People With Kindness...&...

Loads Of Love...

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