[old] hexes for exes, briarville girls (1)

十三。紫丁香

(lilac)

MAREENA WAS FOURTEEN WHEN LIVIA'S CHILDHOOD ENDED.

She still remembered them shaking in a dark corner, whispering, "Who would save us now?". Pamela cried. Livia clung to Mareena for hope. Mareena was utterly alone. Somedays, she's impressed. Her fourteen-year-old sister took care of both of them for days, shielding them from their kidnapper's taunts and somehow assuring both of them everything will be alright.

They had been abducted the day before. They were playing in the streets after school. The next moment, they were stuffed into a car, blindfolded and gagged. Pamela's face was red hot with tears. Mareena had somehow remained calm.

All that went through Livia's mind was, "oh my god, I'm going to die."

She didn't. Mareena did.

Their kidnappers demanded a ransom. They knew who the three were. How her family was rich. The government wouldn't help them. The British government doesn't pay ransom money. Their option was a raid. But it wasn't just one person at stake. It was all three of their daughters.

Their parents paid the ransom.

The kidnappers demanded more.

The police finally jumped in after collecting enough evidence to point to the kidnappers' location. They came at night. Livia still remembered the sounds of bullet ricocheting off the molecules in the air, flying through the air like death personified, Pamela shaking in her arms and Mareena whispering to both of them that it would all be okay. And then, the kidnappers in the room guarding them left. Mareena's eyes twinkled.

"Go," she whispered. The kidnappers were sloppy and inexperienced. None of the three girls had been tied up. They had been locked in a room with no windows and only one locked door. But the kidnappers were wary. They knew that if the police came in, they'd have to grab the three and run. The door took precious minutes to open, so they had left it unlocked, though the door was closed.

Mareena yanked the door open and ran out.

Now that she thought about it, they probably would have been safer staying put. But considering the kidnappers did realise they had escaped, it probably wasn't either. Livia and Pamela followed.

The gunfire was louder now. Shots traded, screams and yells.

And then, "the hostages escaped!"

Livia saw Mareena froze. Her sister must have wanted them to leave unnoticed. Mareena had gulped, her eyes darting to a window. They were on the second floor. Mareena looked out of the window. "There."

There was a bush directly below. Mareena must have thought it might soften the fall.

"Go!" Mareena barked. Livia grabbed Pamela and assisted her sister in escaping. Mareena pushed Livia out. Livia reached out, waiting for Mareena to jump down too.