Our Broken World

Chapter 17

I guess I fell asleep in Dylan's bed last night, lying next to him, because when I wake up I'm still here. Only it's not how I pictured it would be. Not because it's not perfect or amazing. I'm sure it would be if I woke up next to him voluntarily. But I don't. I feel someone grab me by the waist as some kind of cloth is pressed against my mouth and nose.

I open my eyes and feel strong masculine arms pull me up from the bed. I know it's not Dylan, because I see him out of the corner of my eye, still lying on the bed.

The man who grabbed me keeps pressing a damp cloth on my face and whatever is on it reeks. I slowly start to lose consciousness, but I can still see Dylan sit bolt upright in bed and I see a man next to him put a gun to his head. That awakens the fighter inside me and ignites me.

I kick the man who's holding me in the groin and he loses his balance a little, reeling back. I use this chance to free myself of his grip. But as I do that, I thud to the floor, because I didn't realize the man was so big and was holding me so high up. I'm still a bit dizzy from whatever was on the cloth, but I quickly regain my focus and try to get up. Unfortunately, it doesn't go like I planned. I trip on a rug because of the dizziness, crashing into a wall. I catch myself with my hands before any further damage could be made. I hold myself steady using the wall as support.

The man behind me says: ''I guess Rick was wrong when he said you'd be the easiest to grab. If you don't want to do this the easy way, we're gonna do it the hard way.''

''Taya,'' I hear a familiar voice and turn. Dylan is looking at my worriedly from the bed. I see a man pointing a gun at his head and then I see the man who grabbed me doing the same to me.

''Let's go!'' He practically yells and they force us out of the room.

''Stay close to me,'' Dylan whispers into my ear and strokes my hand with his.

We reach the base of the stairs, where Blast, TJ, Jonah and Benson are already held at gunpoint. Rick is standing in front of them, by the front door.

I knew something fishy was going on in this too perfect mansion. It was all just too ideal, too weird. And now we're being held at gunpoint.

When we reach the bottom of the stairs Rick says: ''Finally. Now we can take them outside.''

''What?'' I say in shock. It's still completely dark outside and the Mixed are probably all over the place. ''You can't do that. The Mixed are everywhere at night.''

''Yes, I know. That's the point,'' He says and adds: ''Remember how I told you we have our ways of catching the Mixed? We actually have just one. We use our visitors as bait. You didn't seriously think the rooms are so made up just for show? Or out of our hospitality?''

I stare at him. They're gonna use us as bait to lure out and catch the Mixed? We're screwed.

''I'm really sorry. I didn't want to do this, but ... it's been weeks since we last made a good catch. You should've accepted my proposal yesterday. Maybe that way we would've spared you. But even so ... we're running out of the Mixed's meat and my wife insists we need it. If there was any other way, I wouldn't be doing this. I'm truly sorry,'' He tries to justify the fact that he's about to throw us out there into the open, to the beasts.

''Rick, please. I'm sure there is another way,'' I beg him.

''I'm sorry, but there isn't,'' He says and points up a gun at us. At me.

''Whoa, whoa, okay. Look, there's no need to shot anybody. We'll leave voluntarily,'' Says Dylan and steps next to me, putting his arm out in front of me as if he'd be prepared to catch a bullet if one came flying at me.

''Are you crazy? We end up out there in the middle of the night, we're dead,'' I protest.

''Taya,'' He says calmly, looks at me and shakes his head just a little, like he has a plan. But I know he doesn't. We will end up out there one way or another.

''What if we just help you catch a few Mixed?'' Proposes TJ. It probably won't work, but it's worth a try.

''I'm sorry, but you don't know the tricks or the traps. You need to go. Now!'' Rick yells.

We all move slowly towards the door, when suddenly, Jonah says: ''Screw this!'' In the next moment, he turns and runs up the stairs. One of Rick's guards shoots a few rounds after him, but Jonah's too fast and he's gone before we know it.

Rick sways his hands nervously and swears angrily. ''Damn it, that son of a bitch.''

''Boss, should I ...'' Says one of the guards, but Rick interrupts him by yelling: ''What are you waiting for? Go after him!''

The guard disappears up the stairs.

''Fuck!'' Yells Rick. I haven't seen him so upset and distraught yet. So out of his perfect little bubble of polite manners and smiles.

He holds his head and says: ''I have to think; I have to think ... We can just send the last guy out after them when Luke catches him. Or maybe if we ...''

He's rubbing his forehead, his gun waving all over the place. He's so upset, I'm scared he'll fire the gun accidentally.

Before he can make any decisions, Jonah appears on the top of the stairs again. Only he's not alone; he's got Deborah and the kids standing in front of him and he's pointing two guns at them. One in each hand.

They look so frightened that I actually feel sorry for them. They're just kids. She might not be, but the kids are innocent. They don't deserve this.

Jonah leads Deborah and the kids down the stairs and then he says: ''What about now, old man, huh? What are you gonna do now?''

Rick looks at their scared faces, I'm sure horrified by what he sees. He looks around and honestly, I do not see his next move coming.

He grabs my hand, pulls me towards him and before Dylan can do anything, he's got a gun pointed at my temple.