Bikers, Chains and Bad Boys

Chapter 17

(unedited)

Bikers, Chains and Bad Boys: Chapter 17

It was so warm in here. It was dark and quiet. I couldn't see two inches in front of my face. It smelled like lavender and campfires. Something was cooking, like meat over a fire. My stomach growled. I turned, looking around, but it did no good. I couldn't see a thing. I wasn't even sure there was anything there, or if it was just perpetual darkness. My heartbeat picked up as I reached my arms out, pushing them through the air.

"Hello?" I called. I didn't get a response and my heart lurched a bit. Where was I? My feet moved; first the right, then the left. I continued to take steps, swinging my arms slowly around me, until my hand hit a solid surface. A wall. It was warm, almost too warm. A thin sheen of moisture covered my forehead and the back of my neck. The long sleeves of my shirt began to stick to my forearms and started to feel constricting.

My brows furrowed in confusion. My heart pounded in my chest as my feet moved quicker along the wall. I put both hands on it, searching for something; a doorway, a window. Something. I heard a noise on the other side, too low to determine what it came from. My heart jolted and my hands and feet moved faster, almost frantic.

"Hello?! Is someone there?" A sweat broke out above my lips and a drop rolled down the side of my face. It was so hot. I pounded on the wall as I ran around, seeing nothing but darkness. Suddenly, my hand hit something else. It was metal, scorching to the touch. I yanked my hand back with a hiss, shaking it out and holding it to my chest. What the hell?

Another noise came from the other side of the wall, louder this time. A cry. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I banged on the door but got no response. I turned, searching for something, but I still couldn't see a thing. I faced the door again.

The knob. I reached my hand out tentatively, patting around for the doorknob I'd touched a minute ago. I tried to wrap my hand around it, but it was too hot to hold, so I wrapped the front of my shirt around my fist and tried again. It was still far too hot, but it gave me enough of a barrier to hold on long enough to twist the knob and shove it open.

Light suddenly engulfed the room and I slammed my eyes shut, covering them with my hands as the light burned my eyes. Heat engulfed me and I blew out a breath, swiping my sleeve across my forehead. Slowly, my eyes began to open, adjusting to the sudden intrusion of light.

Fire. Everywhere. The walls were covered in rolling waves of fire, turning the light, yellow walls into cracked, blackened boards. The heat was consuming, and my shirt felt like it was suddenly glued to me, twice as heavy as before. I swung my eyes around at the sound of another cry.

In the corner, three figures were huddled, crouched low. The fire was closing in on them, beginning to lick at their clothes and arms. Simultaneously, they lifted their heads and looked straight at me. Tears leaked from their eyes, but no sound came from their mouths as the fire began to consume them, igniting their clothes and blackening their skin.

I looked on, horrified and paralyzed. My heart was pounding furiously in my chest as I began to hyperventilate, panting from the heat and the terror caused by the scene in front of me. They stared at me, tears continuously rolling down their cheeks. I was completely frozen, despite the burning heat around me. I couldn't do anything. Tears filled my eyes and spilled over, rolling down my face as I stared back helplessly.

Then, they opened their mouths as if to say something, their faces crumpling in pain-

And screamed.