witness || h.s.|| ON HOLD

twenty-six || off to work we go

Tate

   I was in a dark room, the only lighting in it being a singular lightbulb hanging down above me.

It was cold, and my body felt numb. 

   I went to move my hands but realized that they were tied behind my back in the chair I was sitting in. My heart rate began to quicken and my breathing was erratic.

"H-Harry?" I croaked out weakly, barely managing to get the words out due to how dry my throat was.

   I heard a laugh coming from the corner of the room.

"No, Tate. It's not Harry. I'm afraid there's no one here to save you this time," they chuckled.

   I could only see the outline of their body, and I squinted my eyes in hopes of making out some sort of facial feature. 

  "Who are you?" I asked hesitantly.

"I am someone who you have stolen something from," he replied, with a smug tone to his voice. He sounded older, maybe in his forties or fifties. 

   I was perplexed by his answer, wondering what on earth I could have stolen from this mystery man.

"I-I didn't take anything of yours," I squeaked, my voice coming out scratchy and hoarse.

"Yes, yes you did. Something that I have been trying to find for quite a while now, actually. But don't worry, I like to repay people, so, today...I am here to take something from you," they spoke, their voice sending shivers all over my body. 

   I heard the sound of footsteps, and eventually, a door was opened, revealing two more people. I strained my eyes to see who they were as they walked closer to me, the only sound being their feet hitting the ground, and the faint creaking of the lightbulb above me, swinging back and forth.

   The figures stepped into the light and I felt my heart drop right down to my feet.

"M-Mom?" I croaked out, feeling tears beginning to form in my eyes.

   She looked disheveled, and her cheeks had bruises on them. Her eyes looked weak, her hair seemed as though it hadn't been brushed in days. 

"Tate, baby," she exclaimed, reaching out to touch me when the man who had entered with her jerked her back by her arm.

"Hey! Get your fucking hands off of her!" I growled, beginning to rub my wrists raw on the rope that they were tied in.

  The voice from the corner of the room laughed menacingly.

"Now, now, Tate. Let's behave. I wouldn't want your mother to have a worse death than I already have planned for her," he sneered, and at this point, my heart was no longer dropped down to my feet, it felt as though it had left my body, and melted right through the floor. 

  "N-No!" I sobbed. 

He tutted from his cowardly position in the corner. 

"Then tell me where it is," he demanded, his voice eerily calm.

"Where what is?" I cried out.

"Stop playing fucking games with me!" He screamed, causing me to shrink back in my chair, and my mother to wince.

  "I-I'm not, just tell me what it is you want, please, I'll do anything! Just let her go-"

"Enough!" He yelled. "Kill her, now."