ELBINA 2

Chapter 27

"Elbina."
I felt sick.
"Elbina."
My throats so dry, grating if I try to swallow.
"Wake up."
I don't want to, not when I remember that van.
He repeats it again but more urgently this time.
I regret opening my eyes the minute that I see the room.
My eyes survey it and I want to shut my mind off, to ignore this reality. It's cold, so cold that I'm shivering. The concrete floor underneath me does nothing to provide warmth and nothing to stem the sickness in my stomach that threatens to escape.
I test my legs out in front of me, it feels odd moving them. My butt cheek feels frozen to the ground. Unsure on how to move any more.
When I move my hands to rub my head, I realise that I'm chained to the wall. Thick steel handcuffs hold my wrists together.
Then my stomach sinks when I realise my bare legs touch the concrete, frozen and stinging against the ground. Only my sports bra covering my chest and the boxer shorts below, so I'm shivering harshly.
"Where are my clothes?"
He sits up further, moving forward trying to reassure me. "It's okay."
"How is this okay!?" I motion down to myself.
"How long was I like this?" I pull at the restraints again; I need them to loosen.
WHY WON'T THEY FUCKING LOOSEN!
"Elbina. Calm down!" He says urgently.
I snap my head to him, rising up onto my knees now despite the rumble in my stomach threatening nausea. "Don't tell me to calm down when I'm the one half naked!"
"Elbina. Stop it, there's no use getting scared!" I pause in my yanking, chest rising up and down quick when I look at him. "You were like that when I woke up, okay. I don't know why but I can't imagine it's for anything good. But it doesn't change anything, what's going to happen is going to happen, alright?"
How could he say that? How could he just accept it?
It's like he see's inside my head, see's me glaring at him and understands what I'm thinking.
"We just need to say nothing, okay? And we just got to hope..." He pauses again, guiding my head up at the camera in the corner of the ceiling. "Right now, there's no way out of here so we just got to keep us alive for as long as possible."
Till help comes.
Assuming that Lucas even made it.
How long had we been out? What if it were the next day? What if the help should be here by now and now, we're as good as dead?
I'm spiralling.
Eventually, I shake on my feet and fall to the ground again in defeat. Leaning my head against the wall, willing the emotions to settle down again.
Apart from Fallen and I's breathing, it's silent. The only thing eliciting noise being the humming of the LED light above us.
"Where are we?"
"I don't know." My head shakes when he says it. Planting my hands to the ground and wincing against the pressure of the metal against my wrists.
Finally, I bring myself together, calming my breaths until all that's left is a slight shake of my elbow. When I turn around, slumping myself back down to the ground and nodding my head at the camera again, Fallen's already watching me carefully in worry.
"Can they hear us?" His eyes follow mine, shrugging his shoulders partly.
"I'm not sure." I close my eyes when he speaks quietly to me.
I let my body sag a little, dropping my head back against the wall all over again with my eyes falling over the bare room, opening them to the grey scale. A set of steel metal table and chairs in the corner beside the door. The door that even from here looked thick and unbreakable, matching the prison like atmosphere as the rest of the room.
"Are you okay?" I tilt my head up, staring up at the light again. It's flickering minutely, aching my eyes and making the nausea feeling even worse so I have to evade them slightly. I can hear him sigh slowly before he responds quietly.
"I'm holding in there."
I don't want to put it out there, I'm not sure I even want to know. "Why didn't you say anything?" 
God. It's so quiet.
He's so silent across the room that for a moment I feel like I'm the only one in here.
"I didn't think you needed to hear about it." He sucks in a breath, pausing for what seems like forever again. "And... it was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I didn't want to relive it explaining it to you."
"How did you get out?" I bring my knees up to my chest, keeping myself tight together so maybe then the heat would stop dissipating into the cold concrete below.
"It doesn't matter." My head snaps to Fallen.
"What!? Of course it does, maybe we can use the same way this time and –" He cuts me off.
"No! It wasn't supposed to happen like it did. They practically let me go." Fallen begins to sound angry, boiling with hurt and fury but I still press on.
"Why?"
He avoids my question again. "They thought they gave me the motivation to find it, but the minute I got out... I ran as fast as I could and that's when I found the cottage."
"What did they do?" I prod further, desperate to know. There was still such a mystery behind Fallen, something haunting him so intensely that there never seemed to be a moment when he fully relaxed. Not really, and I could see it well and truly now as he shuffled uncomfortably on the floor.
"What did Nathanial do specifically." He mumbles quietly.
"What did he do?" I urge more.
He looks over at the table and chairs in the corner, shaking his head quietly leaving us in silence for too long. So long that when he finally speaks, it sends ripples buzzing across my skin, rising the hairs sharply.
"Paige-" He says darkly.
Then I understood, it made sense.
It clicked like a thud in my chest, forcing a falter in my breathing for a second when I realise the magnitude of that one word.
I want to say sorry; I want to say something that will make this any better.
I can't say anything.
Nothing will make it better for him, not by the way he breathes out shakily and quietens even more.
This room, all it does is bring out this side to Fallen, a side that's so broken and fragile, it's like looking at Thomas.
At that boy so long ago, who couldn't believe anyone could help him, that nothing we did would make it better.
But that was true in a way then, scarily enough. And it's the same for Fallen as well.
I gulp, struggling to find the words until they crackle out of my throat. "We'll be okay."
They seem stupid to say in this situation, it was all I could think, and I didn't really believe it.
And neither did Fallen probably, but he lifts his head slightly and spreads his lips quietly into a smile.
"You will be, I'm not letting it happen again. I promise you that." He says, a set of determined eyes as he does.
I go to say something back, but I'm interrupted by the sounds of a heavy lock clunking the other side of the door.
The atmosphere suddenly shifts, my knees move tighter to my chest. A cold sweat building behind my knees and the loud pulsing of blood in my ears worsens tills it's whirring away relentlessly.
My head jolts up the minute the door swings open, thudding against the wall and there stands Nathanial with another man just behind him. My chest knocks loudly against my ribcage, hammering away until I'm not sure my body can take it anymore. That it might just collapse in fear as I watch Nathanial smile madly, clapping his hands before rubbing them together as he walks the rest of the way in.
His eyes surveying between the two of us on the floor, his smile only growing wider when he nods at us in excitement.
"Are you both ready to get started then?"
I don't move and I don't speak, neither does Fallen. The air is thick with fear and I almost flinch when I hear the sounds of heavy objects being dropped onto the table by the other man.
"Nero's been listening to your inane conversation since you woke up. You should be lucky I didn't let him in here, he couldn't stand it." He laughs a little, a boot kicks at my leg hard and I lift my head to match his eyes. He's just as terrifying as before, his wide demonic smile taunting from above like the devil. "Bit of a temper with him. Although, if this conversation doesn't go as planned." He leans down on his toes, staring right at me and I feel my heart twist funny. "I'll happily let him in." He pats my cheek leaving me gritting my jaw in anger. I try to hold it in, the words I so desperately wanted to say.
But I don't and he continues.
"I've got people searching that house. So, whatever it is you've been hiding in there, we'll find it." He grunts when he pushes himself off from the ground in front of me, grabbing a chair from near the table as he drags it over to where I am.
"Nothing to hide." I should stop talking. He draws closer to me again; I really need to stop talking.
"Oh." He smiles. "I don't believe that for a second."
He gestures to the other man in the room so he walks over to me as well, unlocking me from the handcuffs but any throw I try to make is empty and they have me in a tight grip as they practically carry me onto the chair. A grunt leaves my lips when they link the handcuffs back together behind me, successfully trapping me to the chair.
"Want to know how we found you?" He says once I'm stuck in place, pulling at the metal as a test.
I'm scared to know the answer to that. Terrified even.
He pauses, looking between Fallen and I, smiling like he already knows we won't say anything.
"Alright then, I'll let you in on it." My body tenses when he removes his jacket, throwing it onto the table revealing his black long-sleeved top. But more than that, it revealed the large handle of a knife. Its handle clean and black, secured neatly into its holder that's attached to the belt. I struggle to take my eyes off of it even when he continues speaking.
"We knew about the van driver, that wasn't hard. Saw you get in it at the truck-stop. Apparently, you managed to forget about the novelty of camera's, stupid really... especially in this day and age. So, we knew you got dropped off in Dumfries. And then we come to find a stolen car alert yesterday from that farm just by you. Couldn't be certain of course, but low and behold, who did my men find driving out of Dumfries this very morning?" He says it nice and slow, dripping each word out so it sinks deep within my head. Stabbing me in the gut at each word and making sure I know exactly what he means.
My face drops, my stomach drops.
No.
"Where is he!" I shout, spraying spit right in his face so he veers back a little.
Fallen's frozen solid, unable to look at me and just staring right at the wall ahead of him with a tight jaw.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO HIM!" I shout so loud, in hopes that he might hear me. If he's here, maybe he could hear me, and he'd be okay.
I need to be angry because if I'm not angry then I might just start crying.
"I'm sure they made it quick." I shake my head, choking on my built-up emotions that sit at the back of my throat, begging to escape.
"No." I sound pathetic.
I sound defeated and pathetic.
"Was he leaving you? Did you send him away or could he just not stand to be with the two of you anymore?" He goads me, leaning slightly closer and resting his hands on the chair arms.
"Shut up!" I grunt through my teeth, begging him to be quiet.
"Touchy. I assume the latter then?" He smirks.
"SHUT UP!" I bring a leg up and kick him hard right in the knee sending him backwards, he catches easy and then he glares.
It doesn't feel like a second before my head cracks to the left, his hand landing a heavy blow to the side of my head. It sends my head reeling for a moment, taking me a second to centre my eyes again before I can lift it to see him glaring at me.
"Now why would you make me do that?" His head shaking, as if I were the disappointment.
"I just need you to answer a few questions, then it'll all be over. Sound good?" I cringe at his hand resting, squeezing at my shoulder.
"Fuck you." It comes out so broken, cracking and strained against my throat.
"Where is it?" He grinds out, inches from my face.
I furrow my eyebrows, he continues undeterred.
"Where is it?"
I don't answer, I'm thinking too much about Lucas.
Fuck.
I'm not crying.
I let out a gasp of pain, my shoulders rolling off to the side from the sheer force of the punch. Drool falling from my mouth slowly onto the floor as a headache immediately sets in.
Nathanial pulls me back up by my braids, so I have to look at him again as he shouts at me, droplets of his own spit hitting me in the face.
"WHERE IS IT?"
I flick my tired eyes over to Fallen, I can just see him over Nathanial's shoulder. He's mouthing words to me and it takes a couple of tries for me to see straight but then I see it.
"He's okay." I shake my head, unsure. How can he know?
How can he be sure?
Then he quietly raises his finger to his temple, signalling for me to think.
It's easier to think when you're not getting punched in the head, everything's so much easier when you don't have to muddle through the pain to figure it out.
He flicks my head back to him, away from Fallen with a smack. Stinging against my cheekbone and I can feel the sharp heat of my cheek as it reddens.
"I need that microchip Elbina. I need you to tell me where it is and what you know. I can't be any nicer about it than that." Both his hands are resting on my shoulders now, pressing down heavily and aching the muscles there.
I tilt my head to Fallen, he keeps reiterating the same thing. Except this time the other man in the room marches across and slams the end of a bat into the side of his head.
I wince watching it, Fallen tries grabbing it on the retraction but all that happens is he gets another hit with it in the abdomen, forcing a pained grunt to escape. His body collapsing to the ground from the force of it.
I try to lean forward, pulling at my wrists except Nathanial pushes me straight back against the seat again.
It's happening too fast.
Think.
I just need to think.
I close my eyes, trying to ignore the groans of pain from Fallen when he gets another hit.
Think.
"Are you scared?" My eyes open, his head tilts to the side as he matches my eyes.
I breathe heavily, his face centimetres from mine as he scrutinizes me.
I will every part of me to stay strong, keeping the eye contact even when his malicious stare is continuous and unrelenting.
"Elbina... Honey." I cringe when he wipes away the blood dribbling from the corner of my eyebrow. His thumb retracting back as he looks at the red smudge on the pad.
"You can understand my situation, right? How I might be a little... impatient." His hands go back to resting on his thighs, watching me as he leans down.
If I know anything. it's that I shouldn't speak, that's the smart way forward.
I flare my nostrils, fighting against myself not to spit in his face.
"So how about we get this all over and done with? just tell me where it is. That's all I want; I need the pressure off of me and you must be able to understand that." As he says that, I realise.
"Just a few simple words from you, would make this far less painful. For you and for Fallen."
I grit my jaw now, clenching my fists tightly and experiencing every sting and ache over my body. It's a new form of resolve, a certain stubbornness that develops when I realise.
I realise that if they had indeed found Lucas, he wouldn't be asking me this. He'd already know, we'd already be dead. Which means we have a chance and I've got to hold on to that chance.
My eyes flick over to the side, Fallen stoic and keeping a steady eye on both me and Nathaniel.
"She doesn't know anything." Another slam with the bat again, hitting him in the shoulder hard.
"He wasn't talking to you, asshole" The man hisses, spitting on him in anger.
But Nathanial snickers... finding humour in it. "Oh, I very much doubt that... A relative to you Fallen? There's no way she wouldn't shove her nose in where it doesn't belong. It's genetic, passed down from your parents."
He grabs my jaw, shaking my head side to side and even when I try to rip it from his grasp, it only gets tighter. His nails dig in sharply, indenting the skin and threatening to draw more blood.
"You're sure you don't want to tell me?" He waits expectantly, and I'm quiet. Taking a few breaths in the silence to stem the pain and the ache in my chest.
Then he sighs heavily, rising himself up and shaking his head at me in annoyance.
"Fine." Just that one word is enough to make me test the restraints, in hopes that they're somehow loose. They're not, they sting when I pull.
He's moving away to the table, mumbling incoherently to the man in the corner whose leant against the wall carefully, now having backed off Fallen.
I flit my head to Fallen as the panic starts setting in and he matches me, trying to reassure me.
"Just breathe." he mouths silently, moving his lips so I follow.
in.
out.
in.
out.
It's shaky, wobbling against the thrum of my fast-paced heartbeat.
in.
out.
in.
FUUUCCCKK
The choked gasp leaves me before I can stop it, agonizing pain radiates and stabs me in the gut as he lifts the bat again.
He threatens swinging it, snorting humourlessly when I curl as much as I can.
The minute I uncurl, he slams it into my abdomen again and I cough up bile. Managing to veer it to the side of the chair, his fist yanks my head back with the braid forcing me to look at him.
I thought I'd get breaks between, that maybe he'd keep asking me the same question over and over again. That doesn't happen.
He's unyielding.
Slamming it again and again into every part of my body until I'm almost numb. He was done questioning me, I had my chance and now he wanted to unleash the anger, unleash it all on me till I'm battered beyond repair.
I wish I could say I was silent, that I managed to keep him from seeing just how much pain I'm in... Tears don't hide that, not when they stream down my face and mix together with the blood.
I could contain my screams at the start too, but that resolve faded quickly so I'm left crying and screaming from every single hit.
And god it hurts.
It hurts to breathe and to open my eyes.
It hurts to think even, but there's not much thinking going up in my head anyway right now.
Even when he stops, it feels like it's still happening.
Even when I hear him shouting at Fallen and the faint beating that he gives him too, I'm lost in this sea of unconsciousness and consciousness.
Drifting between each but never really reaching either.
I'm not thinking anything.
I'm floating.