Peaches

Thirty Two

The smell of the salty air wafting over me stung at my raw nostrils, and my eyes shot open to see the dim over headlamp above me. This wasn't my car, and it wasn't anywhere near home. This was a  large vehicle, sitting parked on a cliff by the ocean. Through my blurred vision, I had a spotty view of the moon shining down onto the glossy waves.

It would have been a beautiful view, under different circumstances.

I needed—

Where was Christian?

Diego—

Scream.

As loud as—

Why can't you scream?

My lips felt dry and cracked, split down the center with no moisture. Did I ruin my voice? I could open my mouth, but no sound would come out. Completely silenced.

Am I dying?

Two shadowed figures stepped into view, standing in front of the wide-open doors of the vehicle. They spoke in hushed tones, long strings of Spanish that only sounded like buzzing in my ears.

Those voices.

I know those voices.

The accents.

One of those men was Marcello.

Guaranteed.

There was one exit, right in front of me, and I couldn't move. Like they were teasing me. A cruel joke. He knew what he was doing to me.

I can't keep my eyes open.

What the fuck did they give me?

Desperate to yell, to give it all my best shot, I pushed all the air from my lungs out for a forceful groan. They wouldn't expect me to fight— but I would. No matter how high.

What drugs are these?

"Ah, excellent!" Marcello's garbled voice bounced off the car walls around me. "It's awake. Are you comfortable?" With a laugh that stung at my eardrums, he smacked his hand against my bare ankle repeatedly.

Each blink felt so heavy like there were strings tied to them, pulling them down. I couldn't keep them open.

Help.

Say it.

Call for—

"Help," With every ounce of energy I had, I focused on myself enough to turn to the side. In doing so, I became very aware of the gritty rope rubbing into my ankles, cutting into my wrists.

He was laughing at me.

Squeezing.

Keep your eyes open.

"So weak. So quickly reduced to nothing." With a quick pull on my legs, I was now forced to face him. There was no mask, no smoke to hide behind. Just him. "Look at you."

My skull ached with a sharp dull pain that swelled in my brain. A pain so intense, the growl of sheer anguish that rose from my chest seemed to shake the ground around me. Echoing my groans as I struggled to breathe.

Pennies.

The taste won't leave my mouth.

Blood.

My vision faded in and out, and with one blink, I was out of the vehicle and propped up on Marcello's shoulder. Gently bouncing with every strained step he took down the set of steel staircases, I was a ragdoll in his arms.