Page 47 of Secrets Within Us

“Son of a bitch.” Harvey said from next to me as she looked to the stairway. She drew her gun and motioned for me to stay back as she and her team slowly descended the stairs and cleared the room below. “It’s empty.” She yelled back up and beckoned for me to come down.

Kip slid his hand along the small of my back and I leaned into him. “My brain is trying to tell me he’s down there waiting for me. Which I know is crazy, but—” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the rough stairs that had inflicted so much pain on my body each time he threw me down them.

“I’ll go first,” Kip said, waiting for me to look at him. “Remember what I said. I’m never going to let anyone hurt you ever again.”

He walked down the steps and turned to look at me halfway down and then walked down the rest of them, looking around the room before calling back for me. “Come on down, baby.”

Tim walked up next to me and took a deep breath, “That man has it bad for you, Hadley.”

I was surprised when I actually chuckled and nudged his arm with my shoulder. “I’d be lost without him.”

I took the last step towards the stairs and Kip stood at the bottom, looking up at me and holding his hand out for me, so I forced my feet to take the steps down until my hand slid into his.

The smell hit me first and instantly sucked me back into the darkness of the iron cell in the damp basement air.

The tiny cell sat in the corner and his workshop of torture devices lined the walls. I leaned into Kip’s side as he looked around and saw everything that had left distinct marks on my body.

I watched as the agents took pictures of everything, looks of pure shock and disgust covered their faces as they finally saw their victim for the monster that he was.

The red-handled cane stole my gaze and wouldn’t let go. So much pain. Fuck, it had caused devastating agony across my body with each swing.

“Breathe, Hadley,” Kip whispered into my ear and held me.

But if I took a deep breath, I’d remember the fear I’d felt while sitting in the pitch black alone in the cell, unsure if it was day or night. Unsure if that would be my last day on Earth, or if he’d keep me alive for more torture.

I couldn’t breathe down there.

“He kept the video files over there.” I pointed at the wall that had a bunch of storage bins labeled with dates and names on them.

Agent Harvey walked over and quickly opened one with her gloved hands and looked back at me, shocked. She turned around again and looked at the many bins. “There has to be fifty different labels on these. Fifty different girls?”

“At least,” I answered and took a gargled breath as my lungs ached for air. “He talked about how he’d been doing it for decades.” More memories assaulted me. I could hear his voice.

“My God.” She whispered as she stepped back so her team could photograph them. “Where are the bodies buried? Did he tell you?”

I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. My mind was screaming in agony and my heart was splintering further the longer I was down in the basement. I needed fresh air; I couldn’t take a deep breath.

I could smell his skin.

“In the woods, he didn’t say where exactly.”

I could see the emptiness in his eyes.

I could feel the squeezing of his hands around my neck.

“Kip-,” I gasped, my voice cutting out. My skin was tight on my arms and hands. I felt an icy shiver run down my spine and tingles break out over my body.

“Hadley?” Kip called, putting his hands on each side of my face and making me look at him. “What’s wrong?”

But I couldn’t see him past my memories. I couldn’t see anything.

You’re my favorite trophy yet. My most prized possession. You feel so good.

My mind swarmed as I tried desperately to keep the past and the present separate. My eyes wouldn’t focus on anything as noises sounded far away suddenly.

“Baby, look at me. Look right into my eyes.” Kip was crouched down in front of me, trying desperately to get my eyes to look at him. My chest felt like the monster was sitting on it again.

“I can’t breathe,” I whispered, forcing the words through my dry throat. “Help me.” I felt the panic rise in my nerves as I clutched at my throat. “Please, help me,” I begged as Kip’s hands ripped mine from my throat where I was digging at the skin with my nails, desperate to release the hold the ghost had on me.

---