Page 7 of Keeping My Captive

I fight, kick and scream as the men lead me away from Selina. I hear her crying out my name, and I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen to her and if I’ll ever see her again.

CHAPTER4

Aria

BLOOD IS DRUMMING inside my ears as I try to calm my breathing under the black hood covering my head. It’s strange what your mind begins to do when one of your senses is taken away for an extended period of time. I can almost see objects and colors that aren’t there even though I’m in total darkness, blind to the outside world or really anything within an inch of my face. I can smell metal, rain, desperation…and blood.

Is that even possible?

Also, I can hear everything, even the raindrops pelting off the roof and the little rocks pinging off the undercarriage of the van we’re riding in as we fly down a gravel road.

And then a thought occurs to me. Maybe I’m just going crazy at this point. Would I even realize I’ve gone mentally insane?

How long have I been in this van?

My head aches when I think of the events that transpired earlier tonight that led me here. Led me to this horrific point. It all started with what was supposed to be a fun night out…

The van abruptly hits a pothole, rocking everything violently from side to side and sending me crashing into a woman near me. There are several of us crammed in the back of the vehicle. I quickly try to right myself; the struggle being real since my hands are tied together. At least they tied them in the front and not in the back — one small benediction in this dreadful situation.

I don’t know exactly at what moment I became a silver lining kind of gal, but here we are.

Breathe, Aria. Just breathe, I keep telling myself in my head.

I was violated earlier by a so-called doctor, who physically examined me at the dock. I swear I can still feel his fingers inside of me poking and prodding, and a violent tremor runs through me when I think about it. He was absolutely ecstatic when he realized my hymen was still intact. And after that confirmation, I was immediately put on a boat and then an airplane and finally in this cramped van. All modes of transportation have been exhausting, especially without any knowledge of where we’re going or how far it will be until we reach our final destination. And each stop that we made included picking up more innocent, terrified women. I think I counted ten of us before the hood was placed over my head as we boarded the plane, but there could be more by now.

My lower lip trembles, but I refuse to break down. It’s too dangerous. I can’t appear weak. I know what happens to the weak girls here. To the girl who was crying and screaming and begging for her life in the back of the van an hour ago. I listened in horror as they dragged her out of the vehicle. I could hear the assault even though I couldn’t see it. I knew they were beating her into silence. After that, she was quiet. So very quiet.

I don’t even know if she got back in the van. But the truth of the matter is I almost hope she didn’t. I think most of us would prefer death than have to face our horrible inescapable fates. Auctioned off like pieces of meat to the higher bidder to do whatever they please with us. Whatever they desire.

Shaking my head, I clear those awful thoughts from my mind. I can’t think about her. I can’t think aboutthem. I can’t think about anything in this moment except for myself and my own survival. My entire life depends on it.

The van comes to an abrupt stop, pitching us all forward. I don’t even have time to try to sit up before I hear the back doors opening and someone instructing us to climb out.

Not wanting to fall and needing to see what’s going on, I carefully reach up and remove my hood. I allow my dark hair to fall around my face, hoping they won’t notice that I took it off.

The smell of the ocean assaults my senses, and I know we’re on The Island. My eyes scan my surroundings, frantically looking for a way out. There are numerous armed guards in dark, tactical-style clothing and black masks leading us towards a huge building. Even if I ran, I wouldn’t get far. I’d either get shot or probably drown while trying to swim with my hands tied.

Distracted, I stumble and almost fall. My ankles bend awkwardly, and I curse my heels.Why couldn’t I have worn some comfy sneakers to the club?

“Walk,” a rough, deep voice says from behind me before the barrel of his gun is digging into my back, shoving me forward.

I whirl around, staring at the man in the mask. “You try walking in heels, asshole!” I snap before I can contain myself.

I hear a few of the women gasp, and I feel my heart stutter inside my chest.Oh god, what have I done?

Immediately, my mind goes to the girl in the van. How they forced her into silence. And now I’m about to suffer the same outcome.

The guard raises his gun, intending to hit me with the butt of it, and I tense, waiting for the blow. But it never comes.

“Easy. She’s the premier choice tonight,” one of the other men warns him.

I slowly open my eyes and see the two guards in a tussle. The one really wants to hurt me, but the other knows the consequences for those actions.

“Fine!” the first guard sneers, pushing the other off of him. “Thenyoumake the bitch walk. And put her hood back on,” he demands.

“No, please,” I beg the nicer guard, but he doesn’t listen to me, and soon I’m consumed in darkness once more. I try to breathe, but it feels like I’m not getting enough air as I panic under the hood.

“Go. Now!” he yells, pushing me roughly.Okay, so this guy is definitely not nicer.

---