Chapter 24
Nicole
I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Ricky coming into the basement. He had a flashlight in his mouth and set down a plate with another sandwich on it as I blinked in surprise. I was still free to move but I didn’t dare try to escape, not knowing what or who was waiting for me up there .
“Here you go. Another meal,” he announced as if he brought me a seven-course-meal. “Eat up because we get to go on a road trip.”
I stared at him as he shone the light down on me and then I turned to the plate.
I tore at it, smelling tuna as I wrinkled my nose. I despised tuna from when we were younger and I made it just to feed Noelle so many nights. Ricky was watching and I was hungry again so I started eating it. He turned off the light after dropping a new bottle of water on the bed.
“We’ll be leaving in a couple hours. It’s going to be quite a drive.” He promised me as he bounded up the steps back to the mysterious first floor. I frowned in the dark at my late meal and forced it down since I had no idea when I’d get anything else, draining the water bottle.
I looked at my dirty clothes and longed for a hot shower and Allen’s bed. I just wanted to be back with him and my sister again. Maybe I would since we were leaving though I didn’t dare ask where we were going. I looked up at the window to see only darkness and tried not to be scared for what was coming.
There was movement upstairs and I looked towards the closed door nervously as footsteps sounded on the stairs. The door was unlocked and opened as Ricky and one of his men walked down the stairs. “Tie her up and blindfold her for the ride.”
The man turned me over and bound my hands behind my back before pulling me into a standing position. I cried out in pain and stumbled as he wrapped an arm around my body to steady me. “I have to do everything for you, don’t I?” He chuckled darkly and I made myself walk, pulling away from his touch. I was slow but I managed to get up the stairs before they blindfolded me again.
There was some chatter and I was led outside into the hot air to another vehicle. I was worried that it was the van but this time I was pushed onto a soft seat and buckled in as I groaned in pain. “Can you untie me?” I asked as Ricky laughed at me.
“You’re too big of a risk right now, little girl.” They all got into their own seats away from mine and the car started, pulling away within a few minutes. I tried to get comfortable with my arms so tight behind my back but it was hard, and I finally pushed a little away from the seat and tried to lean back.
Were they going to kill me when we arrived at our destination?
They played obnoxious, obscene music during the drive as I tried to ignore it and doze off. I was still trying to be aware of my surroundings as best as I could but they talked among themselves and left me alone. Having no concept of time, all I could do was estimate that we were on the road for several hours. I didn’t know if it was dark or light out since the blindfold covered my eyes completely, shielding me from seeing either.
I just stayed quiet and tried to get as comfortable as I could for the ride. I couldn’t tell anyone where we’d driven and I assumed Allen knew where to come and find me if he wanted to.
They stopped much later and unloaded me from the car as I fought the urge to cry. My body was so sore and my mind drifted to that massage Noelle and I used to daydream about as I laughed bitterly.
“We’re here. It’s almost show time,” Ricky explained as he led me somewhere, glee in his voice.
A door was unlocked and I was pushed inside before there were voices and the sounds of closing doors. Someone dropped me to a couch and I heard someone pacing around the room as I tried to lean back.
I hated the feeling of blindness. I was so used to being aware of every situation I was in for my sister’s sake and this gave me a strong sense of hopelessness. I couldn’t defend myself at all nor see what was happening around me.
After a short time, Ricky pulled the blindfold away from my eyes as I blinked in the sunlight. I wanted to cry because it had been what felt like so long. I took a deep breath and gazed around the nearly empty room of a house, noting that Ricky and both of his men had guns on them. I was scared for myself and Allen if he were coming to get me, knowing they wouldn’t care about killing us. Ricky wanted his money and to get the hell out of dodge.
I relaxed and told myself it wouldn’t be long now. Turning my head, I noted that there were no curtains on the window and looked out to see the desert for miles. There was a small road but I couldn’t see any other houses around and I wondered again where we were.
“What happened to the other girls from the auctions?” I asked hesitantly, knowing how much it bothered me that they just disappeared.
“How the hell should I know? I just collected the money and sent them on their way. Just a few came back for more, thinking that I didn’t notice. I did, but fuck it. If they got off on doing that and I made some money in the process, then so be it.” Ricky answered after a moment of silence.
“You don’t care that they might be dead? You didn’t care if I ended up dead as long as you got your money,” I said slowly as his callousness set in.
“It’s all about the money for me. Snitches like you fuck everything up,” Ricky looked at me with a cold sneer as I felt chills pass over my skin. “Once I get my money, you’re gone and I’m out of here.”
I looked toward the door for a moment, contemplating running. Maybe there was a chance for me to get out of here. I considered what I saw outside and slumped against the couch with a small sigh.
I was going to die. I was never going to see my sister again and Allen was going to collect my body in this house, or the police that showed up in his place. This was it for me and I tried to be relieved that Ricky hadn’t done anything awful to me. This could be worse.
I’d never see Noelle again. I raised her from the beginning nearly on my own and I was going to leave her alone in this world.
I would never find out if I loved Allen, or he loved me. I’d never get the chance to fall in love with anybody else or have a family. I’d die in this dirty house after being trapped in another dirty house, just like any given house I lived in as a child before I got the chance to leave.
Life really did come full circle.
The house fell silent as Ricky paced back and forth. I’d given up any hope of walking out of this alive. I looked out of the window now and then, seeing nothing for a long time.
Ricky stopped pacing first before I looked again. The long driveway was filled with police cars as well as a SWAT team and I froze as I watched men jumping out of cars. “Son of a bitch. He was supposed to come alone so we could kill both of you.”
I turned to look at him as he glared at me. Fear filled my veins as I cowered back on the couch and Ricky strode forward and tugged me off the couch. “Stupid fucking snitch. You ruined everything.” He threw me to the floor as I cried out in pain, kicking me with his boots in the ribs as I screamed out. I heard my bones breaking and a searing pain burned in my lungs when I breathed.
I cried for Allen. I cried for Noelle as his feet moved into my already aching body. Someone grabbed me and threw me on something else and I felt someone hitting my face as I cried. My own blood covered me. I didn’t have the strength or the will left to fight this.
I heard Ricky yelling something out and his men responding as I slumped to the floor. Everything started to sound further away as I curled up into the fetal position, longing to just die. I was badly injured and a series of voices started sounding around me as I took a shuddering breath.
A familiar one sounded louder than the rest and my heart responded. It was Allen. He was here for me and I started to cry brokenly as I knew I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything.
I whispered his name as he spoke to Ricky, confidence oozing in his voice. He sounded like he was in control and I couldn’t help but wonder if he loved me. I’d like to hear him say that before I died, just to know.
I wanted to tell him to take care of my sister and I moaned as I felt myself fading away. The door slammed and Ricky yelled back at Allen that he wanted his money. Allen was asking about me and I was amazed at how calm he sounded.
I wished he could make this all better and fix me, but it was too late. I was too weak now to keep going. I hoped that he’d keep my sister in his mind or better yet, she’d end up happy with Brandon. They looked great together that night we all went out. I wanted to remember that always as I dropped further into the floor.
I drifted off to memories of being kids with my sister as I let the memories take over the pain. I liked that better than hurting, and I played back Noelle’s birth when I was only four. I was instantly in love with her and took her on as my responsibility regardless of how our family was. I just felt more of a burden to do so and no matter where we lived, I was always looking after Noelle. She was my baby all the way through life and we were never apart. I couldn’t imagine a time where we would be separated, even though she was following her dream as a grown woman now.
I still wanted to watch her grown and sadness filled me as I realized that I wouldn’t be doing that now, at least not in person. I let out a weak cry as I felt the little fight that I had left inside of me burn weakly. I couldn’t stay with this pain and I let my mind wander off into memories again as I accepted my fate.
I played back through living at either grandparents’ house and how it wasn’t much better than trying to live with my parents. They might have taken a little better care of us but they were older and not into the idea of watching two little girls. I just kept her occupied and fed and more importantly: quiet. I had Noelle so trained to be quiet and not bother anybody and I loved her laugh now.
I was still dreaming when I felt someone pull me up by my arms and I groaned softly. I just wanted to be free of this pain.