Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The pain in her head had spread to her neck and arms. She sat up slowly, confused, yet cautious. Surely, this wasn't home. The room she was in was small and across from her was a bed, quite like the one she was on. 

A window towered high above the room, almost out of reach while a lightbulb hung from the ceiling illuminating the room.

“Where am I?" She asked to no one in particular.

Carefully, she got out of bed and looked around. There was no one else in here. Despite the pain in her head and arm, she moved to the door and twisted the door knob.

Locked.

Panic set in the second she remembered everything. She remembered the men that'd showed up at the house and then her father. Her eyes widened. They’d shot him.

Elena banged her fists on the door, her eyes blurring with tears immediately. "Let me out!”

She didn't stop until she heard the door knob rattle. Frightened, she jumped back and hurried to a corner of the room. A man and a woman, both aged, stepped in. 

“She's awake," the man stated. “Do the needful, Diane, and take her to one of the rooms." 

The woman nodded and approached her. 

“Please let me go," Elena begged, scared out of her mind. She didn't know these people, whoever they were, but there was no doubt at all that they worked for the men that killed her father and kidnapped her.

“Come with me.”

“Not until you tell me where I am," Elena responded.

“Keep your voice down and follow me.”

With no choice, Elena followed the woman out of the room and down a dimly lit hallway. Soon, they were inside another room. The air smelt of antiseptic and disinfectants.

"You're wounded. At the back of your neck.” She said and patted a freshly made bed. "Come, sit down.”

“Please, I can’t stay here. I nee—”

“Do as you're told!" She snapped.

Elena sat at the edge of the bed and waited till the woman was done cleaning up the wound. “They tied you up pretty badly," she commented and shook her head.

“Please, can you tell me what’s going on?" Elena asked. 

The woman thrusted a pill and a cup of water into her hand. "Take this. It should help with the pain.”

"Can you at least talk to me?” Elena asked, her patience running out. "If you're going to keep me here, you might as least tell me what's going on!”

The woman stared at her, her expression stoic. "You’ll get yourself killed here with that tone, young lady. These men will kill you at the slightest display of disobedience. Do you hear me?!”

Fear flashed in Elena’s eyes. "What men?”

"You really don't know where you are." The woman chuckled lightly. “This is a private holding facility owned and run by the Romano family. It's not my place to tell you anything but you'll be briefed tomorrow." 

The woman took Elena down another hall and into a room, much different from the first one she'd found herself in.

A girl, who looked to be around Elena’s age lay on the bed polishing a shiny object. A small dagger.

“Jane, don't frighten the poor thing, I told you to put that away," the woman sighed and muttered something incorrigible. 

The girl sat up and tucked the dagger away hesitantly. “This one's pretty," she commented, her tone laced with amusement. “Too bad." 

“I'll be back with something to eat. Take a nap when you're done," the woman instructed and left.

Elena eyed the girl. Ginger red hair, dark eyes, an entire arm covered in tattoos and a septum piercing. 

Jane said nothing to Elena until food arrived. 

“There's some Tylenol and a bottle of water there. That should help with the pain," the woman said and left, shutting the door behind her.

As much as Elena didn't feel like eating anything, she was famished and parched too. She eyed the small tray of food. Some rice, deep fried fish, steamed veggies and a bottle of water. 

“I’d eat something if I were you. Breakfast's by ten o'clock tomorrow. You don't want to go starving around here,” Jane said, reclining against the wall. 

Elena ate slowly, glancing at her new roommate who silently watched her every now and then.

"You look too innocent to be in here. What's your name?” 

"Elena.”

"Why're you here, Elena?” She asked. "Surely, they didn't just pick you up from a street corner like the rest of us.”

"Us?”

"We're not the only one's in here, you know? It's almost two o'clock. They're all asleep.” Jane laughed. "So, tell me, why're you here?”

"My dad… He took a loan he couldn't pay back.”

Jane shook her head pitifully. “Rest in Peace to him." 

“What?" 

“He's dead, isn't he?" 

Elena could practically feel blood rushing to her head and suddenly the pain worsened. "How did… How did you know?”

"Easy there butterfly… It's what they do, Elena. Nothing’s free here and everything comes with a price." 

Suddenly, the food in her mouth didn't taste so good anymore. Elena sobbed until there were no tears left. This couldn’t be her life. 

“Eat up. You'll need your strength tomorrow." 

Elena wiped her eyes. “What for?" 

“You'll see." Jane smiled, reached over and flicked the lights off. “Night."