Chapter 1: Kidnap

‘Bang!’

Ashley’s Point of view,

The loud sound of a shooting gun caused my ears to tingle. I heard the noise repeat as the sound became loud as it approached. My sluggish, tired eyes gradually opened as they met with darkness. A terrible pain set in my head as my eyes scrutinized my surrounding.

Where am I? Those words came to my mind while I tried to get my hands close to my eyes. My heart thumped louder and faster as I couldn’t reach out for both of my hands, as if it was handcuffed. My raspy and hoarse throat attempted in calling for help, but be that as it may, it did not produce any audible sound.

I shook my head still managing the tremendous ache that occurred in my head. I had no idea where I was, or how I got here. My head was blank of my surroundings.

‘Bang!’ I heard the same loud noise coming closer to me with a more violent sound but this time accompanied by whispers after every shot. I struggled to set myself free nevertheless, my efforts yielded no result. I tried to quickly flashback to where I was before waking up to see myself handcuffed and blindfolded in this strange environment.

I couldn’t do so! The pain struck my head once more and with every strike came a painful reaction. I sadly remained calm awaiting what my fate was in this terrifying place. The mumbles of two men became loud enough for me to hear what was going on. I attempted in putting my ears on the wall to eavesdrop on their conversation and surprisingly it worked. I kept quiet to listen to anything, just anything that could reveal to me why the fuck I was handcuffed, blindfolded, and possibly where I was.

“The master has requested you load the prisoners into the truck and deliver them straight to the main house” His croaked tune made me yelp in fear as my body wobbled weakly to the ground and the headache became voluminous at every attempt to hear clearly.

“Did I just hear him say, PRISONERS?” Question marks filled my forehead as I jerked up and was brought back to the wall by the firm chains that held me to the wall. My mind was not at rest! I couldn’t stop myself from reminiscing about the bad situation I currently found myself in and also, their unknown reason for capturing me.

I closed my eyes, recalling those times I had considered the best and those that were simply the worse. Everything so far had already shown me the hint I wanted, “This was a kidnap scene” I slowly wailed.

There was no other reason I could think of rather than this which I already thought about. I was right! Apart from the hint given, why else would I be chained and handcuffed in a dark location if not to make sure I don’t escape? I ran a series of interviews within myself and later gave it my all to hear at least a helpful aid to escape or more, what they were going to do to the people they referred to as PRISONERS.

Luck for me, they were audible this time around and I could at least pick up a few necessary pieces of information I needed urgently.

“All these people? That would be too much to handle” The other person responded after a heavy sigh. Although I couldn’t decipher what he meant by his statement, within my heart, I knew all was not going to be well. I forced myself to listen to what they were speaking so low about while trying not to sob out loud. My thumping heart neither stopped nor did the ache do. I was in a great dilemma upon hearing his next word.

“No one is to know what I am going to tell you” He took an unpredictable pause in his statement and after a while, continued. “Some of them may not make it out alive, which is the rule of the game! Take some with you and discard the rest”

He slowly said with a deep grin on his face followed by a short malicious chortle. Something I had never heard of caused me to tremble in anxiety. Now that I know why I was brought here, I just couldn’t submit in defeat! I need an escape plan, very quickly and now!

Trying for the last time, I pursued and bit my lips and forced myself from the tough chains around my biceps and triceps, and after some time paused as the pain accelerated. From the look of things, I was very determined to flee to safety. I managed to let my pinky finger free from the ropes. On seeing this, I had a glimpse of hope that at last I would end this nightmare, unfortunately for my high hopes, its probability was low chances.

The huge metal door creaked open and I could hear masculine heavy footsteps coming nearer to where I stayed. The heavy black curtains were lifted and the light’s tough intensity shone through the cracks in the wall and also, the window too. I got restrained from staring directly at the sun’s bright light after staying in the dark for so long. Heavy footsteps approached my side of the room.

I felt it so close to me that I held my breath in agony, so this was the end truly. In the middle of the large room were two hefty middle-aged hooligans whose faces were covered with black masks. And across their face, a long stretch of scars and scratches. I was frightened at the sight of the scar that I gulped my dried-up saliva back into my throat. I stumbled on my butt seeing him handle a gun on his right and his left, a well-sharpened machete. My memory intermittently retrieved what they had discussed a while ago: disposing of them!

“Dispose of them”