Postby angim350 » Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:49 am
Six Months Ago...
"Hi," said Lucy, nervously approaching the tall girl in the kitchen busy unpacking her things. "I'm Lucy. Guess we're housemates."
"Hello," replied the girl, a smile on her face. "Yeah, I know. I read you were going to live with us. I'm Cindy." She motioned behind her, to the other girl unpacking her things. "That's Becky."
"Rebecca," grinned the girl. "My brothers call me Becky, and it don't half annoy me!" She walked forward and also shook Lucy's hand. Lucy sat down at the table, searching for something to say.
"So, are we supposed to have another girl in here as well?"
"Yeah, she's not here yet," replied Cindy, joining her. "Bet you're feeling well nervous! I remember I was when I first started."
"A little," laughed Lucy. "More excited than nervous though. Been looking forward to this for ages! Didn't sleep a wink last night!"
"Me neither!" exclaimed Rebecca. "Can't wait to get started! Heard loads of good things about Fresher's Week!"
Lucy couldn't help smiling. She'd heard plenty of good things too. She breathed a small sigh of relief. It looked like these girls were going to be nice enough to live with.
"You're going to love it," said Cindy. "I remember doing it all last year. You meet loads of cool people, and drink prices are great!"
"Good thing we have someone who knows the city!" said Rebecca. "Place is like a maze."
"Don't worry," Cindy stated. "I'll make sure you guys are OK. Ain't nothing going to happen to you while I'm around."
Lucy smiled and turned away from her. That was why she didn't notice the look Cindy gave her, just for a second. A look of pure, unadulterated contempt.
It was two weeks later that Lucy stepped off the bus, feeling very tired from her long day. Lectures were in full swing, essays had already been assigned, and the fun of Fresher's Week seemed like a memory. And Lucy was loving all of it. She reached into her pocket, quickly sending a text to her friend, Alice, asking her if she wanted to call her later. Although the girls had discussed going out, she wanted to have a night off!
On reflection, maybe Lucy should have known something was wrong when she put the key in the lock and opened the door. The house seemed very quiet... too quiet. She knew that her housemates had to have been back by now, so she didn't understand why there was no sign of them. Frowning, she walked further into the hallway, and heard a door slam. Cindy was standing just outside the kitchen, smiling at her.
"What...?"
Suddenly, hands grabbed her from behind, twisting her wrists behind her back.
"What the hell?"
Cindy rushed forward, putting her hand over Lucy's mouth and forcing a bit of material inside it. The girl stared back at her, horrified.
"Don't scream, or we'll make you pay! Becky... tie the bitch up."
Lucy's eyes widened in horror. She felt four pairs of hands grab her wrists roughly, attaching them together with scarf like material. She was then dragged into the kitchen by all three girls, forced into one of the uncomfortable chairs. If this was a prank, she was not enjoying herself!
Cindy and Rebecca quickly wrapped more scarves around her, attaching her to the chair. Lucy finally managed to spit out the material, glaring at the girls.
"What the hell? Guys, this isn't funny!"
"Shush. We're kidnaping you!" laughed Cindy. "Don't be an idiot and you won't get hurt!"
And thus, Lucy's torment had begun. Six months of fear, of flashbacks to her humiliation and capture. She'd thought it over. She'd thought it done. But like with many stories these days, there will always be a continuation somewhere down the line.
NOW
Lucy walked quickly down the street, trying to avoid the gaze of anyone who glanced in her direction. She pulled her hood over her head, trying to hide how young she really was. These people looked ready to snap at any young person they might see.
She forced herself to breath calmly, feeling just as scared as ever. Every fiber of her being wanted to turn back. To rejoin Matt and the others in the van, calling the police and letting them handle it. But, what if Cindy anticipated this? What if she got away with Alice, and did something horrible to her? Lucy couldn't let that happen. She was used to being afraid; she'd felt like it for months, ever since she'd moved into that house and been treated so horribly. It was time to finally let it go. Time to become someone new.
The staircase was horribly dirty, full of old vandalism and rubbish. Now and again, she could feel eyes glaring at her, looking her up and down, fixing on her bum and legs from the floor. She consolidated herself with the fact that, while they were looking, they hadn't sprung up and tried to grab her. Clearly, the crowd who had lunged at the van before was only a small number of the people living here.
It was up two flights that she heard fast moving footsteps heading her way. She paused, uncertain, shrinking back around a corner on the stairs. Whoever it was hopefully had nothing to do with her, but she wasn't taking any chances.
It was then she saw her friend Alice rushing down towards her, her hands still harshly tied behind her. She was filthy, still in her pajamas, with a look of terror in her eyes. Her bare feet were black, with a thin line around each ankle where she'd clearly been tied up. Lucy didn't hesitate, rushing out to meet her friend.
"Alice!"
"Lucy! Oh my God!"
She almost fell into Lucy, out of breath. Lucy sat her down on the steps, hugging her tightly.
"Oh God, Alice. I thought..."
"Lucy, there's no time, we need to get out of here!"
She leaned away from the hug, looking determined. She gestured with her bound hands.
"Untie me!"
Lucy nodded, studying her bonds. Her hands were crossed with thick, black cord, roughly tied. The knots, at least, were able to be undone. She started picking at them.
"Quick! Get me out of this. They're coming!"
"Who?"
"Shush!"
Both girls looked up. More footsteps were coming down the stairs now, and the sound of male voices.
"Leave it!" whispered Alice. "We need to get out of here, now! Just help me walk!"
Lucy nodded, pulling her friend to her feet. The two quickly started heading back down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible. Alice pulled on her bindings to see if they were any looser, but with no such luck.
"Who the hell are these people?" Lucy quietly asked as they ran.
"I dunno," Alice hissed. "They said they were angry at Cindy for bringing this here. Said they were going to make her pay!"
"Careful! We're nearly at the door."
They turned the last corner on the stairs, to find a small gathering had assembled around the entrance, looking up towards them. Both girls did not need telling this gathering had been waiting for them. They paused, silently rushing back up the way they came.
"In here, quick!" said Lucy, pushing open a door to a flat. The girls rushed in, vaulting into the bathroom and closing the door softly.
"Do you reckon they saw us?" asked Alice.
"I dunno," replied Lucy. "I don't think so."
The two could barley dare to move, listening with all their might to see if the crowd had come into the flat. Alice continued to softly struggle against her hand bindings. After a few minutes, Lucy felt she could breath again.
"Lucy," whispered Alice, frustrated. "Could you please, urm... help me?"
Lucy nodded, once again turning her attention to Alice's hands. After a few more minutes, she got the cord off. Alice sighed mightily, rubbing her wrists and wincing.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"No, I mean thankyou for coming for me."
"You did the same for me. I'm... I'm so sorry she dragged you into this, Alice. This was always between me and Cindy."
"I don't think so, Luce." Alice fixed her friend with an intense stare. "I just think Cindy really, truly needs help." She paused. "Those men... do you think they'll hurt her?"
"I dunno," replied Lucy. "But we can't stay to find out. We need to get out of here! Matt's outside with Olivia and Rebecca. They're going to call the police as soon as I've got you out."
"It might be too late by then! The police never come here. I've heard of this place."
"Well what?" said Lucy. "What do you want us to do? Help her? In case you haven't noticed, there's only two of us. We're no match for them!"
"We shouldn't leave her, either!"
"Alice! She brought you here and left you tied up! She tortured me! She deserves what's coming to her!"
Alice opened her mouth and closed it.
"Do you truly believe that?"
"I... I dunno!" Lucy felt like tearing down walls. "I dunno what I believe!"
"Well, I'll tell you what I believe. I know you, Lucy! You're the type of girl who always puts others before herself. Well, now, you need to do that one more time. We'll get her out of here and get her help. Proper help."
Lucy gazed at her friend, filthy and bearing the marks of long confinement. She remembered her deep hatred for Cindy, and how she had, essentially, been the cause of all of this. If not for her, Lucy and Alice might have been sat in a pub somewhere now, meeting up and having a good catch up about everyone. Matt might have even asked Alice to marry him; he'd been hinting for weeks. And yet, here Alice sat, asking Lucy forget everything. To help her save Cindy. As usual, Alice always knew exactly what to say.
"I know, we can't leave her here. But what can we do?"
"She held me up on the top floor. That's where I last saw her."
"Then I guess that's where we need to go. You going to be okay to walk."
"Yes." Alice stood up, swaying slightly but looking determined. "I'll be fine!"