Guilt. That was all the feeling I had right now as I watched those monsters tie our hands and feet together once again and I swear I saw disappointment in Michael's eyes whenever he laid eyes on me. Another escape failed and it was all because of me.
"It's about time to realize that you both cannot escape!" the monster with a bloody mask said, pointing a gun at my face. "Maybe I should teach you a lesson."
"I planned it. Leave her out of this." Michael said from his seat, glaring at the monster.
How I really wanted Michael to be mad at me after what I did, he had always been so good to me and he was almost perfect that it made me think that I did not deserve him. After all that we had been through because of me, he was still there defending me and taking care of me.
However, what would have happen if I escaped? What would have happened to him if I left without him? I did not think I could have run that fast and maybe they would have catch me easily.
That was why he kept holding the door, you idiot. Therefore, they would not have catch you while you made your way to the woods and hide. The voice inside my head answered.
No, I cannot do that to Michael. I cannot leave him here and suffer.
You are both going to die anyways. The creepy voice answered, making me question my sanity. Am I already going insane? Can fever and too much stress cause insanity?
My thoughts were disrupted when a bloody mask appeared before my face, making me shriek.
"Thinking for another attempt to escape?" he asked and I shook my head. "You can always try."
He walked behind me, gripping tightly on my chair and pull it around to face Michael who was looking at me worriedly.
"I never get the chance to punish you last time; I am so kind to give you consideration." He said. Michael stared at him. "But you disappoint Me." his words made me shudder as my heart hammered against my chest just thinking of what he will do.
One of them entered the room with a baseball bat in his hand, and stopped right behind Michael, aiming at his head like he was about to play baseball. I gasped as I took a hint of what they were planning; tears began to brim in my eyes, blurring Michael's beautiful yet bruised face that was looking at me with worried emerald eyes.
The monster behind me gripped my shoulders and I winced in pain.
"Don't worry; it will only hurt... too much."
"Please don't." God knows I wanted to scream into his ears and spit into his face, but the words came out as a soft whisper in a desperate tone. "Don't hurt him... please."
"You should have thought about the consequences when you both tried to escape." He said, pressing his thumb on my wound. The pain crawled from the little hole and into my whole body, as I screamed in pain. I squirmed and fell from my seat as soon as he removed his thumb from my wound. I could hear Michael yelling stop as the other monsters laughed.
"Does it hurt?" the monster asked as I cried aloud on the floor. "Answer me!" the monster yelled in my ear as he grabbed a hold of my hair and pulled it close to his face as he crouched.
"Yes! Yes it hurts, please stop." I cried.
"But I'm not done yet." He whispered in my ear.
He carried me and sat me back into the chair and holding me still before pressing both his index finger and middle finger inside my wound. I could feel the warm blood flowing down my arms. I would rather die right now than to feel this pain again. No, pain is an understatement for I cannot describe what I am feeling right now.
I squirmed in my seat, tears streaming down my eyes as I screamed and cried for help. But he refused to remove his fingers on my wound and of course, no one could help me right now.
Beads of cold sweats formed on my forehead as I started to feel dizzy and my body started to feel numb. I could not breathe and my sight started to swirl. My body finally gave in and it went black.
****
I woke up from this dark and smelly room again. My neck was hurting because of sleeping in this chair, my hands tied behind my back and my feet were tied together as well. I used my shoulder as I slowly shake Michael, who was sleeping beside me. I did not care if my shoulder hurts like hell. But I was not sure if he was sleeping or unconscious after what happened,
But what really happened?
His tousled hair was still wet with sweat, blood and tears as his head leaned on my shoulders.
"Michael? Michael please wake up." I whispered.
He groaned, slightly moving from his uncomfortable position.
"A-are you alright?" I felt tears starting to brim in my eyes, but I held them back.
He lifted his head to look at me.
The tears that I had been trying to hold back earlier were now flowing freely on my cheeks upon seeing him. Multiple bruises filled his beautiful face, his eyes were nearly close and there was a cut on his right cheekbone. Then I remembered the man holding a baseball bat. "Michael." I muttered.
", listen." he coughed then inhaled deeply, probably having a hard time to breathe. "..If there is any chance that you could escape, do it. Do not worry about me; I can handle the pain, unlike you. And I don't want to see them hurting you again." tears were forming in his now dull eyes. It broke my heart seeing him like this, weak and defenseless.
I shook my head. "I'll never leave you Michael."
"No. Andria, promise me you will go. Run as fast as you can... don't look back and ask for help."
Then I remembered the last time I refused to run through the woods, it only lead to this.
"Michael... don't say that. This is my entire fault. We can get out of here together. We can make it. Those men are--"
"I love you Andria. Don't ever forget that." he closed his eyes, tears rolled down his cheeks. How I wished I could reach him right now and kiss those lips.
"I love you too Michael. Always will."
We both jolted in our seats as someone kicked the door open.
The same man who almost killed us last night and still wore his ugly and bloody mask.
"Your fucking friend didn't show up to give us the money!" I cowered away from his presence as he walked towards us and Michael set his hand on my lap, pushed himself up, and tried to sit straight. That was when I realized that he was untied.
The monster reached on his back and pulled out a gun. "I'm going to kill one of you." He said and walked closer to me.
"No." Michael muttered.
The monster reached for the ropes that tied my hand and untied it, then untied my feet as well.
"What are you doing?" Michael asked, trying to move and grabbed his arms to stop him.
"I told you already, I'm going to kill one of you." The monster grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room. I expected the other masked monster to do something but I was surprised to see that there was none. He was alone.
My eyes widened as the thought came to my mind. This might be our chance to escape. "Michael! He's alone!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
"Shut up!" the monster said and continued to drag me out of the cabin. Once we reached out, he pushed me down on the ground.
"I'm giving you a chance to escape." He said pointing his gun on me. "I'll count to ten then I'll shoot. You're lucky if you reached far into the dark woods so I cannot see you clearly."
As I glanced back inside the cabin, I saw Michael slowly walking through the living room.
"Shall I start now?" he said as I saw a flash of light, a car approaching. The gun still pointed at me.
"Run now Andria." a very familiar voice said. As I glanced back at the monster, Michael was standing behind him, a gun pointing at the monster's head. "If you shoot her, you're dead." Michael said in a positive tone.
Once again, I hesitated to comply. I definitely did not want to leave him. But I knew if we fail again this time, death awaits.
"Run!" Michael roared as the car nearly approached along with the mocking laugh that came from the masked monster.
Suddenly I found myself running through the woods. Breathing heavy as I tried to stop crying. Each step was unsure because of Michael. I felt more tears well up in my eyes but I had no time to wipe them now. I left Michael, I left him.
No matter how I tried to tell myself that I did right, it still felt so wrong. Stop crying! I told myself.
I pushed some branches that were blocking my way as I breathe heavily as the wind blew through the woods softly.
I was free...