Page 13

Twelve

The Mine

Pain shuddered through Samantha Haimes’ body and the tight belt around her neck made it hard to breathe.

The disgusting man had forced himself on her in the shower, deep underground in the old mineshaft with her friends ordered to watch through their barred windows, except Olivia, who refused to witness her humiliation.

Exhausted and way past screaming and crying now, she stood under the warm flow, scrubbing every inch of her flesh.

Her attacker leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest staring at her through the mask he wore to cover his face.

The fact that he kept his face covered gave her some modicum of hope that he was afraid of being recognized, which meant there may be a chance of escape.

He’d made her wear examination gloves throughout the ordeal, no doubt afraid that she might scratch him.

After, he’d sprayed her all over with a chemical before allowing her to shower.

“Turn off the water.” The man tossed her a towel. “Dry off and put on those clothes over there.” He indicated to a small pile on what had been an old desk against the wall. “When you’re done, we’re going for a ride.”

Trembling so hard her teeth chattered, Samantha found it difficult to do anything with the tight belt around her neck.

Well, it wasn’t a belt, more like a leading rein for a horse, looped at one end to tighten easily and he’d never let go of the end.

He seemed to get great pleasure out of seeing her choke as he tightened it.

Samantha dried quickly and pulled on old but clean blue jeans.

She reached for a pink T-shirt, and the man held a gun on her and then dropped the leash to allow her to feed it through the neck of the T-shirt and a yellow sweater.

All had been neatly folded and set on the top of a surprisingly clean wooden desk.

As she glanced across the top of the desk, she searched for anything she could use as a weapon.

She found nothing, not even a pen or a pencil she could use to stab him.

Fear and anger mingled as she glanced at him over one shoulder. She wanted to hurt him so bad.

“Give me your leash.” He held out one hand and she reluctantly passed it to him. “There’s a good girl.” He tugged hard and dragged her toward him. “You’ve amused me. Don’t spoil it.”

The talk between the girls in his absence had been about how to avoid making him angry.

Olivia had said that people like him feed on fear, so no matter what happened they should all try and not react when he threatened them.

That was all right for Olivia to say, but she hadn’t been tied up, gagged, and raped.

Her stomach heaved. The way he’d chuckled all the way through and insisted the girls watched what he was doing made her sick to the stomach.

She would do anything to get away from him—anything.

“Find a pair of slippers that fit you from that box over there at the end of the desk.” He pulled on a thick jacket and a clean pair of examination gloves. “Okay, it’s time to go.”

When he gave her the flashlight to carry, Samantha wanted to turn around and smash him in the face with it.

Her mom had always told her she had a bad temper and it was starting to come to the surface.

She considered her situation as he nudged her along the passageway using the muzzle of his pistol pressed into the middle of her back.

She stumbled across the old railway tracks as the flashlight bobbed along in front of them.

Things moved in the shadows, on the ground and above.

Reluctant to take another step, she slowed her pace and the pistol dug hard into her spine.

She glanced back at him but couldn’t see his face in the gloom.

He resembled a grizzly looming in the shadows, big and hulking. She shuddered. “Where are we going?”

“We’re heading into the forest.” He pushed her so hard she stumbled forward. “There’s a special trail I want you to see and then I’m going to let you go. Do you figure you could survive in the forest overnight?”

Nodding, Samantha moved faster. The sooner she could get out of this place the better.

There were plenty of places to hide in the forest where the wildlife wouldn’t find her.

If he left her alone, she would just lie low until he’d gone and wait until morning.

She had been raised in Black Rock Falls and understood that if she ever became lost in the forest, she should locate a river and follow it downstream until she came to the town.

All rivers in Black Rock Falls led to some form of habitation.

When they arrived at the van, he’d covered it with a camouflage tarp and gave her the job to remove it, which was more than a little difficult.

She climbed inside and he handcuffed both her hands to the door handle.

She realized as they took off in the darkness that they were well away from the town and on the edge of the lowlands that contained many of the old gold mines.

She knew where he was keeping the others, and if she could get to safety, she’d be able to get help for them.

It took a while for them to get back into the mountains.

The first road he took had been blocked by a rockfall.

Instead, he negotiated the fire roads until they were deep in the forest. When he pulled the van into a small clearing beneath a canopy of trees and turned off the headlights, darkness surrounded them, and suddenly afraid, Samantha looked at him.

Emotionless, dark eyes hidden within the holes of the balaclava stared back at her.

“This is where we say goodbye.” He leaned toward her and removed the belt from around her neck. “Sit still and do exactly as I say or I’ll change my mind.”

Samantha sat absolutely still as he removed the handcuffs.

She’d remained alert the entire time and could find her way back to the highway.

All she needed to do was follow the fire roads.

She tried not to flinch when he stroked her cheek but she couldn’t stop her knees trembling.

Her heart pounded when he leaned in closer and gazed deep into her eyes as if daring her to move away from him.

She froze in the seat, wondering what he intended to do.

“It’s a shame, I know, but I must let you go.

” His gloved hand moved over her face in almost a caress.

“There are so many other things we could have explored together. It would have been fun, but right now, I’m going hunting while the moon is high.

” He plucked a bow from behind his seat as he climbed out of the van.

He leaned inside again to pick up a quiver of arrows and slung them over one shoulder.

He waved a dismissive hand at her. “You can go now, Samantha. There’s a trail right in front of you. ”

Samantha jumped from the van and took off at a run.

No footsteps followed behind her and the moonlight illuminated a long straight trail directly ahead.

She dashed forward, ignoring the tree branches reaching out to tear at her face and hair.

She’d sprinted almost one hundred yards when a strange noise came through the air.

Something hit her between the shoulder blades and the pain sent her sprawling on her face.

Pine needles pressed into her cheeks, and the damp smell of rotting leaves filled her nostrils.

Panic gripped her so hard she couldn’t breathe.

The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and the forest moved in and out of focus.

Under her a patch of warmth spread out. She must get up but her arms and legs refused to move.

Footsteps came on the trail, snapping twigs and crunching pine needles.

She swiveled her eyes to look at him staring at her, a bow hanging from one hand.

He’d shot her with an arrow. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

She stared past him to the moon peeking through the canopy, bright and beautiful.

She must try and get up and run from him.

“It won’t be long now.” He tossed two coins in his hand. “Money for the ferryman.”

Samantha lifted her head but her heavy limbs refused to respond. I’m dying. As the forest faded around her, she turned her gaze back to the heavens and then closed her eyes.