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Twenty-Seven

The Mine

Olivia slid down the slimy damp wall, panting in fear.

The man, their disgusting captor, who treated them like pets, had finally left, vowing to return soon.

She’d tried to take in as much information as possible about him in case she needed to tell the sheriff.

She figured he was taller than her dad and way broader.

He had dark eyes, but hidden within the holes of the balaclava, it was difficult to tell if they were brown or dark blue.

He walked with confidence, head held high like he owned the place, and spoke to them like he would a dog.

His instructions when he decided to give them rations were always the same.

“Get on your bed. Sit. Stay.” His voice was local, as in Montanan, not from out of state.

She figured she could recognize him by his voice and stature.

Since he’d left, she hadn’t heard Isabella moving around in her cell.

No crying, no rustling of paper. He’d left them supplies and more bottled water, but after abusing her friend, he’d watched her shower, and then dragged her by the hair and tossed her into her cell.

Olivia had gaped in horror when he followed Isabella and then spent all afternoon in the cell with her.

She didn’t know exactly what was happening to her friend, but from the swearing, the monster had a problem with her, but Isabella hadn’t screamed like the others—and she suspected that had made him mad.

Terrified she might hear him murdering her best friend, Olivia had covered her ears and prayed, but she could still hear him taunting her.

“Scream and let me know you’re still alive.”

Isabella didn’t scream.

Olivia wanted so much to help her friend, but what could she do?

From the sounds coming from the cell, she didn’t even know if Isabella was alive.

She’d waited until footsteps echoed into the distance and then climbed slowly to her feet.

She closed her fingers around the bars of her small window in the door and peeked out into the dimly lit vestibule.

The sharp musky smell of unwashed male still lingered in the air.

Olivia might not have seen her captor’s face but she figured she would also know him by his stink.

She pressed her face to the bars. “Isabella, can you hear me?”

A rustling sound and then a long groan came from Isabella’s cell.

Moments later, one hand closed around the bars to the window and then Isabella’s face appeared.

Olivia had expected to see her friend beaten and bruised, but apart from her wide-eyed horrified expression, her face was untouched. “What did he do to you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Isabella’s eyes filled with tears that streamed down her cheeks.

“He said he didn’t want to touch my face because he needed me to look good when I went into town.

” She let out a long moan. “I figure my ribs are broken. He wouldn’t stop hitting me, but I couldn’t let him win.

If I so much as moaned, it got worse. He feeds off pain. ”

Disgusted, Olivia shook her head. “I figured he was beating you.”

“Yeah, he did.” Isabella wiped away the tears with the back of her arm.

“He fell asleep for a time, but I couldn’t escape.

He had me tied to a ring above the mattress.

I’m guessing we’ve all got one just in case he needs to restrain us.

I tried everything to get that zip tie undone.

I was almost willing to bite off my own hand.

” She looked at Olivia and her bottom lip trembled.

“He wanted me to scream and fight him, but I refused to give him that satisfaction. I’ve seen the same look in my stepfather’s eyes when he used to beat me when I was little. I never cried then either.”

“Wasn’t he the one who was killed in the truck wreck about six years ago?” Chloe waved a hand through the bars. “That’s not the guy your mom is married to now, is it?”

“No, thank goodness.” Isabella shook her head and then groaned.

“I’m hurting all over and he hasn’t finished with me yet.

He said he’d be back when it gets dark and then he’s taking me into town.

If I don’t make a fuss and call out to get attention, he said he’ll leave me on a bench outside the old library and I can walk to the roadhouse when he’s gone.

” She stared at Olivia. “I’ll go straight to the sheriff and tell her what’s been happening.

I know what his van looks like and I’ll try and get the license plate.

He’s not going to get away with hurting us.

” She covered her face with her hands and wailed.

Tears ran through her fingers. “No one will ever want me when they discover what happened to me here. I’ll be an outcast. I’ll ask my mom to take us far away. My life is over.”

Unsure of what to do, Olivia raised her voice. “You don’t need to tell them everything that happened. Just tell them he beat you. We won’t tell will we, Chloe?”

“No, we won’t say anything.” Chloe cleared her throat. “He murdered our boyfriends and kidnapped us, and that will get him life in prison. No one needs to know the rest unless you want to tell your mom. We’ll keep your secret. Just get help so we can all get out of here.”

Olivia leaned back against the wall. No one had come yet to save them and two of her friends had been released, or so the man had told them. She didn’t believe him. He was a monster and she’d never see her friends again. I just know I’m never getting out of this place alive—none of us are.