Page 6 of Jase

My lip quivered through the sobs and ragged breaths. So many tears were coming, I was blind. That was okay. I didn’t want to see anything anymore. I didn’t want to be here. I wanted to pass out. I wanted to die. I was ready if it meant no more broken bones. The beatings I could take. Even the burns. This…this I didn’t think I could do.

“Five minutes. Place your bids.”

A sound tore its way from my throat before I could stop it. What followed wasn’t any more in my control than the conditions. “N-No. No more. I want to die. I. Can’t. Bid for death. I can’t. I…”

Laughter turned to an almost cooing sound as my hair was stroked back from my face. “You’re a tough one. I was sure you’d beg sooner. You don’t get a choice in this matter, though.”

That he was talking so much today said something. This was where he felt comfortable. This is where the monster wanted to be.

“Four minutes.”

He reached over, laying the hammer down. When he picked up what looked like a meat tenderizer, my thrashing was uncontrollable.

My body pitched from side to side, all of my weight and strength pushing against the straps as much as I could. Survival was all I knew, and I wasn’t going to stop until I didn’t have a choice. The fear wouldn’t let me. It was fight or flight, and I couldn’t do either.

“Three minutes.”

“For the love of God. God, please! God!”

Footsteps approached, and I cringed as the white mask became levelled with my face.

“There’s only one God here, and it’s not yours. He can’t touch you in these walls. You’re alone. All you have is us, and we can’t wait to tear you apart. Two minutes!”

Silence stretched in the room as I prayed under my breath. Over and over, I asked that no one bid. When my kidnapper shifted at his computer, I knew it wouldn’t be long before he returned, and we continued.

“Thirty seconds. Twenty. Hurry and get those bids in. Ten. What the hell?”

My head lifted, but all I saw was the man’s back as he leaned over, messing with his keyboard.

“What the fuck is this? Son of a bitch. We must have lost connection. Come on. They’ll be rejoining soon. They’ll come back to the link if not.”

I held my breath not saying a word. Not making a single sound. Despite the pain, even my tears were too afraid to fall for fear the monster would go into a rage. He was bouncing from foot to foot. Pacing. Cussing. The more minutes that drug on, the worse he became.

“This isn’t right. Someone had to get in. Someone must have shut me down.” For the first time, the man tore his mask off, looking right at me. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back.”

“You.” Memories hit so hard, recollection came rolling back like a boulder down an embankment. I’d seen this man before. I saw him…Where was I? Where was he?

Back and forth my eyes danced as I tried to recall the events of the day I’d disappeared. I must have gone to work. No. That was too late. I needed to remember the morning. I must have woken up. Got dressed.

“Coffee.” Yes. Broken gasps choked me as I began thrashing again. I went and got coffee just like I did every morning. He was at the coffee place. He’d winked at me. “God, please. God, help.Help me,’ I screamed in fear. “God!” I tried to twist myself. I had to get free. I had to leave while he was out of the room.

“Kody.Kody. Hey, beautiful.”

My head lifted as I tried to take in the blurring room. I was starting to spin. My brain couldn’t focus for long, and I felt sick. Had I heard my name? Was someone in the room? It was so bright; I couldn’t see far.

“Hello?”

“There we go. Look up and listen to me.”

“Please, you have to help me.”

“Do I? Is this real?”

“R-Real?” I sobbed even harder. “What do you mean?Do you see me?Yes, this is r-real! He’s going to kill me.”

“I need you to stay calm. I’m going to try to help. In the meantime, you have to be quiet. This didn’t happen.”

My uninjured hand jerked against the strap. “Wait.Don’t leave me.Don’t leave me! Please, I want out of here.”