Page 7 of Protecting Olivia

I didn’t think I was really okay to walk. I hadn’t had enough room to even stand being cuffed to a wall. But the thought of this big man holding me close to him while I smelled like puke was mortifying. It was the last thing I should’ve cared about, but I felt like a dirty animal.

“Come on, up you go. Hold that bad wrist close to your body. When we leave this room, I want you to keep your eyes closed. It’s not pretty out there,” Panther instructed, ignoring my comment.

Before Panther could lift me in his arms, a string of curse words was yelled from the other side of the room. Panther quickly moved me completely behind him.

Protecting me.

“Motherfucker!” was yelled again from one of the other two guys.

I peeked around Panther to see one of the men was near the red spot on the wall. He was examining something on his black-gloved fingers.

“Did you see what was put in this wall?” one of the men asked.

Was he talking to me? Put in the wall? What did that even mean?

“Olivia?”

“Oh. Sorry. I don’t understand what you're asking. No one has done anything to this room since I’ve been here. The first day I thought I could smell wallpaper glue, if that helps,” I answered.

“We need ten minutes. Hold the bird for extraction,” the man spoke into his shoulder. “Copy that.”

The two men made fast work peeling a large piece of wallpaper off the drywall. One of the men kicked the bottom of the wall, leaving a hole. The sound made me flinch. They ripped chunks of drywall, making the opening larger.

“What the fuck?” One of them cursed.

“Jesus Christ.” Came from the other.

They continued to pull back drywall, revealing what looked to be a clear plastic drop cloth. I leaned around Panther trying to get a better view, but he stopped me.

“You don’t want to look,” he said.

“What is that?” I asked.

He shook his head in reply and maneuvered himself to block my view.

“Panther, you might wanna take her in the other room. Leave her with Viper.”

“No! Please don’t leave me,” I cried.

Chapter Five

Leo

The room reeked of piss and body decomposition.

Olivia was a shaking mess – the sooner I got her out of here, the better. Her grip on my arm unrelenting. The girl was a wreck; her blonde hair was matted with throw up, and her wrist was definitely infected. Her pretty face lacked color and had taken on a grayish hue making the dark red circles around her eyes stand out. There was no doubt she was pretty, but right now, she was a far cry from the done-up party girl I had seen in pictures.

“Please,” she begged.

“Tesorino, I am not going anywhere,” I assured her. “She’s good, Blue.”

“Panther…” Blue warned.

I ignored Blue and concentrated on Olivia. “Do me a favor, yeah? I want you to lie down and close your eyes. I’ll stay right here with you.”

Olivia nodded her head and did what I asked.

Now that the wall was broken open, the smell of rotting flesh was overwhelming. I was surprised that Olivia hadn’t commented or complained about it yet. I suppose she had gotten used to the odor over the weeks she’d been locked in this room.