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“Shit, they’re getting closer.”
“Raya, how did you get out?”
“Kicked their fucking asses, but that didn’t stop them. I hear them coming, Layla.”
Layla whimpers, “Raya, just go. Run! Don’t stop!”
I refuse, “No, I won’t leave you!”
Layla pleads, “Raya, you have to go now! You need to survive. It’s okay…just go.”
I blow out a deep breath and try not to break down.
“I’ll come back for you.”
She smiles at me as tears run down her face and I break away into the tunnel. As I turn the corner, I run into a captor and he grabs onto me. I scream and struggle out of his grip just as another captor steps behind me to grab on, but I hurriedly throw a back kick into his gut. I jab the heel of my right palm into the other man’s nose, causing blood to immediately spurt out. In an instant, I’m racing through the tunnel, trying to find an exit.
My lungs ache for air as I try to breathe as best I can. The panic creeps back but I focus on rushing out of here. I look back to see a stampede of three men coming straight at me. Sweat drips down my face and my feet are screaming in pain from all the running. I start to get a cramp in my lower abdomen but I ignore it and endure the agony and discomfort. Survive. Survive for Layla.
About thirty feet away, I see what looks like a staircase. I take a deep breath and sprint toward the stairs. I look behind to see the three men close behind. I quickly dart up the stairs and open the door at the top. I immediately end up in a kitchen. Gathering my surroundings, I look around to see if anyone’s nearby. Everything seems quiet. I shut the door behind me and hook the latch. Opening one of the kitchen drawers, I grab a cutting knife and dash out of the kitchen to find the house phone.
I head into the living room and see the front door only a few feet away. In an instant, I’m at the door, unlocking the bolts and flinging it open. Who I see waiting for me on the other side is the last person I thought I’d ever see in this dungeon.
Derrick.
As I process what I’m seeing, Derrick steps inside the house and shuts the door. He slowly walks up to me and I quietly tiptoe back.
I’m in complete shock and speechless until it dawns on me, “You don’t have a cousin, do you?”
He smirks and whispers, “No, angel, I don’t.”
I tightly grip the knife handle and quickly jab my arm at his lower stomach for a quick stab, but he blocks my attempt and grabs hold of my wrist. He twists and bends it backward, causing excruciating pain and I scream out. The knife slips out of my grip and clanks onto the floor. I take my left knee and thrust it into his gut, causing him to gasp for air. With my left fist, I cross punch him in the face and try for a second punch, but he blocks it. I twist my body to regain balance, but his tight grip on my wrist makes it difficult.
He pulls on my arm and twists it behind my back as I yelp out in pain. He pulls so hard on my arm that I feel it tearing from the socket. Tears trickle down my face but I won’t stop fighting. I swipe a lower kick into his ankles to make him trip. The hit was unexpected and fast; just what I needed. Before he touches the ground, he lets go of my wrist, enabling my escape. I spring forward toward the door, but he grabs onto my ankle, causing me to trip and slam into the floor face first.
He stands up and yanks me up with him, “You really are a great student. Very impressed, Raya.”
I aim to chop him in the throat but that attempt is also blocked. Fuck. He’s too fast.
He chuckles deeply “You forget I taught you everything you know.”
He whispers into my ear, “You won’t defeat me.”
Before I can fight back or scream for help, his right hook hits me dead in the face and I hit the floor. The living room spins and I feel like I’m about to vomit. When I open my eyes, I see spots and stars. Blood trickles down my face and I touch my cheek. The sting from my touch causes me to wince.
I hear the kitchen door bust open and the three men who were chasing me come into the living room. They grab onto me and pick me up off the floor.
My body jerks and convulses to try and escape their grasps, but at this point, I’m too weak to battle against their strength.
Derrick commands, “Take her down and lock her up. Make sure she doesn’t escape this time. I’ll be down in a little bit.”
One of the captors accepts the order, “Yes, sir.”
As they carry me away, I look at Derrick and beg, “No, no! Please don’t do this!”
Derrick slaps me across the face. “Shut her up!”
One of his minions reaches into his back pocket, pulls out a roll of duct tape, and applies a strip across my mouth. They carry me back into the kitchen and slowly make their way down the stairs as I continue to struggle and scream as loud as I can. As we descend into the darkness of the tunnel, tears return as my body trembles in fear of the horrors that await me around the corner.
