Chapter 12
Ariel Smith
With difficulty, I opened my eyes, but everything was blurry. I squeezed my eyelids and opened them again. I looked at the place, but I couldn't see it clearly, the dim light made it impossible. I tried to move my body but realized I was tied to a chair. Even though I was confused, I tried to move, to free myself, but it was impossible. The rope clamped tightly around my wrists. As my eyes got used to the low light, I started to realize where I was, it looked like some kind of warehouse or vast empty room, like I was in a horror movie.
I heard moans of pain and looking in the dim light, I discerned my father, tied to a wall, like an animal. I looked at the scene, scared. He was in a deplorable state and it was heartbreaking. He raised his eyes, looking at me and, in a worried tone of voice, saying, ”I'm glad you woke up, daughter.”
Still confused, I looked at him. I couldn't think straight. I tried to remember what had happened, but my mind was a mess. I was in a strange place, tied up, in the presence of my father with my injured body, it was clear that he had been tortured and this made me even more terrified. But, even full of dread and fear, I never stopped being surprised by one thing.
”Daughter”, he said and I hadn't heard that word come from his lips in a long time.
”Where are we?” I asked, still disoriented.
”Does not matter. Listen to me, try to let go, you need to get away from him.”
A shiver runs down my spine and my hands sweat. Those words left me paralyzed. My heart raced, because of some of my father's mistakes, I would die.
”Run away from who?”
”I tried to trick him, he found out and came after me. But it does not matter! Try to escape.”
”I can't do it,” I said, distressed, trying to free myself from the ropes.
”Push harder, keep trying.”
I heard the sound of a door opening and tried to identify the source, but I didn't see anything, there wasn't enough light. I heard footsteps approaching us. I was tense and scared, my heart wanted to escape my chest. As the figure approached, I saw the dark color of his shoes. I looked up at his legs, covered in formal pants. Strong, thick hands were fastening the button on his jacket. He was an elegant man, with a proud bearing and exuding power.
Blue eyes, serious and dark, stared at me, the man approached the light and I could see him better. He had long, strong arms, the suit showed off his muscles, and it seemed clear that the piece was custom-made.
His face looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where. My body went rigid as he came towards me. Standing in front of me, the man assessed me intensely and his eyes scared me, it seemed like I was in front of the devil himself. My lips trembled and I tried to say something, but no words dared to come out.
”Hello girl, I'm glad you woke up.”
His voice was thick and had a strong accent, which reminded me of the sound of ferocious roars, making me flinch. He realized that his voice scared me and I saw a malicious smile on his lips, he seemed to be waiting for my words.
”Who are you?” I asked, in a slurred voice. I kept trying to remember his face, he was familiar to me.
”Don't you remember me, my angel?” The man asked, mockingly, ”I'll refresh your memory, you treated me at the hospital.”
My expression changed, and I remembered him. Arthur Drummond, the arrogant man I served and was accompanied by security guards. I looked at him, confused. He had his hands in his pants pocket and was studying my face.
”Are you Arthur Drummond?” I asked, to be sure.
”That's right, Arthur Drummond, your future husband.”
”Future husband?”
If before I was confused, from then on everything just got worse. My mental confusion was complete and my head was starting to hurt. I closed my eyes, tired and heard his smile. He was having fun. Did he do that because I treated him that way? But it wasn't my fault, he was the one who was rude first — I thought, trying to find some justification for it all, even if it was absurd.
”Your father, girl, owes me a lot of money. He frequented my casino for months and never paid.”
”But he never told me anything! Is this true, Dad? I asked, looking at the body tied to the wall.”
”Yes,” he confirmed, in a voice so low I could barely hear it.
”He said you would be responsible for the debt, but I must add that he owes me a lot of money.”
Desolated, I heard the news. I was disappointed in him. Away from my father, I thought I would lead a calmer life, without his daily insults and problems, but I was stuck in a chair, being told of a debt.
”How much are we talking about?” I asked, with a sad voice and he answered me:
”500 thousand dollars.”
I was shocked and, for a moment, I wished my father was dead. However, that urge dissipated when I saw his sad eyes of regret. No! This is a scam! It's just another attempt at me manipulate, he is unable to stay out of trouble — I thought, trying to free myself from the emotional blackmail.
”But, that's a lot of money.” I said, terrified.
”That's why we're here, I have the solution, redhead.”
”And what would be?”
”I can forget about the debt. If you agree to marry me.”
I felt a strong shiver run down my spine. Arthur bent down and looked deep into my eyes. He waited for an answer. What man makes an offer like that? We do not know each other! This can't be real — I thought, looking at his face, serious and dark. His expression showed that the proposal was real and I decided to respond:
”I don't have all that money, however, I have a steady job and I can pay this debt monthly.”
”It doesn't work that way, princess.”
”I won't fall for fake blackmail like that. I intend to pay, we are not in medieval times, if you insist, I will contact the authorities!”
Arthur Drummond smiled provocatively. He seemed to be surprised by my refusal and, with that, he raised his body, saying:
”I must confess: your courage amazes me. But you will have to lose it, for your own good. Here, I am the authority. So, you better control your tongue or I will cut it out, which I don't want, as I have delicious plans for her.”
He turned his back on me and walked to a table. Straining my eyes, I was able to identify a good number of tools. Arthur took a drill and turned it on to see if it was working and the noise of the object scared me. He looked at me, with a devilish smile and my body shuddered.
” Don't hurt me!” I asked, with a trembling voice.
”Don't worry, my angel, I will hurt you in a very pleasurable way.”
One of his hands gently touched my face and I turned, trying to move away. With violence, he grabbed my chin so that I looked at him. His eyes fixed on my trembling lips and one of his fingers touched my mouth until I opened it a little. Again, I heard the sound of the drill and I was scared, but he walked away from me, heading towards his father. My heart skipped a beat, thinking about what he would do. Tears invaded my eyes and slid down his cheekbones. He looked at my father with contempt and I had no doubt that he would kill him.
”You don't need to hurt him, Mr. Drummond.” I said, biding my time as I tried to free myself from the ropes.
My father and I always had problems, but I didn't want him to suffer. I always wanted him to go back to the way he was before, but even if that would never happen, I didn't want anything bad in his life. Arthur brought the tool closer to my father's face, intending to pierce one of his eyes. So, filled with courage and terror, I accepted the offer:
”I marry you! Now, let him go!”
He turned to me and said:
”My sweet angel, you will marry me, whether you accept it or not, and your father deserves death. Where I come from, thieves are not forgiven.”
”I'm sorry, daughter!” My father shouted, through tears, accepting his sad fate.
Arthur turned on the drill, driving the drill into my father's eye, and making him scream in pain. It was as if everything happened in slow motion and I closed my eyes, I didn't want to see any of it, but I still heard her screams of pain and despair. Unable to contain myself, I let out a loud, distressed scream.
Forcing and struggling, I tried, unsuccessfully, to free myself from the ropes. My father's screams of pain and agony grew weaker and his tone was replaced by tiredness and acceptance.
“Don't do this, please,” I begged, through tears.
Arthur turned off the object and I opened my eyes. The man watched me with a mocking expression, in his eyes there was no remorse or regret. I looked away from my father and he was so covered in blood that I couldn't identify the bruises. He opened his only eye and, even in pain, fixed his gaze on mine, saying, with difficulty:
”Daughter, I'm sorry for being so horrible to you.”
”Shh, don't try hard,” I said, in a soft voice.
”You didn't deserve my rudeness, I'm sorry.”
”I forgive you.” I smiled, through tears.
”What a beautiful scene.”
Arthur's mocking and hateful voice echoed and he resurfaced, still with the drill in hand.
Again, he approached my father and, without saying anything else, drove the drill into his heart. My father released all the air from his lungs, took his last breath and let death overwhelm him. It never crossed my mind that something like this would happen to me, that I would witness such cruelty. I was no longer processing anything, my body was limp and my mind wanted to shut down.
The noise of the drill stopped and Arthur threw the object on the floor. The cruel man looked at me, his blue eyes shining. There I saw chaos and destruction, there was no kindness and there was, at the least, no remorse or regret for what I had just done. He came towards me, bent down and lifted my head. I had a blank look, I couldn't believe what I had seen.
”I'll take care of you, little redhead,” he said, in a low voice, starting to free me.