Persephone looked at Malory with a face of total shock. She had never seen Malory look so intense. “Mal what’s going on here? Why do I need to run? Mal what’s wrong?” Malory grew even more hysterical as Persephone berated her with questions of concern, instead of heading her warning. “Persse, I’m sorry… its to late now, I told you to run…” her voice trailed off as out of nowhere Persse was approached by a rather large male figure, he seemed a mile tall as he towered over her. His face hidden by a dark mask, clothes black as the sky around them. He had blended right in with the atmosphere, yet still Persse had wondered how she did not see this figure. Before she could say anything she looked at Malory with the hardest look of betrayal, and everything went dark.
Persse awoke to a throbbing pain in her head, a deep lingering pain like she had never felt before in her lifetime. She tried to reach up only to come to the realization her hands had been bound together. She tugged as hard as she could, it seemed the more she tugged the tighter her hands became bound. She stared to scream and wail, only to find her harsh voice muffled. She was absolutely helpless. Panic had set in. Her heart beating so hard it felt as though it would pound its way out her chest. Persephone’s mind started to race as she tried to gain some sort of control and understanding of her surroundings. What is happening? Where am I? How do I free myself?
As Persephone began to calm herself to get grip of her current situation she realized she was actually in the back of Malory’s SUV. Malory and the strange tall man where perched in the front seat still driving. Malory looked back as she heard Persephone shuffle and move about. A look of deep remorse had spread across her face as she stared at a helpless bound Persephone stuffed on the floorboard. Persse became livid. How could she do this to me? After all this time… what are her intentions with me?
“Hello back there” the strange man said. His voice was so loud as it penetrated Persephone’s ears that it was almost deafening. “Hope your feeling comfortable”, his snide comment only made Persse more frantic as she began to struggle even harder at. “No point in fighting darling, we’ll be there soon enough”. Be where? How long was I asleep? She couldn’t quite see out the window to even get a clue of where she might have been. She could definitely tell is was light outside. Have we been driving all night? What time of the day is it? Somehow starring at the roof seemed to calm her frenzied mind. She was paralyzed. Once more she closed her eyes.
Once again she awoke, thankfully. This time the car was stopped, she looked around but Malory wasn’t to be found in the passenger seat as she was before. She couldn’t quite see the front seat as she was wedged behind it and the backseat. She didn't know if the strange man was there, but she had a feeling, he wasn’t. She started to scream but all that came out was a soft mumble. Didn’t stop her from trying still. It was her only shot. All her commotion stopped as the backseat door opened. Finally a small glimpse of the world. A small clue of her surroundings. It was dark again. In the distance she could make out a few shapes that looked like rolling hills and a small dirt road. The air seemed stale and still. It was warm, which was uncharacteristic to her home town. Persse came to the conclusion that she was no longer near home, not even close.
She was drug out the vehicle by a large person wearing a hooded cape she presumed to be the tall strange man. He wasn’t the only person though, as she was being guided further from the car she noticed that there was a large group of about thirteen people surrounding her as she was being drug off, all wearing the same dress-up. Long hooded robes. Dead silence as they marched on. Leading Persse to only God knows where. She gave in, knowing there was no chance in her escape. Persse had run out of hope.
It seemed like they had been walking for years. Persephone’s legs became shakier with every step she took. She couldn’t tell if it was from fear, or pure exhaustion. Perhaps a mixture of both. Her mind was blank, she couldn’t panic any further. All she felt was numb. It was her only defense against the fear and anxiety of what in the world possibly awaited for her ahead. The large group approached what appeared to be a large cement building. Persephone couldn’t make out any windows, just one lonesome metal door.
As the door opened she was met with the flash of light. Nearly blinding her. It seemed so bright compared to the darkness of the night and the darkness that washed over her entire being. Persephone was led down a long and winding corridor filled with many more large metal doors, until they reached a stairwell. As she peered down, the steps looked as if they were never ending. She was led down the long staircase, her mind started to wander again. Thinking of her belated James. What would he say to her now? Keep being strong, you have the keys to make it through this Persse… I believe in you my darling… I love you. He was always so supportive of her and helped her through every hardship she had always been in, but this time she wasn’t quite sure those are the words he would have said. She wanted to believe though.
They arrived at the end of the stairs to another long corridor full of metal doors. They led Persephone to one of the doors somewhere in the middle of the long concrete hall and proceeded to unraveled a series of complicated locks and combinations. She couldn’t make out any of it, in fact she wasn’t even there in her mind anymore. She had given up trying to comprehend what was going on.
Finally, the large door loudly screeched open, and she was tossed inside. Before Persse had any chance to regain her footing, the noisy door slammed shut behind her. She began to study her surroundings. It was a small concrete room which held a grimey toilet, a worn decrepit old cot containing an even sadder pillow with no blankets, a rust stained round metal sink, and one buzzing light fixture attached to the very high ceiling. No windows. Just cold barren walls. Persephone imagined this was what prison might have looked like if she had ever been in enough trouble to go to one. Unlike a prison though, she didn’t know her sentence, or why she was even there to begin with. It was all uncertain.
Persephone shuffled to the cot and sat down. She had one phrase running through her mind on repeat compliance is key. If there was one thing Persephone had deducted from this experience so far was that if there was any chance at her escape it would be to do as she was told. Her only hope was that if she complied with the strange hooded people that maybe they’d keep her alive long enough for her to try to plot her escape. Just maybe she would be able to find a weakness in this concrete fortress, or gain the sympathy of one of the hooded strangers. Either way she knew just running was out of the question, she also knew that likely, screaming for help wouldn’t get her any further through the thick walls.
As Persephone continued to think to herself, she heard what sounded like clanking and tinkering, she glanced to the door just in time to see one of the hooded strangers enter. They hadn’t shut the door behind this time, instead the hooded person was accompanied by three rather large hooded people who stood watch over the door. She was certain they were there to catch her if she had decided to run, but she hadn’t. The hooded stranger stood over Persephone and placed a plate on the cot next to her. To Persephone’s surprise the food smelled phenomenal, and instantly her mouth began to salivate. The scent of fresh bread filled the room. She hadn’t realized she was so hungry till now. Even though it smelled wonderful, Persephone knew deep down she couldn’t possibly eat anything at a time like this.
The hooded stranger then proceeded to take off Persephone’s gag. She felt the sudden urge to scream, yet she hesitated. Remembering what she had been telling herself earlier, compliance. She continued to sit silently while the hooded figure watched over her. The person spoke “eat”. Instantly Persephone knew who the hooded stranger was. Malory.
Here it is everyone, a bit later than yesterday, part 2!! Part 3 will be coming soon :)
Part 1- https://steemit.com/writing/@missdestruction/a-long-ways-from-home-part-1
PICTURES ARE FROM GOOGLE AND PIXABAY AND ARE NOT MINE
Let me know what you think!!