She lets out a shriek, a horrible, blood-curdling yell, causing me to whip my head back in her direction. But she’s gone. All that remains is her imprint on the pillows and the white dress I had pulled over her head mere minutes ago. I call out her name, “Michelle!” my voice shrieking over and over again into the pitch-black darkness surrounding me.
My bed crashes to the ground, causing my body to go flying into the air. When I land, I throw my eyes open. Ace is at my side, calling my name frantically. His face is morphed with concern and terror. “Cal! Cal!”
I scurry up to my elbows and pull myself to the side of the bed. By the looks of the darkened sky, I’ve been fast asleep for at least a few hours. Downstairs, I can hear the commotion of men filing into the basement. Something’s happened. I turn to Ace who is waiting for me to come back to life.
He looks me dead in the eye as he says cautiously, “Red Dog found Addison Bell’s number. We know where the Coyotes are keeping Maddie.”
Chapter 28: The Call
MICHELLE
“Michelle,” Maddie tugs on me in the dark, grasping to my arm, “What’s that noise?” I’m surprised she can hear it. After the past few dings and chimes, I had thought I was going crazy imagining it. I let out a sigh of relief knowing I’m not insane just yet.
“It’s someone’s phone, Maddie. It’s probably one of the guards.” I pat her hair again and hold her a bit tighter. Any little thing can make you jump in a position like this. Not knowing what was going on in the dark corners was deceptive, haunting even. But I know we shouldn’t be wasting our time getting upset over a phone call. “Go back to sleep. I promise to wake you up if something happens or if I need you. Just try to shut your eyes and count to one hundred. That always works with me.”
She nods softly into my arm, her tears trickling down the side of on my bare arm, and I hear her exhale deeply. After a few minutes, her chest grows tired as her light weight presses into me once more. But unlike Maddie, I can’t sleep. I know I should try. After all, I’ll need all the energy and brainpower I can get to think of a plan to get us out of here. But that damn phone won’t stop ringing, and I can’t seem to get my mind off of it as it replays over and over again.
I have never been one to sit around wait for something to happen. And I am not about to change down in this dungeon. When Maddie is softly snoring, I place her down against the cement block wall and attempt to stand to my feet. The room is short, so short I smack my head on a post. I groan a bit as I put my head to the bruise that was sure to pop up in that spot. We must be in a crawlspace or an unfinished basement with a wooden plank ceiling set so low. Everything is dusty and dank as the tiny window in the corner illuminates small clouds of gray.
I check on Erin, using my hands to feel for her pulse. Still there. Still strong but fading. I feel along her face, noting how chapped her lips are. She’s going to need water fast and something to stop the wound on her head from bleeding. I reach down towards my pants and rip a small swath of fabric. I press it tightly against her forehead. It soaks through almost instantly, turning my hand from white to red. It’s going to have to do for now until I can find something else that will work.
I press my hands against the floor and search to see if there’s something else, maybe a scrap of fabric, an old towel, something. I make it to the back wall, near the window when I find something hard and cold. It’s a large metal pipe, probably a piece of old, discarded plumbing still connected to the walls. I push on it as it makes a loud clamber. I back away almost instantly. The last thing I want is for the guards outside the room to take notice of us.
But it’s too late. Before I have time to move away from the window, the door opens up and I see the black boots and gray pants of one of the guards come running down the stairs. In his hand is a black cellphone lighting up and vibrating against his skin. At least I know where that sound is coming from now.
The man uses the phone as a flashlight as he points it at Erin first and then over to my corner where I have crouched low, pulling my knees to my chest. His light beam lingers on me for a second as I attempt to make myself even smaller and less conspicuous. He turns quickly and finds Maddie in the dark. She’s still sleeping, her head tilted back against the wall, her mouth slightly open.
He walks down the rest of the stairs towards her as I scream out, “Where are you taking her! You can’t take her!” My voice is hoarse and dry. I doubt he can even make out what I say through my cracked lips.