Chapter 9 I School My Attackers

I woke up gasping in the comfort of my own bed, the same black pillows and black comforter. This was my room, I was home, I was safe and although my body was buzzing, the pain was gone. I'm alive.

I slowly stood to my feet, exhaling a deep breath as I found my ground and walked to my door. Someone must be home if I was brought back here and I was in a world of trouble for not being able to survive through a full day at school, and the fact I'm probably failing English. If I come to find out they expelled me I won't be disappointed or upset about it either. I don't know if I could be mentally of physically prepared for the wrath of mother though, and watching father do nothing about it.

I looked over the balcony and saw a light illuminating from the kitchen- someone was home and probably waiting for me. The hairs stood up on my skin from the fear of facing them but if they would just listen and try to understand them they would know it wasn't my fault.

Walking downstairs and making my way to the kitchen with each unsteady, fearful step, sure enough both Mother and Dad were sitting at the table facing each other.

"Hi..." I gulped. I turned toward the fridge and pressed my warm forehead against the cold steal. "Now... I know what you both must be thinking and I'm just as upset as you are- honestly!" I sighed. "You probably don't want to hear my excuses but honestly I wasn't feeling good... like obviously pretty bad... and I'm very sorry for letting your plans down. I just don't think school would've worked anyway." I scratched the back of my neck and felt sweat from my palms cling to my skin.

I braced myself for a loud response, but it never came. There was no argument, no screams, no aggression towards a chair they were sitting in. The room was completely silent.

I looked over my shoulder and fully turned around when I saw they had not moved. That wasn't too weird I guess, maybe they were really listening and waiting for me to finish.

That couldn't be it.

I stared at them, eyebrows pushed together... they were so still, so stiff. They sat with their hands folded in front of their chests, the same wicked smiles plastered on their faces.

Mother should crack with how full the smile was... I can't imagine another time she had before. And father, his skin was stretched, clearly forced into the expression. They were silent and unblinking and the only light source being the hanging light above them make the scene even more terrifying.

"Hello?" I slowly approached them, coming up behind Mother and waving my hand in front of her face- she didn't even flinch.

Shaking my head, audibly breathing heavily I went up to father and shoved him out of his chair- he fell stiffly, still in the same seated position, hands still folded, and that same wicked smile cutting into his cheeks.

"No!" I backed up and into the wall, letting out a quick scream upon impact.

This didn't make any sense... my heart was beating out of my chest, the room was spinning- this couldn't be real. Things like that don't actually happen. Am I dreaming? Still at school?

I hurried down the hall, reaching for the doorknob before skidding to a stop when I saw it was visibly jiggling.

Backing up, staring wide eyed at the doorknob I shook my head, "No... no!" I turned around and ran up the stairs on all fours, skipping into my room and slamming the door and locking it as soon as I entered.

My hands gripped the doorknob and my forehead leaned against the door as I stopped to catch my breath. Was my kidnapper back for me? Ready to finish the job after doing whatever that was to my parents? My mind was a cluttered mess- what am I supposed to do?

I stood hunched over, thinking and relaxing when a pair of hands slid out from the darkness and wrapped themselves around my mouth.

I immediately screamed into their skin and reached up to the hands as my attacker dragged me back by my face. My body squirmed, fighting to get stable, my legs were flailing about, attempting to dig into the carpet but I gained nothing. My attacker continued to walk backward with a tight grip on my jaw.

I cannot be helpless right now... not again.

Not again.

My eyes darted to the side where a wall stood and without thinking, I kicked my legs up the wall and pushed myself against my attackers chest, sending us both crashing to the floor.

I heard the other voice curse and my knees burned at the impact with the carpet but I scurried away towards my door and the light switch. I was on fire, my body working faster than my brain.

I wouldn't be helpless again, I won't go down without a fight. For Calvary.

I didn't hear anything against the floor as I stood up and searched for the light switch.

"Ayla please d-"

I harshly laughed and flicked on the light, turning to my attacker who was covering his face with his hands, a hood above his head. He dressed in all black, long sleeves, a shimmering chain poking out from his sweatshirt.

"Bet you didn't expect that!" I exhaled, blowing on a piece of hair that was stuck to my face.

Shouldn't I be more scared? This man killed my friend and kidnapped me and is probably back to kill me too. How come I felt I could rub the win in his face rather than feel a twinge of fear?

Could he be someone completely different?

"What did you do to my parents, huh? Is that another one of your tricks? You can steal faces and freeze people?"

He slowly stood up, still covering his face and my back quickly hit the wall behind me watching the tall man straighten up.

"This is one hundred percent the way you should not be reacting to this." He had a deep, breathy voice, unfamiliar but calming in a strange way. Why didn't I feel threatened?

"I beat you. I beat you. Not so high and mighty when you're not front seat of a cop car, are you?"

"This is so not going according to plan right now," He mumbled.

"Hmm, what's that? Sorry I couldn't hear you over the sound of you hitting my floor." I crossed my arms, smirking.

"Seriously if I was a serial killer is this the way you would be talking to me right now? Would you be talking at all? I feel like you're about to offer me something to drink and ask how my day was-"

The door flew open, wood splintering and flying, scattering across my room.

I screamed and fell to the floor in front of my attacker and met eyes with a new man who's face wasn't concealed and a crowbar strung across his shoulder. He had a confident, nonchalant way of standing, striking red hair pulled up, with muscles exposed and bulging. I have never seen a human like him before... I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I was staring with wide eyes and an open mouth, speechless from what I just witnessed.

I still wasn't afraid... but was this how I die?

"Well hello gorgeous." He cracked a dimpled smile, flashing white teeth, his eyes searched me up and down but I still found myself unable to move.

"Now that was the reaction I was looking for, Miss. Gordon! Sheesh." He looked at presumably his partner, "Tough crowd."

The new highly unprofessional burglar in my house looked above me and laughed, "Do you seriously have a hood on? What are we? Teenage vandals?"

With my mouth still hanging open, I scoffed.

My attacker audibly groaned, stepping beside me and ripping the hood off his head, revealing a messy mop of black curls that took over the top of his head while the side remained short and precise. "And you're walking around openly revealing what you look like? I was trying to be discreet."

"I literally just blew her door down." He rolled his eyes with the same amused smile on his face. He turned to me, "Impressive right?"

I whimpered and made a break for it between their two pairs of legs but screamed as one picked me up and threw me on my bed with a squeaky thud.

"Maybe you should've kept her door on its hinges," The black haired boy mumbled.

"So are we just going to ignore your performance this evening, Jackson?" He cocked a brow and smirked, turning his head to mock his partner.

He scoffed, "Did you seriously just say my name?"

I watched them bicker back and forth, Jackson clearly trying to stay professional while the redhead said anything to disagree and get under his skin, clearly finding the whole situation amusing. This was never how it went on television. It really did take the edge off the fact that they must be here to possibly kill me.

"Excuse me?" I finally spoke up.

They both turned toward me, the argument stopping.

"For the record, she took me by surprise and I was never trying to hurt her or anything."

"She's a girl. You probably scared her half to death."

Jackson turned toward me with a concerned face after his partner mentioned it, eyeing me up and down, and that's when I made the connection: both of their eyes were silver.

The day of the accident, an imposter who appeared to be Calvary came and lured me out of my house, the only noticeable difference being those same vivid silver eyes. Silver is a common theme in my recurring nightmares, silver haunts me.

"I apologize on behalf of Jackson's rude behavior tonight. My name is Kyle, you most understand there is no easy or sweet way to kidnap someone." He shrugged.

My throat was too dry to swallow, he just admitted his plan. They were going to kidnap me again.

"And do what? Eat me? Collect me? Wear my face and lure someone else out of their house?"

"For the record, Miss. Gordon," Jackson stepped forward, "I know what you're referring to and you think you know what you're talking about but you don't. We didn't kill Calvary, we even went to his service."

There was a disgusted taste in my mouth. I looked away from both of them, my heartbeat slowing down in my eardrums.

"You can call me Jack... I promise we aren't here to hurt you or put you through all that you've already gone through. We understand you're confused and scared-"

"Oh please. I'm not scared of you. You and your friend are ridiculous!" I waved my hands between them. I quickly backed off, I hated yelling and even more I hated people yelling back at me and I didn't have the strength to keep it together for much longer. Even with how unthreatening they appeared a part of me was too overwhelmed and freaked out to process what's going on.

Jack rolled his eyes, "If you will just listen we can make this as painless as possible. We're wasting time."

Kyle was now leaned up against my dresser, his chin in his hand, "You're errand boy responsible for interacting with people and this is all you got? It's just sad."

Jack closed his eyes but ignored him, "Ayla."

How does he know my name? "No." I crossed my arms.

"My god-" He turned around, running a hand through his hair. "Look princess we are here to keep you safe. Didn't your parents tell you anything?"

"My parents?" I stood up on my knees, my face close to his. I don't know where my spark of adrenaline came from or when I realized that I was filled to the brim with anger but screw holding back. "My parents are downstairs frozen and unresponsive. What do you know about my parents?"

Kyle snickered.

"If you were here to keep me safe and not hurt me your plan wouldn't have been to drag me by my head!"

Jack scooted up and looked down at me with narrow eyes, "You knocked the wind out of me!"

"Dude, she's tiny." Kyle couldn't help but laugh, now I was confused because I didn't consider myself tiny and he was just letting this happen?

"You- you scared me!" I huffed.

"You know we had nothing to do with Calvary's death because you said it yourself you weren't scared. Deep down you know-"

"I didn't even say that." I did think it.

"Same thing!" He rolled his eyes.

"As much as I love watching you guys build tension and yell at each other in circles... I think we should wrap it up so we can get back to the base before curfew."

I was out of breath from yelling, I'm very afraid of people yelling at me but I didn't find them intimidating. They ruined that the moment they started talking. Maybe they were telling the truth and they truly didn't want to seem intimidating and that was the point, but I can't get over what follows after you meet those same silver eyes.

Jack looked back at me and exhaled a deep breath. "Okay. I am sorry for yelling-"

"I'm not."

He closed his eyes, pursing his lips and shaking his head. "I'm going to lose it- I don't have time for this."

"I am not going anywhere with all the questions." I sat down on my bed, "I don't

know you, I don't want to know anyone with silver eyes, I don't fear you, you already said you won't hurt me. So, if you don't have time for this then you can run along and while you're at it, fix my parents. Thank you." I laid down against my pillows, feeling more accomplished than I should. My skin was buzzing and I was impressed with how well I held it together.

"Fine, have it your way princess."

Kyle's face was suddenly above mine, I couldn't help but gulp. "You are very close to me," I whispered.

He smiled, "Nothing personal. I'll see you soon."

That was my last memory at my house. The  house I haven't left in so long, the house that hid all I've been through and was the only thing to comfort me when times got bad. All those times I begged for something to show up and make me feel like I was living... I didn't mean this.