Chapter 27: Ambushed

Darkness was the only thing that surrounded me. I looked below to see my body was standing over nothing. I seemed to be levitating over a sea of darkness and nothing.

Everything was so vivid. In this dream I could easily tell that I wasn't awake unlike the rest I've had in my lifetime. I squinted upon seeing two red orbs staring back at me.

"Who's there?", My voice echoed.

There was no response from whoever was staring back at me. Except, a bright light shined down upon what was in front of me. I knew something was wrong once I set eyes upon this...thing.

This beast was reptilian in appearance. It's size alone scared me shitless. I wasn't even as big as it's head. The creature had crimson red skin, two horns protruded from it's forehead and curved at the tips, rows of carnivorous teeth drool hanging from both sides of it's mouth, two pitch black eyes with two red pinprick pupils that stared back at me with no emotion, a single gash ran down the creature's left eye in a similar fasion like mine.

The arms were thick and muscular with sharp spikes running down the arms, the monster's hands or claws had three fingers which I assumed were for ripping and tearing. Beneath it's waist were bulky legs with three toes with three shark claws.

Three seperate metal chains were attached to the monster holding it in place. One was chained to it's left arm while the other chained was tied to it's right arm. The final chain was griped around the monster's waist.

"I...am...you...", It groaned in a deep guttural voice.

It tried to resist against the bindings, but failed tremendously. The beast roared in my direction visibly pissed it couldn't free itself from it's prison."What do you mean?", I asked."

I'm what you are on the inside...a monster. You just don't know it yet.", It breathed. "I've seen what you've done, I've been where you've been, and I know who you know."

"Cut the shit! I'm not a monster.", I retorted.

The big behemoth chuckled at my expense, "Little do you know Aaron. When you were just a baby your mother has said things about you that you are completely unaware of. Things that would make you go insane and lose the very essence of who you are."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I'm here for a reason you know."

The light slowly began to fade now shrouding me in darkness. The creature "Wait! Who are you?", I asked once again.

"Like I've said before. I...am...you..."

"...ron"

"aron..."

"Aaron..."

"Aaron!"

"Huh? What?", I lifted my head up off the telescope beneath me. Dolly and Dylan were visibly concern about me. "Oh hey." I stretched and yawned.

"You ok? You were shaking and talking in your sleep.", Dylan mentioned.

I noticed I had drooled a little on my cheek and wiped it off with the sleeve of my shirt. "Oh, I was? Well, What did I say?"

"You kept saying something like, "I'm not a monster!" and you were shaking like crazy too. What were you dreaming about anyway Aaron?", Dolly wondered.

"It was just very realistic bad dream. Nothing to worry about you two.", I carelessly brushed off. I left Dylan's telescope and stood in front of a mirror on the right side of the room.

I brought my hands to the back of my head releasing the strap that kept my eyepatch over my left eye in place. I examined the scar in the mirror. In the corner of the mirror Dylan and Dolly were quietly watching me.

"I used to be so self conscious when I was younger. Since my mom treated me like I crap I always thought there was something wrong with me. I never liked myself because, never truly comfortable with who I was. It didn't help that only people in my life at that time hated my guts. Didn't know why really, I just lived with it.", I rambled. I smiled and chuckled gazing back at the two. "But, that all changed when I came here. London is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Here I learned that not everybody hates me. Not everyone is horrible, there are good people in the world."

I put the eyepatch in my back pocket. "I don't think I need to wear this anymore though. My eye doesn't look too bad does it?"

The two teenage dalmatians looked at each other and then me before shaking their heads. "Great! That thing was starting to itch anyways.", I joked and snickered. I'll hold onto my eyepatch just in case if I do end up changing my mind.

Thump!

Thump!

The three of us shared worried glances. "We should probably go see what that was.", Dylan suggested.

"Agreed.", I nodded.

Thump!

Thump!

THUMP!

The closer we go to the front door the thumping became heavier and louder. Upon reaching the first floor we noticed Doug and Delilah frantically trying to board all the windows and the front door.

"What's going on?", Dolly asked.

Delilah looked at me and with a panic voice said, "You three need to go to the basement right now! She's here."

An all too familar terrifying cackle came from the other side of the door. Cruella has finally made her move to take us all away.

"Right now, we need you three to look out for the pups if something bad happens to us.", Doug sadly added trying to hold the door that was trying to be breached.

"Dad no...", Dolly pleaded tears building up in her eyes.

"Dolly please don't and try to argue with us. This is for the safety of you and your siblings.", Delilah retorted.

"But-", Dylan tried to argue, but was briefly cut off.

"JUST GO!", Doug shouted. I grabbed both Dylan and Dolly and pratically dragged them into the a room down the hall.

Once all three of us were inside Dylan hurridely unlatched a valve on the floor which opened up to a secret safe room beneath us. All we needed to do was go down the ladder. I guessed everyone else was waiting for us down there.

Dylan climbed down the ladder first and then Dolly. As soon Dolly was halfway I took the door and slammed it down. I quickly twisted the valve locking the door. Hard knocks came from beneath the floorboard.

"AARON! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?", Dolly angrily asked. I wasn't able to see her, but could easily tell how she felt by her change of tone.

"Making sure you're safe.", I answered smiling. "I'm gonna make sure nothing bad happens to your parents. You and Dylan take care of everyone."

I jogged out the room and sprinted towards the front door. I realized that I was too late once I saw a purple van driving off. Visible through the back windows I could see Delilah and Doug unconscious, gagged, and tied up.

I quickly took out my phone and snapped a picture of the van's license plate as it took off.

"Damnit!", I grunted clenching my fists knowing that any attempt to rescue them was pointless. I thought hard about what my next course of action would be. After coming up with a plan I sprinted down the sidewalk in the direction of my house.

I help my cellphone to my ear while after dialing 911. I brought the phone to my ear. Once the operator picked up I remained calm and told them the situation I was in. I even mentioned the license plate to make sure that the local police were on the lookout for the van.

I hung up the phone, but froze after hearing someone knocking on my door. "I swear Dolly if you left the saferoom-"

I swung open the door to my mouth agape. DJ dalmatian waiting for me at my doorstep. He carefully wielded a Glock 17 in his hands. "DJ? What're you doing here? And Why do you have a gun?"

"I wanna come with you to save my mom and my dad.", He answered his cheeks then turned red. "...And Anna."

"Yeah, but why the gun though? Where did you even get it?", I questioned.

"Aaron It belongs to my dad, but right now it's necessary. I'm not gonna stand by and be a defenseless child while that crazy bitch has my mom and dad.", DJ cursed. I let out an exhausted sigh.

I noticed my dad's car still parked in front of our home. That must mean the keys are still here too. "Go wait by that car. I'll be out in a jiff.", I demanded pointing at my dad's car which was a red Sedan.

I went upstairs and raided my father's bedroom. Eventually I was able to find his car keys under his pillow. I headed outside and unlocked the car doors.

I sat in the driver's seat while DJ got into the passenger's seat next to me. "Ok if I remember correctly...", I tried remembering all the times I had watched Dad drive to see if I could understand the basics of driving on my own just in case of times like these.

I put the keys into the keyhole on the side of the steering wheel. I turned the key revving up the car's engine. "There we go! That's what I'm talking about!", I cheered excitedly.

Now my best guess of where Cruella could be taking them is that supposedly "abandonded" ship. That's gonna be our first stop. "You ready DJ?"

He buckled himself in and cocked the pistol giving me a determined look. "Hell yea!"

I stepped on the gas as the car sped down the streets of London. I've had enough of these damn games. It's time for us to get our family members back and be done with Cruella once and for all.