Chapter 7

Somewhere on the other side of the island Kate slowly opened her eyes. Her head were throbbing, she blinked but couldn't see anything, she tried lifting her hand to her face but couldn't. She was lying on her side her hands were bound she realised as she struggled against the ropes.

"Help, someone" she tried yelling but her throat were dry as the desert. She swallowed hard and tried to roll over and whimpered. God her head hurt. Where was she? What happened?

"Hey she's awake" she heard a strange voice say somewhere to her left. She drew in a breath and tried to turn towards the sound.

Then it all came back to her someone hit her over the head while they were out in the jungle to get Sun back and Jack…

"Oh God, Jack, you shot him! I swear if something happened to him, I'll kill you" She twisted against the ropes.

"Let me go you son of a bitch" she screamed as loud as she could manage.

She could feel someone lean over her. "Who are you? Where am I?" She asked now with fear in her voice.

Suddenly a bright light went on and she turned her head away as she was instantly blinded by the light.

She blinked a few times then looked into the face of a man she didn't recognise.

Just then the door to the small little room she was lying in opened and the man she knew as Henry stepped in. "hello Kate, glad to see your awake"

Something caught her eye and she looked to her left, Froze and drew in a sharp breath, she scanned the room.

No, it couldn't be…yet it was exactly the same down to the same duvet cover on the single bed she was lying on. The room she was lying in was an exact replica of her old bedroom as a child. How on earth was this possible? She thought too shocked to say anything.

"Well seems like its true, you are a little wildcat" Henry broke the silence with a smile on his face.

"Let me go!" She started to fight against the ropes around her wrists again.

"We'll let you out of here when you're ready but until then you're going to have to stay here"

Kate was breathing hard, just what were they planning on doing to her?

"As long as you cooperate you won't be harmed" He continued mysteriously.

A young woman with long dark hair stepped into the room carrying a tray with food and water she placed it on the study desk against the far wall, the one she used to sit at doing her homework. No. Kate thought this wasn't the same desk, not the same room. She couldn't show them just how unnerved she was by all this.

Kate noticed the woman giving a quick glance in her direction but without saying a word left the room again.

"I'm going to untie your hands now Kate, but don't even think about trying anything stupid." Henry spoke to her as he stepped closer holding a knife.

Kate tried to move away but he bent down over her and with one swift motion cut away the ropes from her wrists.

"There's some food for you" He continued to speak as he headed back towards the door and then as an afterthought added "It's good to have you with us Kate"

Then he left, locking the door behind him again, leaving her alone.

Kate's mind was reeling. She didn't know what to think. Too much had happened in the past 24 hours maybe more she realised she had no idea how long she'd been here already. All she could think about was seeing Jack got shot. She had to find a way to get back to him if it was the last thing she ever did.

She slowly sat up, she had to get out of here, she knew the door was locked so didn't even bother to try there.

She ignored the wave of dizziness that hit her as she got up and crossed the room to the window covered with the same purple and green curtains she had hanging in her room more than ten years ago.

She pulled open the curtains not sure what she expected to find but found herself staring at a wall on the other side.

What did she expect she thought grimly, a window from which she could climb out to safety like she used to do?

She scanned the rest of the room, the desk with the plate of fruit and water, the brown closet and the single bed complete with the brown teddy bear she used to keep on it, a valentines gift from Tom.

Realising there was no way out she slumped down on the wooden floor pulling her legs up to her chest. Her body started to shake from shock and fear.

Then for the first time in a very, very long time Kate started praying, please, please God just let Jack be ok…

She bit her lip so hard she drew blood trying to hold back the tears threatening at the surface.

The metallic taste of blood in her mouth brought back memories of years earlier.

She was 15 and she and Tom had plans to go see the new movie playing at the cinema that night. They'd been looking forward to it all week as it would be their first time going out all on their own, Tom had gotten his drivers licence the day before and his father had agreed to lend him the car. But when Kate got home that afternoon from school and saw Wayne's truck parked in front of the house she knew it spelled trouble, he was rarely home early and when he was it was just more hours in the day to fight and cry.

She paused before opening the door. She'd just go in to her room, change and get the hell out again she thought as she opened the door and stepped inside.

"What the hell you doing taking money from him?" "I'm sorry." "How long this been going on, sneaking money behind my back, you think I can't take care of you?"

"I should've told you, I'm sorry" She heard their voices coming from the kitchen and tried to slip away quietly to her room. "you'll give it all to me now you bitch" Kate heard the thump followed by her mother's groan. Again and again she could hear him beating up her mother. She stood frozen to the spot in the hallway. She jumped as the door slammed shut behind her; she forgot to close it as she came inside. The sudden noise from the hallway quieted the sounds from the kitchen. Before Kate could move away Wayne staggered out the kitchen into her line of sight. He was obviously drunk again. "What you doing here?" He asked her his words slurring.

"I live here" she responded evenly and started to walk towards her room.

"Don't you get cheeky with me" He moved fast for someone who was intoxicated and grabbed her arm before she could move away.

"oww your hurting me"

"you and your mother are in this together, how long he been sending you money?"

"I don't know what your talking about" She tried to twist her arm free but he just held on tighter.

"Don't act all naïve. The money your father sent you and your mother every month"

Kate swallowed, how did he find out about it Kate wondered they'd been careful to hide it in secret bank accounts so he wouldn't find out. Her father had been putting money away for her to save up so she could go to college and for her mother to buy food with since Wayne drank up his salary every month. Though Kate was saving the money to buy a car and as soon as she turned sixteen in a few months she was leaving. She'd tried to persuade her mother many times to leave Wayne but she didn't want to. Said she loved him. Kate would never understand that but she hated the thought of leaving her mother alone with Wayne.

"what's it to you, you wanna go drink it out too?" His fist connected with her jaw before she could react. She winced pulled back but already he swung a second blow splitting her lip she tasted blood as she fell to the floor and Wayne just stormed out. "this isn't over" he yelled before going out the front door. She held her breath until she heard the tyres of his truck screech outside as he left in a big cloud of dust. She slowly got up went to her room and closed the door. Knowing she'll have to call Tom to cancel their date.

Kate closed her eyes against the memories as the first tears fell down her face. The food and water forgotten on the table, as she curled up into a ball on the floor sobs beginning to wreck through her body.