CHAPTER 5

My vision was fogged up and the room spun as I opened my eyes. I attempted to rub my eyes, but when I brought my hands up to my face, my left wrist was handcuffed to the chair. I looked around trying to figure out where I was. It seemed like I was in an abandoned barn. Luna. I started frantically looking for Luna. She had been in the car with me.

"Luna," I shouted. A figure came out from the shadows with my daughter on her hip.

"Vera?" I couldn't believe it. "What's going on?"

"Oh Patricia," she grinned at me.

"Where am I?" My head still hurt like hell.

"I know your little secret. This cutie is the Osirian." She turned her head from Luna to me.

"How did I get here?" I asked.

"Don't worry about that."

I glanced down to my leg and there was an open gash about 4 cm long.

"Give me my daughter." I was handcuffed to the chair, unable to move.

"No."

Just then, thank god for toddlers, Luna bit Vera. Vera shrieked and dropped Luna from her arms and Luna came running over to me. I picked her up and held her to my chest, trying to protect her with all of my strength. I kept her close to me as Vera began to pace back and forth.

"Your daughter is the Osirian, so that makes her a very valuable pawn in this game. Eddie will do anything to get you two back."

"We don't have any money if that's what you want."

"No. What I want is the mask of anubis. The real one this time."

"You'll never get it."

"If I don't then I'll request 250,000 pounds."

"We don't have that kind of money," I replied.

"But your mother does. She'll do anything to get you back safely."

"And if they don't give you what you want…?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I need to make some calls. So sit back, and relax." She grimaced at me before she turned around and walked out the barn door. This was a barn I didn't recognize. I still had no idea how I had gotten here. I could be hundreds of miles from Liverpool. I had no idea what time or even what day it was. My watch, I had been wearing my pink watch this whole time. I glanced down to read it: 9:03pm. It had been almost 12 hours since the car crash.

My stomach was killing me. I couldn't remember the last time I ate. Luna must be hungry.

"Come here my sweet pea," I said lifting up my shirt, trying to get her to eat. I'd started to wain her off of breastmilk but this was her only option for right now. After I fed her I glanced down at the gash on my leg. It hurt when I moved it. The risk of infection was high as long as it was open. I tore the bottom half of my shirt and attempted to apply pressure to the gash on my leg with the fabric. What I needed was water and some alcohol to clean this off. (What I really needed were stitches but I'm not a doctor) The barn was full of dirty equipment. I had no idea how I was gonna get out of here. The first thing that I could think of was getting these handcuffs off of me. Luckily, as a Sibuna, I've become exceptionally good at picking locks. Let's hope this one is easy.

I removed the bobby-pins from my hair. I tended to always have my hair up now. Back at Anubis, I would always keep bobby-pins on hand incase I needed to get in somewhere. It took about 5 minutes, but I was able to get them off my hands. I tried to stand up but it was no use. I couldn't bear any weight on my right leg. The gash went from the middle of my thigh to about my knee. The only water I could find was a puddle on the ground. The roof had a small hole in it. What I needed now was a clean bucket, then maybe I would be able to collect some rain water. There was no hope of Vera coming back tonight so I sat back on the old recliner set up in the middle of the room, held Luna close to my chest, and tried to fall asleep.

--

Sunlight poured in through the cracks in the walls and roof as I woke up the next morning. Slipping the handcuff over my wrist, I heard the door shake open as Vera stepped into the barn. She tossed a white to-go back at me and demanded that I ate.

"I need water and some isopropyl alcohol."

"No."

"Look Vera, if I get an infection and die then there goes your chance at the mask. You need me alive if you are to receive anything."

She paused for a moment to ponder my request.

"Fine I'll be back in an hour. You better not pull any funny business." When she slammed and locked the door behind her, I could hear her car motor start. I did my best to take in everything I saw in hopes of finding a clue to where I was and how I was going to get out of her.