Trigger warning: this chapter contains a mild torture scene.

Chapter VII

I was moving fast. At least I thought so. The landscape was running and passing before my eyes. Pine tree, pine tree, pine tree, oak tree, pine tree, oak tree, oak tree … Not until sharp pain pierced the back of my skull I managed to gather my thoughts and notice that I was actually in a car. The road was neglected so when tires hit a deep hole in the ground my head bumped into the window. I groaned from another source of pain and I wanted to put a hand on the spot where a growing bump was, but something was restraining my arm from moving. "What the–" I looked down at my tied arms and then memories hit me with a mighty force. "Anna …" I turned my head to the left and almost jumped in my seat from fear when I saw Anna leaning back in the seat, her eyes closed and blood strains on the side of her neck.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," said Hans, turning around from the front passenger seat to face me. I looked at him with the wildest expression I could muster. "Let us go," I growled.

"You know that's not happening," he replied. I turned my attention back to Anna whose arms were tied as well. "Anna, please wake up," I whispered quietly, ignoring Hans' mocking laugh. Because of the constant shaking of the vehicle I couldn't see whether she was breathing or not.

"She's alive … Greg here," he pointed to the driver, "wouldn't disobey my orders." I didn't know what kind of super human this guy was because he survived a head-shot and he just answered my unspoken question.

"What do you want from me?" I asked even though I knew he wanted revenge for me shooting him down and saving Anna.

"I think you already know," he said with a weird glow in his eyes.

I gulped. He's going to hurt me. He's probably going to kill me then. But I could take that. I could endure pain as long Anna was safe, though chances for that were close to zero. "Then why do you need her?" I asked, hoping he would think things through and let her go.

"Don't worry, Anna will play her role too."

My stomach was turning. I wanted to scream and yell and rip this man apart for even thinking about hurting the girl. "Please, don't hurt her, please, I'll do anything, just leave her alone …" I begged.

An evil grin spread across his face. "Oh, Elsa, I am going to enjoy this so much," he said and with that he turned away.

I was numb, hopeless, my heart was falling apart at the thought of not being able to save Anna. I didn't care about myself anymore, all that mattered was her safety. We have to run, we have to escape this maniac, I thought to myself and in that moment that became my primary mission. To get us away. My eyes were blurred with tears though I didn't let them roll down my face. I didn't want Hans to know how weak I really was because I wanted to be strong, strong for Anna, strong to fight for her freedom.

A quiet groan on my left brought me back from my thoughts. Anna opened her eyes full of confusion and when she noticed Hans staring back at her, her expression changed to one filled with fear. Hans didn't say anything; he just let out a small chuckle and turned away.

"Anna," I whispered quietly so only she could hear me. She turned her gaze to me and locked her eyes on mine. She was looking at me with hope and I didn't want to let her down so I mouthed: "You're gonna be okay." She didn't do anything but stare at me for a while. Then she simply nodded and smiled sadly to confirm she believed my words. If only I believed them …

The car suddenly stopped. No, no, no, it's too soon. I don't have a plan yet, I was starting to panic when Greg and Hans left the car and opened doors on my and Anna's side. But before they dragged us out I could hear say: "We're going to be okay." I looked at her and a new determination was reflecting in her eyes which fuelled me with bravery.

"C'mon, get out," Greg growled at Anna who was struggling to stay in the vehicle but failed because the man was heavy and much stronger. I couldn't help myself but let a small smile stretch across my lips while watching Anna causing trouble. We aren't giving up so easily, you dumb fools.

"Ah, here we are," said Hans, inhaling deeply. I took a look of where exactly were we.

We were standing in front of a small cabin centred in the middle of a clearing surrounded by forest. There was another car parked next to the one we drove in. The ground was covered with snow, mixed with dirt as if it was a battlefield and what I noticed next made my heart stop for a second. There was blood. A lot of it. Before I knew what was happening I found myself standing inside the cabin. There were two more people, apparently waiting for our arrival, standing in the room. One was a tall brunette with almost black irises which pierced my eyes with such malice I actually felt a small amount of pain forming behind my eyes. Turning my gaze away from her I looked at the other person who was a huge beardy man, big as a bear and didn't seem interested in two new guests.

"Let me rip her heart out, Hans," the woman snarled with hate radiating from every single word. Who is she talking about?

"You know she's mine, Jess," was Hans' response. "She almost killed me."

"I don't fucking care! She killed my son!" she screamed with a finger pointing at me.

What?

"If you don't behave Jess, I'll have you removed. I promised you will get a piece of her, but she's mine," he glared at her intensely to inform her it was the end of the discussion.

"What the hell are you two talking about?! I obviously didn't kill anyone!" I said looking at Hans and the woman flinched at the sound of my voice, barely restraining herself from jumping at my throat.

"Don't lie!" she shouted. "You killed my boy!"

This woman is crazy. I was staring at her with disbelief. I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Elsa didn't kill anyone." Anna's voice was firm as she continued. "Though I wish she did," she continued looking boldly into Hans' eyes. With that she deserved a slap from Greg.

"Don't touch her!" I yelled at the man, trying to kick him but Hans was gripping my tied arms firmly so there was no way I could reach him.

"And who are you? Elsa's little whore?" the mad woman spat and approached Anna, whose lip was bleeding from the blow. "I bet you helped her murder my boy," she hissed into Anna's face. Get the fuck away from her!

"Look, I don't know what happened to your son but I swear I didn't kill him," I said drawing Jess' attention back to me.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she laughed. "Hans, why don't you refresh her memory?"

Hans let out a small chuckle, obviously enjoying the fight going on between us. He leaned closer to my ear and cold settled in my body. "Do you remember the boy who was going to have his first time with this young lady?" he pointed at Anna and memories from the barn came rushing back into my mind. "Well, you ruined it by showing up and shooting me." With that he took off a cap which covered his head and revealed an aggressive pink scar stretching right above his right ear.

"Yeah, so what? I shot you but I didn't shoot him! I let him go!" I hissed back.

"You did much more than that. When I fell unconscious you thought I was dead. So did Rob." His voice grew cold when he mentioned the boy's name. "And Rob loved me like his brother and the thought of me being dead devastated him. By killing me you killed him. He got lost and died because of hypothermia. The boy was lost without me!" He yelled the last words into my ear and I jumped from surprise and shock.

"Maybe if you used your time for teaching the boy about survival skills and not how to rape women, he'd be still alive," I said and with that I earned a punch into my stomach.

"Elsa! No!" Anna cried. I couldn't look at her because force of the impact spread across my belly and all I could see was stars dancing before my eyes while I was sinking down on my knees because of the pain.

"Get them down to the basement," Hans said and a new pair of arms lifted and almost carried me down the stairs to the door on the other side of the room. The bear guy dropped me on the floor and Anna tripped over me when Greg pushed her in after me. Then the door was closed and locked and we were trapped in an empty room without windows or any other source of light. We were in complete darkness.

"Elsa?" I heard Anna call my name.

"I'm here, Anna," I responded while trying to sit up with arms still tied.

I heard her kneel beside me. "I'm so sorry, Elsa," she said, her voice trembling. "This is all my fault. If I was more cautious, I would have heard them and have time to run and warn you …" She was crying now and I couldn't believe what she was saying.

"Anna, no. This isn't your fault! How can you say that?" I moved closer to her so our knees were touching. "It doesn't make sense because it was Hans in the first place who started all this. He and his disgusting needs. So don't say it's your fault ever again." She sniffed and let out a quiet cry. I wanted to hug her so badly, to comfort her but the god damn ties didn't let me to do so. There was only one thing left I could do to at least try to make her feel better. "I love you, Anna, and I swear to sun and stars that I will try to get you out from here."

Silence filled the room. Another sniff.

"You–you love me?"

"Yes, I do."

There was more silence. The only thing I could hear was beating of my heart. It was crashing wildly into my ribcage. I was sure Anna heard it too.

"You're not saying goodbye, are you?" she whispered with fear in her voice.

I shook my head even though she couldn't see me. "No, I will get you out of here. I love you," I repeated.

"Good, because I love you too," she said and pressed her lips on my jaw. "Damn, I can't see a thing. Hold still, I want to kiss you properly," she said while kissing my cheek and getting closer to my lips. Finally she caught my lips and we shared a slow kiss full of love and hope. At least one minute passed when we broke apart and rested our foreheads against each other's.

"I don't know how but somehow we're going to make it … Together," said Anna.

"Together," I agreed.

The sound of a key being turned in the lock destroyed our moment of apparent safety.

The bear guy entered the room and looked at us expressionless. "Take the blonde one," said Hans, standing outside.

"No, no, no, leave her alone," said Anna and stood up with one swift movement, occupying the space between me and the bear man.

"Anna, no!"

"Move," he growled in a deep and harsh voice. He pushed her aside with his huge hand with such easiness it seemed like Anna was made of paper. Then he grabbed my arms and started pulling me towards the door.

"Let her go!" Anna yelled and started kicking. He didn't seem to notice her attempts to stop him because he just continued dragging me out.

"Anna, I'll be okay," I said to calm her down even though we both knew I was lying. Before Hans closed the door I took a last glimpse at her flushed and terrified face.

Slap!

Jess slapping my face was the first thing that hit me after entering the room. She was grinning madly and her eyes were glazed with something completely foreign to me.

"You're so eager, Jess," laughed Hans. "You don't have to rush, we have time." But she didn't listen to him. She just stepped closer and grabbed my chin. "You're gonna pay for every second of pain I felt," she hissed and released my face.

"I did not kill your son!" I yelled back at her.

She ignored me and indicated towards the chair which stood in the middle of the room. I was dragged towards it and the bear man pushed me down so I was sitting on it. And then she slapped me again. And again. And again. My cheeks were burning by the time I heard someone laughing and it was Greg who spoke this time. "You have to do better than this if you want some effect."

"Shut up! I'm warming up," she sneered at him. Then her hands twisted into fists and one of them landed hard against my cheek. The pain was worse this time. It hurt more. But I didn't respond. I was going to endure this. Another fist collided with my jaw. And another with my lips; I could taste blood in my mouth. I looked at the mad woman, who blamed me for death of her perverted son, then I looked at Hans who watched the scene with a satisfied smile resting on his lips.

Jess was breathing heavily by the time she stopped punching me. I couldn't feel my face anymore and my right eye was so swollen only a thin sliver of light managed to reach my pupil.

There was a sound of a car approaching the cabin. Everyone, including Jess turned their heads toward the window.

"Something's wrong," said Greg and pulled out a gun. Hans did the same and walked over to the front door. Someone knocked on the door and a muffled voice reached us. "Hans, open the door."

Apparently, Hans knew that person so he lowered the gun and opened the door.

"Duke," Hans greeted a small, skinny man whose hair was turning white.

"We have a situation, Hans."

"What's wrong?"

"There was a security breach in the southern part of the town. Three guards were knocked out and another one is missing."

"And the hostages?"

There was a pause. "Gone," said Duke fearfully.

"Fucking … Fuck!" Hans growled furiously and threw his arms into the air. "Paul, you're coming with me," he said to the bear guy after a short pause. "Jess, Greg, you two stay here." They both nodded. "And Jess, don't take it too far."

She smiled slyly. "Don't worry, she'll be alive when you come back …" Barely. I could hear the unspoken word floating in the air somewhere and I gulped loudly.

Then the three men left and Jess was standing before me with a knife in her hand.

Hey, it's me again! Thank you for taking your time and reading my story. It's wonderful to know that all hours I've spent typing weren't wasted.

IMPORTANT: one of the readers noticed a significant mistake in two of my chapters which might have left some of you confused. The story and flashbacks are supposed to be completely from Elsa's POV but as it happened, I made two of those Anna's for which I deeply apologize. It's really embarrassing. So please forgive me for being dumb and oblivious. I fixed the mistake and updated the chapters along with this one.

I expect to post a new chapter at the end of the weekend.