Chapter 27

• My eyes fluttered open, my brain was foggy, and I was a bit disoriented. Where was I? I couldn’t see a thing; even within two feet of me, it was covered in darkness. I winced in pain as I felt the hardness of the floor come into contact with my waist. The ride was bumpy and rough. My sides hurt, and my head does too. With the way the vehicle was going, I was sure I was going to have bruises all over, especially my hips. Another wince escaped my lips; my head had bumped into... wait! Where was I? What was happening to me? This wasn’t a floor, and I wasn’t in my room. I was moving. Or, more correctly put, I was in a moving wagon! My heart raced erratically, oh my goodness! I had been outside a moment ago, taking a refreshing walk with... Hailen? That’s right, Hailen! Where was she? I felt every corner of the place I was in; there was no hail. Like the heavy downpour of a really cold rain, the events that had taken place that night a few moments ago drenched me, and the harsh reality of it cut through my bones like razor-sharp cold. Hailen had just been telling me about her sad love story that hadn’t actually been a love story. We were holding hands — hers linked with mine for support and mine in hers for comfort. She had been the first to notice the strange movements within the numerous dark green leaves of the short trees. And we hadn’t gone much farther when I saw the shadowy silhouette sneak up behind her, but before I could react, the stranger had hit her on the head. I remembered screaming my lungs out before mine was dealt a heavy blow too. That was my last memory, until now. Now, where was I? Where was Hailen? I felt my surroundings from top to bottom, and it looked like I was enclosed in a big wooden box with just four small holes from each four-cornered section of the container; it wasn’t even enough to properly see anything, maybe because it was dark. But I thought the darkness might be the only reason why I was unable to see anything; the holes were too small. They were probably just for ventilation purposes. My panic increased. I didn’t know Hailen’s whereabouts. What had these strange people done to her? Was she still alive? Was I the only one they’d captured? Who were these people? Were they working for themselves, or was there a higher mastermind behind this? Did the Alpha know? Was he aware? I could hear my blood pounding in my ears. Despite the air that infiltrated the dark container I was boxed in, beads of sweat were rolling. I knew it wasn’t because the air wasn’t enough; I was just nervous and over my head and ears scared. I could feel my bladder pinching too; it was desperate to release some of its contents. I forced myself to be calm and understand what was going on. I moved as much as my object of entrapment would allow and got closer to one of the corners of the box. I pressed my ears against its wooden wall. Just as I was about to make out sounds and voices, the wagon went through another bump, and I guess this was bigger because the box slid with such momentum, not giving me a heads up so as to prepare myself for this unavoidable hit. My head and arm blasted with pain as the force swung me towards the end of one corner. It was reflexively impossible to keep the groan in, but I covered my mouth to stop other sounds of pain from escaping. The wagon slowed, and I heard some low ruffling. I kept still. My fever was back, and my stomach churned. These new developments depressed me and caused my eyes to water. Just when I thought I was getting well and, at least, content under the care of Hailen. I couldn’t afford to be sick. I swallowed bile that rose to my throat.
• "Do you think she’s awake?"
• "She might be; who cares?"