Patch’s screams echo in my ears as he cries out in agony. I can’t open my eyes or move as I will myself to reach him. It’s horrifying. I want to cover my ears and start screaming to cover up the noise but I can’t move my arms. Suddenly, there’s one scream much louder than the others. It’s the one that leaves his mouth when he gets shot.

My eyes fly open and I instantly regret it. I close them tightly, the light too bright for them to bear. My head is foggy as I try to remember where I am however I can’t place it. After everything rushes into my mind up until I passed out, I try to open my eyes.

Slowly, the light burns but it becomes easier to bear the longer I keep them open. Blinking a few times, I take in my surroundings. I’m in an empty basement. Completely empty, except for me of course. Wooden stairs sit about ten steps away, casting a shadow over me. There are two windows on the other side of the basement, only small rectangles too high to reach. All I can see through them is a bit of snow and a cloudy sky; nothing else.

I move my hand to scratch my forehead however it doesn’t move. Looking down at myself, I’m wearing the same clothes as last night, just jeans, a t-shirt, boots and a jacket. The only difference is the rope that’s around my waist, wrists and arms, bounding me together so I’m unable to move. I go to clench my teeth together in frustration when I realize there’s cloth tied around my head, sitting halfway in my mouth to prevent me from speaking or screaming. I try not to think about where it’s been as I begin to struggle, looking for a loose knot.

Tears fall from my eyes as I silently cry thinking of Patch and wondering if he’s alive. I hope that he is, but it’s extremely doubtful. Failed at trying to escape I shrug back against the wall I’ve been leaned against. I’ve probably lost Patch and now I have to do everything I can to prevent from losing Emery, too. After all, he’s the reason I’m here. A horrible thought creeps into my head and I bite my tongue. Emery Hastings is the reason my deceased sister’s horse is probably dead too.

I push the thought away, doing my best to not blame Emery when I hear a door swing open. A moment later I hear footsteps and watch feet come down the stairs, slowly turning into a person. Though, not just any person. It’s Keith.

“Well, well, well,” he says, clicking his tongue. He saunters over and stands over me with hands in his pockets. “We meet again, River.

I roll my eyes and try to talk, however the cloth in my mouth prevents me so. Keith laughs and walks over, but I shrink away from his reaching hands.

“Do you want to ability to speak?” He asks and I let him undo the cloth. I spit it out of my mouth as soon as it’s untied and desperately want to brush my teeth. Keith looks exactly the same. His head is still shaved, his face still appears tired and he wears the same usual clothes; jeans and a jacket.

“You are so cliché,” I mutter, trying to resist the urge to throw up from the cloth in my mouth. “Can you please untie me?”

Keith laughs and shakes his head. “No. However I do have a better offer.” I highly doubt it’s better so I roll my eyes. After thinking for a minute, I shrug and ask him what it is. “I’m going to tell you the plan to kill Emery.”

My eyes grow wide but I quickly narrow them to glare at Keith. “Like I said before, cliché. You know in every movie where the bad guy tells the plan, he ends up getting his ass kicked, right?”

“Not this time.” He lowers himself onto the ground and crosses his legs. He sits a few feet in front of me, smirking devilishly. “I assume you’re smart enough to know that you’re bait?” I give him a look and he shrugs. “Just making sure. Well, when Emery shows up, I, his father’s best friend, am going to do what Silas Hastings was supposed to do.” He smiles widely and puffs out his chest as if he’s giving an important speech. “I’m going to kill, Emery Hastings.”

I exhale noisily. “Why?”

Keith looks shocked. “Because a lot of people want him dead.”

“Why?” I ask again, raising my eyebrows.

“You don’t know why?” He asks, surprised. “Emery never told you why his father has so many followers?” His voice rises with each word, acting as if Silas Hastings is some kind of legend.

“Nope,” I reply, popping the end. Normally, I would be completely upset and totally depressed because I’ve been kidnapped, my sister’s horse is probably dead, and Emery is being plotted against. However with what happened with Patch, I’m much to bitter to be sad. Instead, I’m completely furious and lacking logic. Who wants to think when something horrifying just happened?

“Well, sweetie,” he says, scooting closer. My mouth curls at the name he just called me however I safe my breath. “I’m about to open up a whole new world to you.”

“Oh really?” I snap, wishing I could sink farther into the wall to get away from him.

“Yes, really,” Keith sighs, annoyed. “Silas was the biggest dealer in this area. From Springdale to Redwood to-“

“Dealer? I spit, interrupting him. His expression looks angry however I ignore it. “As in drug dealer?”

Keith exhales noisily. “I can’t believe your dear little boyfriend never told you,” he grins, holding in his laughter. “Yes, as in drug dealer.”

I try not to show my obvious shock as I remember the few times I saw Emery’s father. Now that it’s mentioned, it isn’t surprising that he was on drugs. He was dirty, tired-looking and obviously strung out. I don’t know how I could have possibly labeled him as drunk when he looked that bad. I look over Keith and realize that he’s using drugs, too. No wonder a lot of people are pissed.

“So,” I ask, breaking the silence, dragging out the word as long as I can. “How do you expect Emery to find me here?”

Keith grins sadistically and pulls a cell phone out of his pocket. “You’re going to call him and tell him where you are.” He reaches into his light jacket and pulls out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, I see that there’s a paragraph of words written on it. They’re my lines to feed to Emery so I can lead him into a trap.

“And if I refuse?” I ask with raised eyebrows. I expect Keith to grow angry however he seems unfazed.

“I’ll call him.”

My heart sinks. I can be the one to lead Emery into the trap, or Keith can. However if I call him I can warn him.

“I’ll do it.”

“Good,” grins Keith, scooting even closer to me. “Just read what’s on this card and I’ll hold the phone to your ear.”

I give him a look. “No, not happening. If I call, I do it my way.”

Keith gives me a look back. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

For a moment I don’t answer, basically telling him that I think he’s an idiot. “Just untie one of my arms. I refuse to have your filthy hands near my face.”

His eyes narrow but he still pulls a knife out of his pocket. I don’t feel worried in the least as he moves over to me and unties one of my wrists. As soon as it’s free I move it onto my lap, happy to at least have a small portion of me free. Besides, asking for two arms would equal no arms.

“Here,” Keith mutters, handing the cell phone to me. He places the piece of paper on my lap and I shudder, not wanting his hands that close to me. I try not to act suspicious as I click the dial button on the cell phone. When I hear the beeping sound, I angle the phone away from Keith. I hit the call button and the end call button a few times, creating beeps. Then I call 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

I look down at the paper in my lap and start reading.

“It’s River Snow,” I start, but the lady on the other end begins asking me many questions. As much as I want to answer them, I ignore them, not wanting Keith to find out what I’m doing. “I’m at twenty-six Auburn drive. You need to come get me quick,” I cry into the phone, closing my eyes. “Or else Keith will kill me.” I look up to see him grinning. “I have to go. Please hurry!”

“River, I need you to stay on the line with me. Can you do that?”

The lady doesn’t get a response as Keith takes the phone from my grasp. I fight for it but he rips it clean out of my hands. His eyes float down to the caller ID and his face twists into alarm. In a second the phone is shut.

“You little bitch!”

I wince, as he slaps me across my face. He starts pacing around the basement, his hands clasped together behind his back. After about roughly ten minutes, he turns to me.

“Oh well.” I raise my eyebrows as my hand stays pressed to my cheek while it throbs. “You may have screwed up the original plan, however it can still work.” He crouches down to my level, grinning ear to ear. “The address you read is the one where a bunch of men our waiting. The police aren’t coming to save you, River.” He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket. “But you’re dear Emery is going to. Right after you call him.”

I turn my head away from Keith. “No.”

Instead of yelling at me, he calls up the stairs for Vince. I shudder, as he bounds down the stairs, his eyes undressing me.

“Yeah, dad?” He asks and to me, it sounds completely surreal.

“Make her call Emery.”

Vince grins, taking the phone from his father. He saunters over and crouches down to my level. With his right hand, he reaches around his back. A moment later, the same handgun he shot Patch with is pressed against my head.

Tears stream down my cheeks as I dial my house number, knowing I have no other thing to do. Vince holds the phone to my ear after Keith tells him what happened. Moments later, the phone is ringing. I pray for it to not be Emery. If he answers, the plan that has been created will follow through perfectly.

“Hello?”

I begin sobbing into the phone, unable to speak. Vince makes me find my words as he jabs the side of my head with his gun.

“Emery!”