"JACK?! MARK?! HOLY SH!T!"

They both looked petrified to say the least, eyes clearly glazed.

I stood for a moment, contemplating what was going on and what I needed to do and holy yikes what is going on in the hell house-

I leaned over to Jack. "I am so sorry, this is going to hurt. Sorry again!" I told him, ripping the duct tape off his mouth. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before looking up at me.

"Thank you" He whispered, voice hoarse.

I moved to Mark and ripped the tape off his mouth.

"Sorry!"

"Sorry?! Thank you, I haven't been able to open my mouth in...days" Mark whispered gratefully.

Noticing they had their hands and feet tied together, I slowly was able to get the rope off by a sequence of forceful pulling and ripping to weaken the rope.

We begin a conversation of how on earth they ended up here.

'Curiosity always gets the better of me.'

///

From as far as they could remember, they were walking to a rented apartment after dinner and had been out filming in the park for extra footage when a young female fan approached them, asking for a photo. An odd place for a young child to be so late at night. Jack and Mark of course obliged when a syringe of unknown substance was inserted into both of their arms simultaneously by two unknown people.

"H-Hey! What'd you- w-what d-d-did-" Mark collapsed, followed closely by Jack.

They had been outside the same park I had passed.

'She knew.'

///

"Wait, so how do you like eat and like use the bathroom?" I asked as I continuously attempted to untie their hands, trying to pry information gently.

"We attempt to scream what we need I guess, or we just wait patiently, and one of those boys comes and helps us out, but, they are very...heavy handed, especially when we're not as strong as we could be" Jack answered softly, rubbing a cramp out of his shoulder.

"I can't believe this is were you were, If only I had known earlier I-"

"No one could have known we were here, please don't blame yourself" Mark whispers to me reassuringly, attempting a soft smile.

"I think this, all of this, was preconceived" I suddenly murmured. Jack and Mark's glazed eyes glanced up at me as I fought with the ropes on their feet. "You're both big public personality's who constantly show your lives on social media...since you've been here a few months, she must've planned kidnap you when she knew you were in her area. God knows what she wants us for."

"Do you think she'll try to k-"

"Jack" Mark whispered softly.

'Sore topic'

Finally, the worn ropes snapped. Mark and Jack both couldn't resist hugging each other before hugging me, calmly breathing as if they finally found safety for even a few seconds with us a together.

Two best friends and a stranger.

"Here, eat this" I say, breaking a piece of stale bread in half before handing it to each of them.

"You don't want any?" Jack and Mark asked in sync.

"No thank you, I'm okay-"

"It's better for you take meals when you can sweetie-" Mark begun. "We forgot your ask amidst the chaos, what's your name hun?"

"Cassie, my friends call me Cas" I smiled softly, nibbling on a few crackers. I bit half and handed Bonnie the other half, which was gratefully received.

"That look's just like Chica" Mark whispers almost sadly, slowly chewing on the cold piece of stale bread.

"So Cassie, how old are you?" Jack asked, sitting on the ground beside me.

"17"

"17? How did you end up here?" Jack questioned.

"I have been staying with my older Cousin while I've been doing exchange...Lilly was my new found friend from my new school...she's 19 and she's-"

"Psycho?"

"A lunatic?"

"Both fantastic descriptions of her" I laughed softly in agreement. It seemed as if, even for a brief few moments, we had found comfort together in an intense situation.

The hinges screamed in protest as Lilly harshly swung the door open.

Jack and I both scramble to get up and Lilly walked towards me slowly, eyeing me up and down with judgement. Jack suddenly grabbed my shoulders and pulled me closer to him like a mother protecting her child, with Mark coming and standing right in front of us, blocking Lilly's view of us both.

"Cassie Cassie Cassie! I see you have met your new....roommates? Basement buddies?"

"You had no right to bring them into this you mangy scrawny mutt they're innocent people-"

"I don't like when you interrupt Cassie. Besides, I wanted the publicity, the fame, the glory, I have taken the peoples beloved-"

"Do you ever just shut up" I spoke, face deadpan. The look of fury on her face was almost entertaining. "Give me one solid reason we shouldn't just smash your face into the concrete and we all get the f*ck out of here-"

"Because, dear Cassie, maybe that cousin of yours and the beloved family of these two boys would suffer a fate worse than yours"

"You don't even know where our families are-"

"I found you, didn't I?! Didn't I?!" She suddenly snapped, enraged.

'I cannot take the risk'

"If you lay a filthy paw on our families you won't have to worry about staying away from the morgue for much longer-"

"Then CO-OPERATE AND WE WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM" She snarled loudly.

A filthy mattress was dragged down with 3 thin blankets accompanied.

"Toodles" She giggles, waving her hand slightly and leaving.

"That witch makes me cringe so hard it's unfunny. I'd rather go hug a cactus than listen to her for another second-"

"Jack, Mark"

"Yes, Cas?"

"Thank you for protecting me, truly. You didn't know what would happen and yet you were still so willing"

"That's alright Cassie"

"Of course Cas, why wouldn't we? You're one of us now" Mark spoke softly, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly and smiling. Despite everything, still so positive and hopeful.

'Hope carries us through'

"Alright, let's get settled in for the night yeah? it's going to be a cold one" Jack say's, offering for me to sleep on the mattress with a gesture.

"It's okay, I'm alright" I say, getting my sheet and going to the corner beside Mark. Jack brought the mattress next to the corner and curled up there.

It was freezing, and we began to shiver profusely on concrete which felt like ice. Mark exhaustedly put his arm around me and pulled me closer slightly, the gesture of a protective father figure if anything.

I was placing a lot of trust in them both, but in my heart I knew they'd never dare hurt me.

"Goodnight Markimoo" I whispered. He chuckled and put his head on his other arm beneath him.

"Goodnight Cassie."

"Night Jackaroony" I whispered, looking up at Jack.

"Goodnight Cas, goodnight Mark" He whispered in response.