Welcome To Paradise

Time seemed always seemed to pass quickly for me when I was alone, however not as fast as it did whilst I was alone in the basement. Questions swam through my head about the men and about my parents, why hadn’t they put up more of a fight for me? Hell, why hadn’t they not got into a debt in the first place? I couldn’t get Rian and Zack out of my head either, what did they mean by better for all of us?

I adjusted myself in my position in the corner of the dank and dark room, leaning my body back against the cold wall, causing a shiver to run through me. My knees were pulled up as tight into my chest as I could bring them, my tshirt stretched around my bent legs and my arms wrapped around tight around them as a form of protection from the cold air. I could hear a light murmur from the other side of the basement door. As the noise seemed to grow in volume so did the sound of my nervously beating heart. The words and whispers were getting close and closer to the door, and to me.

I hid my head between my knees as I heard the bolt of the door slide across and the talking finish. My body shook as the footsteps approached but I couldn’t bring myself to look up to the person now shading by shaking body. We both remained in this position for what felt like several minutes, I didn’t even move when I heard the not so subtle cough that meant I should look up.

‘I tried to make this easy for you Jess, but you just don’t help yourself.’ Before I could even begin to try and work out who was talking to and what they wanted, I was yanked roughly to my feet by two pairs of arms which then pinned my body to the wall, one hand resting too tightly around neck, forcing my head and eyes up. My vision was met by the once again smirking face of the leader of the group, his coffee coloured hair once again styled perfectly resting on his forehead.

‘You see Jess, you now know some of the reason why you’re here, and the short of it is my parents gave your parents money back just before you were born. But you see my parents were never too organised, never knew who owed them what and so when they tragically died last year I was left to clear up their messes. One of which being your family’s debt, so really you are the reason I am 2 mil down’ his hand raised up to point at my head as he spoke as if we were surrounded by more of an audience than the three other men standing around us. ‘But I don’t really know what a 17 year old can help me with, which puts us in a very tricky situation. I doubt your parent are able to come up without amount of cash and even if they were, I can’t be too sure they would use it to get back there pathetic little daughter’

Shakes rolled through my body as I tried to suppress the emotions his words were causing, my parents would never come up with that amount of money. My eyes shut and head dropped toward the ground again as tears flowed freely down my face.

‘So little respect you have for me Jess, can’t even look at me when I talk to you.’ Arrogance was clear in his voice as he taunted me. ‘Oh well, we will break you out of that. Jack, go ahead’

Being too wrapped up in my own emotion I didn’t see the tall strange haired man walking towards me, I didn’t even sense it when he standing only inches before me. I only became aware of his presence as he brought a hand up to my scalp and yanked down on my hair to look at him. His mouth twitched into a small smile before his other hand, so quick I could hardly remember it happening, slapped me roughly across the face. Pain radiated through my cheek, neck and lip, and I felt a trickle of liquid running down chin from where I must have bit my lip. His hand detangled itself from my hair, caringly tucking it back in its place behind my ear. He gave me one last smile before returning back to the leader’s side. I couldn’t clear my head enough to get my thoughts on this situation straight; all I could tell was that I was suddenly even more scared of these men.

‘Do you see why you must respect me now girl?’

After learning my lesson from not answering him before, I quickly nodded my head as much as I could, bringing my eyes up to look at his smug face, his eyebrows raised in a cocky yet attractive manner. Silence still hung in the room as we were trapped in each others stares.

‘I, I’m sorry?’ The words fell sloppily from my mouth before I realised I was saying them. Fear still clung to every part of my body especially as he walked up to my cowering figure.

‘That’s better girl’ he spoke down to me smirk still plastered on his lips. He continued talking now once again addressing our imaginary audience. ‘Now what to do with poor little Jessy?’ He paced around the room acting as if he were contemplating his many options. ‘See I worry I am not having enough faith in your mother and father, right now they don’t have much reason to give me my money back. Yes I have taken their darling daughter away, but you’re alive and healthy, you see I think they need a little more encouragement.’

He made eye contact with Jack sending shivers down my spine once again as they both looked towards me. The two bodies beside me tensed only then reminding me of their presence. Jack slowly made his way over to me laughing silently to himself as he eyes my still barley clothed body up and down.

I was the only one who couldn’t figure out where this situation was going. It only clicked for me once I found myself once again in the shadow of one of the men and when I felt a fist drive itself into my cheek. I barely had time to react or recover before another punch was administered to my stomach. My body hunched over as much the arms holding me would allow, but I only gained a second of pain relief until I felt a fist once again pound into my face.

Tears ran from my eyes and sobs and please left my body as the short assault continued. A few more slaps and punches were forced upon my body until it swiftly came to an end. I was left a hunched over wreck. Blood could be felt dripping down the side of my face and could be tasted in my mouth. Bruises were felt as they forced they’re colour onto my body. Weakness could be felt as my as tears left my eyes and sibs left my throat.

‘Nothing personal Princess’ was all jack had to say to me after my assault. Looking up though my wet lashes I made eye contact with him as he shrugged nonchalantly before smiling and walking away.

The leader of the group suddenly replaced Jack in front of me, holding a small silver box. It took my dizzy head a while to realise it was an old looking Polaroid camera. He took a step closer to me. My breathing quickened my body feeling like it wasn’t gaining enough air. The flash of him taking a photo brought me back to focus. The only noise in the room was the sound of the camera printing out the photo.

‘Aw look at little Jess!’ The man taunted as he held out the developing photo in front of my face. When my eyes finally adjusted and I could make out what I was seeing, I was shocked. There was blood dripping from my lip down my chin and bruises scattered around my face all different shades of purple and blue. My hair tangled and frizzy sticking up on my head after being pulled and messed up. I was a wreck.

The photo was ripped from my vision as my tired eyes tried to catch up with where it had been taken. The tall man now had a pen and appeared to be writing on the small square of paper.

‘Dear Ian and Tracey’ he read aloud ‘Jess misses you terribly, lots of love Alex Gaskarth.

Once he again he walked back over to me, I was vaguely aware of the bodies either side of me releasing me from their hold as he approached, and I slumped back onto the wall. He approached me further making me feel like we were the only ones left in the room. One of his hands reached up to cup my aching jaw as another rested itself too high up on my thigh. His lips brushed along my cheek as he moved his mouth next to my ear to whisper to me. My breath hitched. ‘See you tomorrow Sweetheart’

I gulped loudly as he removed his hands and backed away from me. I then realised everyone was leaving the basement. I was once again alone with my thoughts. My head was full of a question filled fog as I slowly sat down on the cold, damp ground and curled my body up once again. My body rocked and sobs flowed through me as I sat alone in the underground prison.