All the time in the world…
I jolted against something hard. Whatever it was let out an oof.
Yes, another person was here with me. At least I knew it wasn’t Bryce or Joe. They’d been at the ranch when this had happened. Still, knowing another person was here gave me some comfort and helped stave off the panic.
But who was it?
Colin? He’d just left the park when this occur
red.
He was the most likely, but things never turned out to be the most likely.
Orange warmth punched my eyes.
Sunlight. I was blindfolded. How hadn’t I realized it? Easy. I was in the dark, and I didn’t stop to think about my eyes adjusting.
Again, I tried screaming, only to choke against the dirty gag in my mouth. Again, the nausea, the clawing acid.
And again, I had to stop it.
Movement. But I didn’t move. The balance of the trunk shifted. Someone had removed the other person.
I stayed still. Easy enough since I was bound, but I was determined not to make this any easier on my captor, whoever he was.
Dead weight.
I’d be dead weight.
Within seconds, I was lifted from the confined space. I groaned as I was thrown against a hard body. My head bounced against a bony shoulder as we moved along.
A scream tried to force its way out of my throat once more, leading to more choking and gasping.
Air! I was outside now. I could tell because of the light streaming through my blindfold. Plenty of air around, I knew, but still I gasped.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Calm down.
Calm down.
How was I supposed to calm down when I’d been kidnapped? Taken? Abducted?
Was this the norm for my family now?
I needed something to focus on.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The rhythmic movement of the person carrying me.
Focus. Focus.
Then the orange warmth disappeared, and I was again left in darkness.
Gently—gently?—whoever carried me set me down on something soft.
“I’m so sorry about this,” said a voice—a familiar voice, though I couldn’t place it.