"HIDDEN FLAME" by Sarah Ryniker

STORY LAST UPDATED ON 20/05/2002

Hidden Flame Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Epilogue

CHAPTER NINE

I listened as the lock was jingled with and the door was opened. I was hidden close to the door and watched as he walked past my hiding place. He had left the door open. I knew that if I ran now I wouldn't get away. So I stayed put and watched him. He walked back behind the tower of boxes. Just as he stepped back there, I sneaked to the door and down. I knew he would look for us, so as soon as I was down I ran and hid in the nearest place. As soon as I was sure that he wasn't going to follow me down just yet, I walked down the hall. A hall that was very familiar. It was my home that we were in.
    I found my way to a door that had not been used in my whole years of being here. It was the door that led to the stairs that went down in the ballroom. The story behind it didn't come to mind as I sneaked down the long, narrow stairwell. My feet hit the floor with a soft thud. They were bare and the smack they made was rather loud. I gulped and then ran from the ballroom to the nearest phone that was in the hall. If he was still in the attic, I knew he couldn't hear me all the way down here.
    I called Richard up first, for some reason. I prayed for him to answer the phone. I needed him to. The phone kept ringing and ringing. I knew he had caller I.D., so why wasn't he picking up the phone? I bit my lip and finally, I placed the phone back down. I sneaked towards the foyer. All I needed to do was get the hell out of here and get help. The house was dust-filled and had gone to Hell. Where were all of the servants?
    Just as I walked past the office that had once been Grandfather Gerald's, I heard the footsteps above me. I knew he was down from the attic now. I bit my lower lip as I thought about what to do next. I slipped quickly into the office. I hid quickly, though I truly didn't expect him to look in the office.
    Just as expected, when he finally got to the hall, he passed it. I watched out of the crack in the door as he turned the corner. I then sneaked back to the ballroom and up the secret stairway. I got the girls who, thank God, were both conscious. I sneaked them out of the attic and through the secret door leading to the stairs. I told them to stay there. Alec wouldn't find them there, but to make sure I would find ways to keep him occupied.
    I left them there and sneaked down the hall, sneaking in and out of rooms. I made sure to make noise above him. It would keep him off guard and confused. That's all I cared about. I knew he would come back up here. I guessed which way he would come and stayed in the guestroom next to Gabby's, waiting. I had the phone in my hand and the door cracked open. As soon as he passed the door, I jumped out and aimed to smack him on the head. I missed and got the place on his back below his neck. Though it hurt him, he spun around quickly.
    I cried out and went to run, but he grabbed my arm and flung me to the floor. I twisted and turned beneath him, but his aiming was true. His fists hit me every time they came down.
    "Stop it!" I managed to moan after he had punched me in my chest. My breath had been completely taken away.
    He stopped for a second and glared down at me. "Why the hell should I? I'm going to kill you anyway." His logic made me panic. I tried harder to get away from him. I managed to slip my wrists, which he was holding tightly with one hand, free. I got up and ran as fast as I could.
    He gave chase, his legs longer than mine. I cried out and forced myself to run faster. His legs were longer, but that was a downfall, literally in his case. They became clumsy in his quick descent down the steps, and he fell. Unfortunately, not a good enough fall to kill the bastard.
    I tried my hardest to get to that front door. I tried so hard to get away. But I knew in my heart that there was no way out. I wouldn't make it out of this alive. All I could do was hope to God that the girls did make it out alive. And as he grabbed me by a fistful of hair and dragged me up the stairs, I knew they were too smart to let him catch them. It made me smile. They would get away. And my life no longer mattered.
    He threw me into the attic roughly. But I just smiled up at him. He slapped me over and over again, yet the smile stayed upon my face. There was a peaceful feeling about me now. It was comforting me, and I was no longer miserable. And to my satisfaction pain, it was making him very angry. I liked the fact that he was no longer the one laughing.
    "Did you honestly think you'd get away?" he growled, grabbing my hair again and pulling my face within inches of his.
    I laughed. "I thought at first that my escape was for me and my girls. Now I understand that my true aim was to get them away from here and you. And I have succeeded. Kill me now, Alec. I have no fear that you can harm my girls, now." I said it with every part of my heart. It was true. Nothing he did or said now hurt me. My girls would be safe. I knew it in my heart. And that was all that truly mattered.
    "You're crazy," he spat.
    And I laughed again, this time tears coming to my eyes. "I'm the crazy one?" I laughed harder. "You're the one kidnapping an innocent family and trying to kill them. No, dear, I'm not the crazy one."
    He thrust me back onto the ground. For some reason I felt no pain, though I should have. I knew bruises from being dragged and shoved around were already appearing yet they didn't hurt. I was happy. My girls were free.
    I knew he was getting angry. His face and the tips of his ears were turning red with anger. He wrapped his hand around my neck and dragged me to the back of the attic. There was a long lamp screwed into the floor. He pulled handcuffs out and wrapped them tightly around my left wrist. Then he placed the other one around the lamp.
    I sat up against the lamp and looked up at him. "You can do whatever you want to me, Alec. I will feel no pain. You can no longer touch my daughters and that is all that matters," I taunted him. My eyes were locked to his, and mine were showing true happiness. I felt no need to live. As long as they got away.
    At least I had thought I could feel no pain. Until he kicked me as hard as he could in my stomach. The wind was knocked out of me and I doubled up in pain. I held my stomach with my right arm.
    "Tell me that didn't hurt, bitch!" he yelled. Then he kicked me three more times. I thought I'd surely never catch my breath again. But then again, hadn't he told me that I would no longer breathe if he had any say so?
    "It… didn't… hurt," I gasped. I felt weak. I knew death couldn't be that far away. At least I hoped not. This hurt more than anything ever had before.
    He shook his head in disgust. Then he knelt down to my level. He slid his fingers around my chin and forced me to look at him. "You still hold to your pride, Phoenix, even in the face of death. What an admirable trait." He slapped me hard across my face.
    Anger was getting rid of pain and fear. I spat directly into his face. "You son of a bitch! You tried to kill my girls. You may kill me, but I will go down without uttering a single complaint." And that I would do. I would not let him have the satisfaction of knowing that he was putting me through any pain.
    I thought he'd never stop beating me after that. I thought he'd kill me right then and there. But not once did I cry out in pain, though my body was in sheer agony. My not making a sound only angered him more, and his punches and kicks became harder and harder. Finally, though, he left me alone.
    I didn't know for sure now if the girls had got away. I could only hope so. After all, I couldn't protect them and lead them away. I just hoped they could do it themselves. I prayed silently to God. I begged him to at least answer this prayer.
    When Alec came back up, I was sure that this time I would die. I looked at the man that would kill me. I smiled at him as he lifted a whip above his head. I smiled up at him, keeping eye contact with him as he slammed it down onto me over and over again. Blood was coming from me now and I felt the weakness taking over me. Still smiling, however, I let myself give over to the urge to fall asleep.

Hidden Flame Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Epilogue

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