Cult

now in front of her, that moment was of sheer horror as she didn't know what was going to happen.

  She jolted again when she heard this person bend down to her. But it was a man, he hushed her as though she were a child, as though she were familiar to him.

  “What is your name?” He spoke so kindly and calmly, she couldn't understand it. Why was he watching her and why was he being so tranquil? His voice was soothing and nothing like her attacker.

  Her fear was understandable as was her reaction. She should never have been in the ruins and they couldn't figure out who she was or why she was there. She didn’t trust him, she was too scared to give him her name so he would have to make her less uncomfortable.

  Reaching out he gently placed his hand onto the bag, feeling it she jumped backwards more against the wall, he told her it was alright, that he was taking the bag off her head.

  As he lifted it he was stunned by the sight of her. Such beautiful green eyes, like a faint shade of emerald. But they were red from the crying and her cheeks were stained by the tears. Her face was pale, that only made the bruise on her jaw stand out even more. Its shades of purple and blue were prominent. She had such a wonder about her, such a unique look that he wasn't used to and he was fascinated by it. The way her eyes matched her long, wavy, brown hair to make them stand out even more. Lips the pink colour of cherry blossoms, so faint because the shock had caused the blood to drain from her face.

  When her world became light again she saw in front of her a young man, not much older than she was. His clothing to her was most unusual, a long, scarlet red robe covered his entire body, the hood she could see behind him. He had dark brown hair that was short at the front and longer at the back with brown eyes to match. His face was clean, no stubble, just incredibly smooth skin. There was a kindness in him, a softness to his face. This was not the man that had attacked her, this had to be the other one.

  Regaining himself he carefully placed the bag on the floor before looking back to her, “What is your name?”

  She looked at him with confusion, the sincerity in his eyes she couldn't understand. He wanted to know her name but why? She was reluctant to tell him, though he had looked at her with genuine feeling, what was going on?

  He looked away from her, she still didn't want to talk to him, why? He couldn't understand it, he wasn't menacing in any way, he was nice. But then she didn't know him and Niall had been very rough with her, though she did put up quite a fight. He bit his bottom lip thinking of what to do to get her to speak, then he returned to her piercing stare, “My name is Kai.”

  He looked to her expectantly as though telling her his name would make her tell him hers. This man was strange, didn't he know what he had done? He had kidnapped her and now it was as if he wanted to be her friend. Maybe that would be a good thing, maybe she should befriend this one so the other one wouldn't hurt her again.

  “Isabella.”

  He showed surprise in his expression, why she didn't know, why would he be surprised to hear her name. Maybe he wasn't expecting her to speak.

  Isabella, such a pretty name. Unusual though, he thought to himself. Unusual to him anyway. But she had spoken to him at least. Oh but her wrists, she was bleeding and must be in some pain. Why did Niall always have to be so aggressive?

  “Here.” Kai moved to undo the ropes which bound her hands together but as he got close to her she shied away making herself even smaller. “It's ok, I won't hurt you.”

  He smiled at her, a smile that told her he was telling the truth. But why would he be this way with her? His face was so soft, so unassuming and calm. There was no anger there, no malice and he was helping her.

  She felt she had no choice but to trust him and very cautiously she moved her hands towards him. His smile grew at the sight of her having faith in him, that she was letting him help her. He very gently undid the rope that had so tightly secured her hands.

  When he took her hands in his own she was shocked at such an act of kindness, he examined her wounds, looked at them disapprovingly. She thought he would only loosen the rope not take it off all together. Why, as a captor, would he do this, give her the means to fight back and to run away if she got the chance?

  He looked back to her puzzled face, “Come with me.”

  Again her surprise was abundant, what did he mean ‘come with me’? Where?

  Before he got up she spoke, “What do you want with me?”

  Not understanding her concern Kai simply replied, “Nothing. Come.” He took hold of her arm and began to help her to her feet. It was difficult as she was reluctant to go with him and she was still in some shock, her legs felt heavy and wobbly.

  He had to use both hands to help her and when she was up she fell back against the wall.

  He had to try one more thing to make her feel comfortable and less afraid, “You must not fear me, you are safe with me.”

  Safe with him, did that mean she wasn't safe away from him? Her fear was turning into anger, who did these people think they were to kidnap her? Who did this man think he was to tell her she was safe with him after what they had done to her? And where was he taking her?

  “Come, you need bandages for your wrists. Come.”

  It was as if he knew what she was thinking, that she didn't believe him when he said he wasn't going to hurt her.

  Her confusion and shock left her with little choice, she couldn't think properly and when he took her hand to lead her away she made no attempt to resist.

  Following him on shaky legs she felt her hand become sticky and wet. For a moment she became embarrassed at the thought that he could feel this too, it was such a surreal thing, to be led down a corridor of what she could only describe as being like a hospital, by a man that had kidnapped her but now was acting as though he knew her, like they were friends and he was just doing the nicest thing by untying her and holding her hand.

  She could barely focus on the things around her, they were walking down a long corridor and every door was shut.

  The sound of her feet sticking to the floor with each small step she took, and the sound of the heels of his shoes clipping the plastic floor was all she heard. There were no other noises, no voices and no other people. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

  The anxiety in the pit of her stomach was causing her to feel nauseous and as they turned a corner she felt a wave of fear rush through her. She didn't know why, she had no reason to believe that around the corner anything would be different but out of instinct she unconsciously squeezed Kai’s hand tighter.

  He felt it, he felt her anxiousness. Not knowing quite how to ease her tension he turned to her and smiled as he walked. “We’re almost there.”

  She didn't know if she felt more frightened by that or if that was supposed to comfort her. She didn't get much time to think though as they soon came to a door that Kai stopped at. He still kept hold of her hand as he politely knocked three times on the door with his other hand.

  He waited for a voice from the other side to tell him to enter. She was hit by terror, what if this was the man that had attacked her and caused her jaw to be in so much pain? She wanted to pull away from Kai’s hand as he opened the door but something made her follow him in, maybe it was the way he had told her with such conviction that she was safe with him.

  Stepping into the room it was much like the first only this one was filled with cabinets and bookshelves that were stacked with books and oddities. It looked more like a biology professor’s room with bottles and jars on the shelves. And there was a bed, opposite the door, like a hospital bed and the hospital theme was very much continued in this room with its plastic floors and grey walls.

  Kai brought her forward and getting up from the desk that sat to the side of the bed was another man. He was wearing the exact same robe as Kai, the vibrant scarlet red that hung all the way to the floor with a large hood at the back. Just where the hell was she and who where these people?

  As the man turned around she lo
oked for signs that he had been the same man that attacked her but noticing his age and slight frailty she knew he couldn't be. He was old, maybe late fifties she thought and he wasn't very well built, a little skinny. There's no way he could have held her down when she put up so much of a struggle. And there were no marks on his face, she knew she had ripped the man’s skin that attacked her, she had felt it, but it wasn't this man.

  For a moment he looked to Kai before he looked to her, then he began examining her, her entire body he studied dwelling longer on her face. She assumed that was to look at the bruise she knew she must have from that enormous punch.

  His eyes were drawn, wrinkled underneath and she could see he looked stressed, maybe even unhappy.

  Then he spoke, “So this is her.”

  “Yes.” Kai responded to him, “Her name is Isabella.”

  The man raised an eyebrow, “And she is in your care?”

  Kai looked proudly at her to her utter amazement, “She is.”

  Then the man spoke quietly, not so quietly they couldn't hear him though “Lucky for her.”

  She watched as Kai’s face dropped and his head hung slightly. Something about his demeanour told her she was in fact lucky he was there, that she was right to trust him. She couldn't think what might have happened if he wasn't looking after her.

  “Come, come and sit on the bed and I will take a