Cult

look at your injuries.” He must be a doctor and when he beckoned for her to go to the bed she wasn't sure what she should do, she wasn't sure what kind of a doctor he was.

  She timidly looked to Kai for some kind of reassurance, he smiled at her to let her know if was ok and letting go of his hand she slowly moved to sit on the bed.

  As she sat on the bed the doctor looked at her wrists and he shook his head. This was such a strange place, they had kidnapped her or rather one of them had kidnapped her but now she was here the others seemed to want to help her. Perhaps they would let her, if she was able to convince them to trust her, then she could persuade them to set her free. But she didn't know if they were truly helping her, this could all be a big plan of theirs or a game they liked to play.

  She looked around the room, her eyes darted to the jars and containers on the tops of the shelves. They were filled with some kind of body parts, maybe human, she couldn't really tell. Some were definitely animal parts though, including a few whole mice all pickled in different sized containers. The books she could see were mostly on anatomy, large leather bound, very old books that looked like they were collecting dust.

  Seeing that she was confused and somewhat horrified by the room she was in, the doctor spoke to her whilst applying a bandage to her wrist. “I am a doctor, a surgeon and a biological researcher, this is my study.”

  Isabella just stared at him bewildered.

  The doctor stared back for a split second before beginning to wrap her other wrist in a bandage, while he was working he began a conversation with Kai. “Is she responsive?”

  “Yes. Mostly.”

  “Good, no head trauma then. Apart from the obvious.” He moved on to look at her jaw and she winced when he touched it. “Niall?”

  “Yes.” She heard that Kai answered with some frustration, that must be the one that attacked her and hit her. The doctor again shook his head and was that disgust she saw on his face? Just how bad was this Niall if the others didn't like him? “Well she is done, the bruise will heal itself and nothing is broken. Are you to take her with you?”

  “Yes.”

  “As you please, but I can't imagine the others being very pleased about it. But then again it is you Kai. Just remember to get her a robe.”

  “I will doctor, thank you.”

  A panic returned to her, where was he going to take her now? And why did she need a robe? A robe like theirs? And just how many others were there? But she wasn't about to question Kai after what the doctor had said, she was beginning to believe that she was only going to be safe with him. So when he held out his hand for her, there was very little hesitation before she took it.

  They had left the doctors room and gone down the hall a short way to another room. Again it was identical in size and colour to the others but this room looked like an odd cloakroom. The only things that were in it were long scarlet red robes.

  Had she unknowing stumbled across some kind of cult? But where were they? There was nothing around the ruins yet they couldn't have taken her too far, could they? She had no idea what time it was, what day it was or how long she had been missing and there were no windows in this place.

  Kai was speaking to her more frequently now and though she didn't respond it didn't stop him. He seemed to be enjoying finding her a robe that fit, he chuckled when he placed one over her that was miles too big. This was like being in a dream that seemed so real and yet wasn't, she didn't feel as though she was there, she felt like this was someone else’s nightmare.

  When he found one that looked ok on her he was actually happy and pride again shone through. She couldn't understand it but at least he wasn't trying to kill her or anything. She saw in him an innocence, a naivety and she knew it wasn't in him to hurt her or anyone.

  He liked her, he wasn't sure why but he did. And he was going to look after her, protect her from the others. She had such an aura about her, it was like having elegance and beauty but with such a strength that oozed from her. She was fascinating to him, completely different to the others that he knew and he couldn't wait for her to be more comfortable with him. He wanted to learn from her, to know her and her life above them.

  Now she was wearing her robe he led her back into the corridor and again took her hand, there was no hesitation from her this time. She saw in front of her at the end of the corridor was another door, a lot larger than the others and a lot more secure looking. It was made of metal and looked heavy.

  They were heading towards it and she could feel Kai was quickening his pace, for no reason she thought but his demeanour told her he was excited about taking her through there. It couldn't be bad then, but if they were a cult, what might not seem bad to them could be very bad for her.

  What did they want her for? What was behind this door? And why did she need to wear a robe? So many questions yet she felt unable to speak, even to Kai who was supposed to be keeping her safe, yet he had virtually ignored her earlier question. This was so unlike her, to be speechless for so long, to not know what to say or to not want to say anything through fear.

  Her heart beat quickened and so did her breathing when they stopped in front of the door. Her expression she was certain hadn’t changed from being utterly confused, scared and disbelieving. She still had no shoes on her feet and she was sure Kai hadn’t noticed. She began to feel the coldness of the floor rise up through her feet to her legs so that she began to tremble.

  Pulling on a long metal handle Kai pushed the heavy door outward to open it. Her fear turned to shock. In front of her was nothing like the place she had just come from. This place had white marble flooring, relatively high ceilings, white walls and the occasional potted shrubs. It was all very clean, the floor shone and it reminded her somewhat of a shopping centre.

  Kai was waiting for her so she stepped forward to take his hand. This place was some kind of long, large corridor. To her left she could see other people, it looked like they were just walking through but they all stopped to stare and whisper about her.

  He took her right, walking down this corridor the few people they came across stopped to look. They all wore the same colour robes but here they were duller, as if they had been well worn and not a single person looked as healthy as Kai did.

  Soon they came to a cross road and the end of the corridor, in front of them was another heavy door.

  Kai stopped some way before it and looked down to her. He didn't seem as excited as before. Was he changing his mind about taking her wherever he was taking her? He glanced to the side and then back to Isabella. “Come.” She looked at him with confusion as he began to lead her away.

  But then the door in front of them swung open with force hitting the wall behind it and causing her to jump from the bang.

  A largely built, broad shouldered man, in a similar scarlet robe stepped through the doorway with pace.

  “There you are cousin.” His voice was deep and commanding and he came to an abrupt stop a meter or so away from them. His hair, Dark, wavy and shoulder length with a dishevelled, rough beard surrounded the bottom of his face.

  “Niall.” Kai’s voice wavered slightly.

  Niall, this was the man that attacked her and now she was stood face to face with him. The scratch she had left on his face was deep and vibrantly red, just under his eye. He examined her with a tainted eye, looking her up and down as if she was dirt, as though she didn't belong. And though it was true, his glare still offended her. She tried hard to hold his stare, to try and prove that she wasn't afraid of him when in truth she was terrified, her body shook underneath her robe.

  “What is it Niall?” Kai’s voice was stronger this time, it was enough for Niall to take his eyes away from her and she exhaled, though hidden, in relief.

  Niall began talking, quieter this time as if he didn't want her to hear but Kai kept hold of her hand. What they were whispering about made no sense to her though she listened intently. Something about Kai’s father was mentioned which was intriguing to her. Kai’s fathe
r lived here, Niall called him cousin, were they really related or was it something they had to be called because of some kind of cult rules? They didn't look alike. Kai was gentle, attractive yet Niall was rugged and angry looking.

  As she was listening she looked up to see that Niall was staring at her again, he knew she could hear them and he didn't like it. This time she quickly looked away.

  And then something caught her eye. Coming along the corridor to her left. What was it? It was hard to describe but there was someone pushing a large trolley, another person in his robe with the hood up walked by its side.

  The thing on the trolley, it was large, covered partially by a white sheet. But there were marks on the sheet, large stains of red and they were still wet. Whatever it was kept wobbling, it wasn't secure.

  When they stopped the trolley against the wall opposite her, she was no longer interested in Kai and Niall’s conversation but at the spectacle in front of her.

  She watched intensely as the two men moved to inspect the thing underneath the cover, they were whispering to each other, one seemed impatient with the other.

  But what was that smell? Something almost medical about it and yet it was putrefying. She was so engrossed in watching the pair that she hadn’t realised Kai and Niall were no longer talking and were now watching her.

  The two men