Owned? - Chapter 35：Victims

First step of luring out a person? You go around announcing how you’re new here and want to explore the place and the outskirts.

Ayaan and I had been going around the town meeting random people, visiting shops and getting acquainted with everyone, especially the suspects that were shown to us.

I honestly had my doubts about this plan but Matthew insisted it was the best way. The reason the police chose them? These were the only men who actually went to the distillery but somehow I wasn’t quite convinced. When I think about the distillery I tend to think that it’s a good place to come to get your mind off things. It rather has a nice feeling to it, well during the day it does.

After spending the whole day in the town we decided to head towards the distillery in the evening.

I’m not going to lie when I say the place gets creepier as the sun starts setting so I’m really thankful Ayaan came along.

I tapped his shoulders and he looked at me, “Let’s turn on the flashlights.” He nodded and we both turned on the lights. I know we actually didn’t need it, the place had enough light coming in from the outside and the moon would illuminate the place when it gets completely dark but I just hate creepy places.

The first place we went to was the place of murder and neither of us was expecting anyone to be there. So as soon as we saw a person sitting there we paused.

The person was kneeling on the floor with his hands clasped together as if he was praying. His eyes were closed and that’s probably why he didn’t notice the light we were flashing on his face.

Ayaan looked at me and I nodded at him, “Excuse me?” I called out to the man and he flinched as he opened his eyes to look back at us.

“Yes?” He seemed puzzled as he saw us.

I don’t remember seeing him in town, “Who might you be?”

“I should be asking you that.” He stood up and turned to us. “I’ve been here since morning.”

“Oh ah-” I cleared my throat, “We’re just exploring since we’re new here.”

“New? Are you living in the town?”

“No. At the castle.” I smiled and he eyed me suspiciously and then looked at Ayaan.

“I see.” He took out his flashlight but it didn’t turn on, “God…” He sighed as he hit the back of the torch, “I should get going. It’s late.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” I spoke again.

He stopped as soon as he started walking, “Um, I’m Riri’s cousin. Ash. I’m not from here. I just came to visit and ask for permission to take her coffin back to the city where the rest of her relatives are.”

“I see. You should leave, it’s gotten quite dark.” I said and he nodded, then looked at Ayaan again.

“He doesn’t speak?” Ash raised his brow at Ayaan.

“Oh!” I glanced at Ayaan, “He’s mute.” We both lowered our flashlights on the ground.

“Oh…” He started walking again, “Well, goodbye fellas.” He started hitting the bottom of the flashlight again while Ayaan and I stepped aside to give him way to leave.

As he walked by us I looked at him, a smile finally appeared on his face as his flashlight came to life. He had it pointed directly to my eyes and I suffered a moment of blindness as the sharp white light hit my pupils.

I couldn’t see anything and just the next moment I heard something move, a Sensation of pain hit me when he stabbed something into my neck. It wasn’t exactly sharp, it felt like a key.

I didn’t scream, I didn’t have time for that I had to get ready to fight.

The light in his hands dropped to the ground as Ayaan lunged onto him, tackling him to the wall but of course that was very short lived. His small frame could never hold a full grown adult and he was immediately thrown to the ground but still, it gave me enough time to recover.

I jumped ahead to kick his gut that made him stagger. I punched his face once but I was stopped before I landed the second hit by another man, a lot bigger than Ash. He caught my wrist and threw me back against the shelf.

The fallen flashlights on the floor were casting a shadow much bigger than usual on the walls.

My eyes landed on Ayaan, he had stood up again and I gestured him to run. He nodded and ran through the little spaces between the rusted machines.

I stood up and reached for my gun tucked in my belt in the back. I grabbed it and as I was bringing it forward it got kicked out of my hands by Ash with one leg. While my eyes were following the gun slipping out of my hands and falling far away a second hit landed on my stomach side.

I skid on the ground. This time I stood up a bit later and gulped. I took my fighting stance.

I guess I’ll have to fight my way to the gun!

As the two men approached me I ran to the opposite side.

No, I was not running away.

I was luring them to my ease. I took the lead since I was a fast runner and went to the darker corners of the place.

They both came after me. I ran to the machines and jumped on the rusted tubes, one step higher, then two, then grabbed the old chain hanging from the ceiling to swing around back.

I could barely make them out myself but I managed to kick one of them hard enough that he landed pretty hard on the engine. The machine that had been rusted for years cracked.

My breathing was heavier now but I had to go back to get the gun. I bolted back to where I came from and was ahead of the surviving man by a split second. I ran through the shelves when I heard screams.

Hoarse screams that were somehow familiar to me.

Before I could reach the place I had to I stopped at the main corridor of shelves as something caught my eye.

In the dimly illuminated room my eyes landed on two people.

Ayaan, whose mouth had now been covered by the hand of another man seemingly dragging him away with him.

I slowed down to change my direction when the person on my tail grabbed my hair from behind and pulled me back, slamming my face on the shelf.

I felt the world spin. The few bottles on the shelf trembled and some even fell.

What? It was hard to process stuff.

He pulled me back and then smashed my head there again.

I can’t lose!

As he pulled me back again I grabbed the first chemical bottle that came into my hands and smashed it onto his hand. He screamed as his hand burned.

I grabbed another one and Smashed it on his head, then without wasting any time I ran out of the shelf corridor to the other as his screams intensified.

I slipped and almost fell down as the world got dizzier but I leaned on support from the racks. I looked down and saw drops of blood pattering on the ground illuminated by the light from the flashlight fallen on the ground at the far end of the hall.

I steadied myself. Gladly only my nose was hurt bad, my head just hurt pretty bad, nothing was broken but I had no idea where Ayaan was now.

I ran forward and grabbed the gun then shook my head.

No time for hesitation!