Owned? - Chapter 91：In a worse situation

[Arius 9 years old]

After leaving my sister in the incubator, I saw her ‘new’ family rushing to get her. They all were so relieved that their daughter was fine.

It made me a bit guilty but I chose to leave things like that and ran out of the hospital.

The first thought that crossed my mind at that time was that I should probably leave the city.

I did not know the people who were after me but each and every one of them knew me and they were in this city.

Staying here was too dangerous, so with the little money I already had in my pocket I took a midnight bus out of the city.

I didn’t care where it was going and I had no idea either.

All I cared about was getting out of there.

As the bus left the city, I relaxed a bit and soon started getting drowsy. Now that my mind felt safer and all the adrenaline was gone I laid down on both the seats while the mostly empty bus kept traveling.

As a child I did not think anything worse could possibly happen.

Nothing really came to mind as I fell asleep. It was as if everything just went blank.

***

The bus driver woke me up when we arrived at the bus station. It was still dark but I had to get off the bus now.

I stepped outside not sure where I was or where I should go. The bus office was closed so I couldn’t go in.

Every little thing was terrifying me and I just kept looking left and right while fiddling with my fingers as I stood on the dark street.

Everything was dead silent and so every time I heard a noise I would jump out of fear.

After standing there for about an hour I decided to walk and find some sort of shelter. Where could I find one? I had no idea.

I felt like curling up into a ball and crying but I didn’t exactly have time for that.

I kept walking through the streets, looking at the houses lined together. I thought about how all the people must be sleeping in soundly, without any worry and then there was me.

Everything had closed and I started to wonder if there even was any point of walking at all.

I sighed suddenly came to halt. Then panicked again.

Someone else had just stopped too. The sound of footsteps stopping were not so far away.

I gulped and deluded myself by thinking that it might not be what I was thinking. So as casually as I could manage I started walking again.

This time I kept my ears more alert.

The footsteps that had stopped began to follow behind me again and I realized it wasn’t just one person.

Maybe two or three. I couldn’t tell because I was too afraid to look back.

My heart started pounding in my chest when I felt them reach me and the next instant I sprinted.

They ran after me and I felt the fear inside me consume me when I glanced back.

Two tall creepy looking men running after me. They were bald with tattoos on their heads, necks and arms.

Why was this happening to me?

I didn’t do anything wrong!

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with an answer.

Eventually I began to slow down, I was already exhausted from the previous events and now my energy had been completely drained.

Just when I was losing hope I saw a sign glowing, not too far away.

The sign of the police station.

I felt relieved but that was extremely short lived for just the next moment I felt a hand over my mouth and another around my waist.

They caught me.

I struggled, tried to scream, threw out my arms and legs but they pushed me onto the ground, held onto everything and restricted all of my movement.

I turned my head sideways, towards the police station. In hopes that someone will come out and see all this.

In hope that they would come and save me.

One of the kidnappers fished out a cloth from his pocket and a small bottle of chemical from another, then poured it on the cloth.

My gaze was shifting from them to the station while the man removed his hand from my mouth. Just as he did I attempted to scream but my voice was muffled again when the other placed the cloth on my mouth.

“Mmmmmpppphhhh!!” It smelled weird, similar to a hospital, “Mmmmmppphhh” There was no use screaming.

I looked at the station again and saw a man come out, so I attempted again, “Mmppphmmpphh!!! Mmmmmppph…” I was getting sleepy fast.

Everything started becoming a blur but I  could still make out the man who had just come out of the police station, he was soon joined by another.

They were probably officers who just went off duty.

I felt weak all over and when the resistance in my body faded. The man removed the cloth from my mouth and tossed me over his shoulder.

In my drifting towards unconsciousness I saw the officers sliding their arms around each other and walking the other way.

Lazily, I tried reaching out my hand for them but it barely got up and they were too far away.

In the end, I fell into darkness.

***

This time, I woke up in another moving vehicle. My head hurt like crazy as I got up and looked around.

There were other people with me, girls and boys, of all ages starting from eight up till maybe 13?

I sat up straight and they all spared me a glance but none of them spoke. They all seemed somewhat terrified.

I glanced around again and realized I was in an open truck with a large cloth serving as a roof.

It was morning, I could tell because of the amount of light coming in from the cloth.

I slid back against the truck wall and looked at the boy sitting next to me. He seemed about 11 years old?

He looked back at me.

“Water?” I asked him as I licked my dried up lips. He shook his head and then buried his head in his legs.

“Oh…” I felt quite weak.

My throat was extremely dry and I had no idea how long I had been asleep but it felt like I hadn’t eaten in days.

I glanced around again.

I could see all these kids were in the same condition so there was no point in asking if anyone had any food.

I was sure that all of us were equally helpless. So I hugged my stomach tight to squeeze it, just to make sure it wouldn’t make any sound.

Then I rested my head on my knees and looked at the locked door since I was right next to it.

I wonder where we are being taken?

***

After traveling for a few hours the truck came to a stop. We all heard some people come out from the passenger seats and make their way to the back.

The door was unlocked and opened, revealing two men. One was big and bulky. He was bald while the other one had jet black hair and slim figure.

The bald man looked at me and smirked. He moved in his hand and grabbed my face, squeezing it between his fingers.

“Isn’t this one pretty?” He looked at the other guy, “Just look at this doll. He’s worth more than all the other combines.” He laughed.

“No doubt.” The other said, “Pale skin, blonde hair and such a pretty eye color. He’ll sell the highest.”

Sell?

I’m going to be sold?

“Oh yes.” The man let go of my face and then threw in some bread and locked the door again.

All the kids began to fight for it.

Except me.

I was in a state of dilemma.

In that traumatic state I quietly slid back against the wall and stared into space with a blank mind.

The truck travelled all day but just as night fell, it came to a stop and it seemed like it was going to stay at the stop all night while the men rested.

It was a perfect time to escape so I looked at the kids.

They all were asleep.

I slapped the kid’s shoulder who was right next to me but he wouldn’t wake up. I had no idea what was wrong with him or with any of them because I tried waking up all of them but none of them budged.

Why?!

I heard someone approach and froze.

“Did you hear something?” It was the bald man’s voice, “I think it came from the truck.”

“Nonsense. The kids are drugged. All of them ate the bread.”

“Are you sure?”

“They were starving Kim.” I heard the slim guy leave, “Let’s leave. We have to leave early. We already crossed the border.”

I heard the other one leave too.

As their footsteps receded into a distance and any sign of them ceased to exist I let myself breathe.

I looked at the kids.

No wonder all of them are out cold.

I looked at the roof cloth.

I can’t stay here! I want to go back and find dad!

At that moment I noticed the tear in the roof.

An idea popped in my head and I stood up. I felt dizzy but it was now or never.

I dragged two kids and placed them on either side of the tallest kid so make sure he wouldn’t move. Then I stepped on his shoulders but I still couldn’t reach the edge of the wall.

Just a bit more!

A little more!

“I’m sorry.” I whispered then stepped on his head.

I reached the edge and held onto it, then I climbed up and sat on the edge.

Then I ripped the already torn cloth more and crossed to the outer side.

There was darkness everywhere I looked but I could still tell that the ground was far and jumping would be dangerous.

I still did it.