The Lost

by Natasha Preston

  I should have spent more time with them, had more conversations, and now I’m facing us being apart for the rest of my life—however long that is.

  I just want one more conversation, one more hug, one more chance to tell them I love and appreciate them.

  Dipping my head, I press my fist into my aching chest and bite back the tears for my parents. What’s the point in crying? It’s only going to feed the evil inside Caleb, Owen, and Matt.

  “Piper?” Evan whispers. He leans over to me and wraps his arm around my shoulders. Shouldn’t it be me comforting him right now?

  “Sorry,” I say, lifting my head and forcing my mouth to smile. “I’m okay.”

  “Where did your mind go?”

  “Nowhere.”

  “Piper,” he prompts. “Tell me.”

  “It’s just… I was thinking about my parents and wondering if I’ll see them again.”

  His fingers brush though my hair. “You will see them again.”

  If only I could be so sure.

  I smile because there isn’t much else I can do or say, and Evan sinks into the sofa, his hand still working through the strands of my dark hair. “You know I think it’s pretty unique to have black hair and blue eyes,” he tells me.

  “That’s what my mom says, too. She has black hair and brown eyes, and my dad has blond hair and blue eyes. I took one from each.”

  “It’s pretty special.”

  Priya calls us to dinner, and we all eat in deafening silence. No one seems to look up from their plate, the sober atmosphere doing nothing to lift my mood. Without speaking about it, we have all gone into ourselves. My parents are on my mind, and I have a feeling the others are the same.

  There’s a sense of urgency now, with so many things changing in here, accelerating. It feels like we’re getting closer to the end.

  We finish our food and clean up, then one by one, we get ready for bed.

  I walk to my bunk and climb the ladder. My limbs are heavy, and it takes a lot of effort to pick each one up and get into bed. But I manage it, and tug the cover up to my chin.

  Why do I feel so drained?

  My eyes are closing. Something’s wrong, stay awake.

  I force my eyelids to part, but nothing happens. They’re stuck together, and I’m getting heavier, my body sinking into the mattress.

  Why can’t I open my eyes?

  I want to call out, but I don’t have the energy to even do that. Sleep is all I want.

  No, stay awake!

  No one else is saying anything. Everyone is in bed, and there would usually be a little talk for a few minutes, some whispering beyond that, but tonight there is only silence.

  We’ve been drugged.

  The speaker crackles. Our music starts to play.

  A loud thud in the main room echoes throughout the bedroom.

  My pulse soars, then the world turns black.

  33

  My head pounds so violently, I gag. I press my index fingers to my temples and groan.

  I was eating in the common room. Then… God, what happened after that? I can’t remember. Did I go to bed? Is it now morning?

  The air is warm, warmer than the common room’s temperature. They usually keep that just a fraction above cold.

  Where am I?

  Picking my head up, I try to make sense of my surroundings. There is something big; I think it’s a sofa, but it’s a different color than the one I spend so much time sitting on.

  What the…?

  With my palms flat on the floor, I haul myself to my knees, and my head throbs.

  I was drugged. Our food was poisoned! What is wrong with them? Our room was always a safe space before, but I can’t trust anything now. Not even food.

  My head is fuzzy, but my vision slowly sharpens. The old-style TV and sofa. I’m in the orientation room.

  Evan.

  I gasp.

  He’s in here, too, but we’re alone. Where is everyone else?

  He’s lying on the floor, and he’s so, so still that it sends chills down my spine.

  “Evan?” I whisper.

  His face is pressed into the floor, but I can see his eyes are closed. My gaze homes in on his chest, seeking confirmation. Please be alive. Please, please.

  His chest rises and falls.

  Grimacing, I get to my feet and glance up at the camera. You will not break me. Whatever you have planned, bring it.

  I turn back to Evan and stumble toward him. My head is spinning, legs not quite cooperating like the way I felt after having a bad case of the flu last year.

  “Evan? Evan, please, speak to me.”

  His hand twitches.

  “Evan, can you get up?”

  His head turns to me, and he flicks his eyes open, but they don’t focus on me. Instead, he stares ahead blankly, pupils dilated. “Evan!” I screech, my heart racing. “Come on, talk to me!” Is he in shock?

  I crouch down and brush my fingers across his forehead. “Please, Evan. Look, we were drugged but we’re okay now.”

  He blinks heavily, and his eyes meet mine. “Piper?”

  I smile as a sob of relief escapes my mouth. “Yeah. Hey, it’s me. Let’s get you to your feet.”

  I wrap my hands around his waist and help him up. He leans on me and grips my upper arm. “What happened? They drugged us?” His voice is filled with disgust.

  “Yeah, they did. We’re in the orientation room. I don’t know where the others are.” They could be somewhere out of the common room, too. But unless they’re in one of the torture rooms, it would be harder to control all of us out here. There are places we can run and hide and the main door we can escape out of.

  News of us being outside the common room seems to perk him up, and he stands on his own and looks around the room. Rubbing his forehead, he asks, “Where are they?”

  “I don’t know. I only woke up a minute ago, right before you.”

  He grits his teeth. “Why do you think we’re in here?”

  Shaking my head, I reply honestly, “I have no idea, but I’m scared.”

  “Don’t be. We’re okay,” he whispers, pulling me into his arms.

  While I’m here with him, I can give in to the weakness inside, the part of me that fears for my life, who wishes someone would rescue me. Although we share an inner strength that I certainly didn’t know I had, Evan still allows me to be weak without judgment.

  With everyone else, I feel an intense pressure to always hold it together because that’s who I’ve been, the together girl. I don’t let things get to me, and I keep myself firmly in the positivity camp. But it’s such a relief when I get to be vulnerable, even if it is just for a minute.

  I step back after a few seconds. I’m okay now. There is a time and place for weakness, and right now is not the time. We don’t know why we’re here or what they have planned.

  The sound of metal clanging, a door unlocking, startles me. I grip Evan’s hand. We’re united. Whatever Caleb, Matt, and Owen are about to do, we can get through this.

  The door to the long hallway opens. Caleb and Owen storm in. Matt stands by the door frame holding a gun.

  I press into Evan’s side, but I don’t cower.

  “What’s going on?” Evan asks, his voice strong but wavering at the end.

  I’m not the only one who is scared.

  Caleb smirks, loving doing something that we don’t expect. “Come with us,” he orders.

  Evan’s eye twitches. “Why?” he challenges.

  Caleb’s smirk widens. “Come with us.”

  Oh God, what is he doing?

  Owen lunges toward me, grabbing my arm. I’m jerked forward and his death grip on my wrist bites, but I steady myself and stand tall.

  Evan grabs my other arm, his eyes burning a hole in Owen. “Let
go,” he spits.

  Caleb reaches out and grabs Evan’s upper arm. He pins him to the spot with dark, dead eyes.

  “You come with us or Matt will shoot you,” Owen says, addressing both me and Evan.

  “Just do what he says, Evan,” I plead. There is no need to make this harder than it’s going to be. Not when we’re out here like this.

  They don’t physically bring themselves into these rooms unless it’s room five.

  They tug us roughly through the door. I gasp as I’m shoved into their room with all the games. I thought this place was so cool when I first saw it. But it’s just a front for evil.

  “What are you doing?” I demand as Owen pushes me down. My hands curl around the edge of the seat as I’m forced onto a hard plastic chair.

  My breathing is erratic. I can feel my chest moving too fast.

  Breathe slow. You can do whatever this is, too.

  Caleb slams Evan down on the chair opposite me, our knees an inch from touching. I keep my eyes on him, letting his calm wash over me. He watches me, too, using me as an anchor.

  I’m okay. Evan is here.

  I tear my gaze from him and stare up at Caleb standing behind him while Owen works on tying me to the seat with a thick rope.

  “You two have been very bad,” Caleb says. His voice is strong and domineering.

  I swallow bile, my stomach rolling at the excitement in his demeanor. He’s light on his feet, eyes shining with possibilities.

  “We haven’t done anything, you sick freak!” I shout.

  Caleb folds his arms after securing Evan to the seat. “That’s not very nice now, is it? I give you a place to stay, provide you with food and water, and you call me a freak.”

  Owen finishes up with my restraints. The rope pinches my skin, causing a hot burning sensation, but I do my best to ignore it.

  “Can you hear yourself?” Evan snaps. “We never asked for any of this.”

  “Yet, somehow, you’re here.”

  “Because you took us, idiot!” I yell.

  I can tell from how controlled Caleb always seems to be that it takes a lot to irritate him, but he grinds his teeth at the word idiot.

  He dips his head, his eyes pinning me to the seat better than the restraints. “I knew you were going to be feisty. That’s what attracted me to you when I saw you walking by the lake. Your lips were pursed, and you weren’t paying much attention to your surroundings. You weren’t looking because you didn’t think there was any danger.”

  Matt laughs. “Poor Red Riding Hood.”

  I look up Matt and glare. “I’m not poor anything.”

  “You’re playing with the lions now, sweetheart.”

  “You’re not as clever as you think you are,” I tell Matt.

  “Time for you to shut up.” He raises his arm, and I struggle against the restraints to stop him.

  “Don’t!” Evan shouts at the same time Matt’s free hand comes down hard and heavy across my cheek. My head whips to the side. “Piper?”

  “I’m fine,” I reply, though my cheek feels like it’s on fire. Blinking away stars, I focus on Evan.

  “Are you done?” I ask Matt.

  But it’s Caleb who replies, “With you…”

  My eyes flash to Evan, and my heart drops.

  34

  Tears roll down my cheeks, dripping onto my legs.

  Evan is slumped over in the seat after the last blow from Owen. They’ve been taking turns hitting him for what seems like hours. I don’t know if he’s alive. Blood trickles steadily from his nose.

  “Help him,” I cry. “Please help him.”

  “Shh, Piper,” Caleb says, crouching down beside me. “Let’s see if he gets up.”

  “W-What? This isn’t a game.”

  “On the contrary, sweetheart. Life is a game; you just have to make sure you’re in control.”

  I turn from him, the smell of whiskey strong on his breath. It reminds me of Christmas when my dad would have a couple of whiskeys after dinner.

  “You’re sick. Is he breathing?”

  Caleb chuckles. “I do admire how you can insult me and ask me to check on your boyfriend in the same breath.”

  I ignore his boyfriend comment; there’s no need to address that.

  “And I admire your ability to sleep at night after everything you’ve done and continue to do.”

  “Thank you, Piper,” he replies.

  I don’t look at him, but I can hear the smile in his tone.

  “Caleb, check him.”

  “Ooh, she’s bossy,” Matt says. He’s leaning against the far wall, his legs crossed at the ankle, holding the gun.

  Seriously, we’re tied up, so what’s the point?

  “She is getting very bossy,” Owen chimes in. “I like it.”

  “We all like you, Piper,” Caleb says. “So I will check Evan for you.”

  “He’s breathing,” Owen says. “I can see his chest from here.”

  I sigh, my muscles loosening.

  Owen is sitting opposite Evan, watching him like a hawk. I don’t know why Owen feels he needs to watch Evan so closely when Evan’s all tied up.

  “There you have it, sweetheart,” Caleb says. “He’s all good.”

  “Why?” I ask.

  Caleb laughs again, and the dead tone to it sends a shiver down to my toes. “Why not?” he replies.

  There is no point in me pursuing this. It’s not going to get me anywhere. I’m not suddenly going to get any satisfactory answers. They’re doing this because they can and they want to. It’s as simple as that.

  They all need a lot of professional help.

  Evan splutters beside me and his back shudders.

  “Evan!” I whimper. “Evan.”

  He turns his head, and I gasp. His eye is swollen, lip cut, and nose steadily dripping blood.

  “I look that good, huh?” he rasps.

  “You still look good to me.”

  My face is on fire. Why did I say that?

  “Well, that’s nice to hear,” he replies. Then he looks at Caleb. “Finished, or do you still have something to prove?”

  He’s provoking them, and usually I wouldn’t talk back in this situation, but he’s weak and clearly in pain. He doesn’t need them to start on him again.

  “Matt, ensure Evan and Piper get back okay.”

  “I don’t think we’ll get lost,” I snap.

  Caleb laughs and cracks his knuckles. “See you soon, Piper.”

  Owen unties us while Matt moves the barrel of the gun between us, making sure we don’t try to do anything to Owen. I don’t have a death wish, so I have no plans to aggravate Matt while he’s holding a gun.

  We’re so close to the door. I can see the outside world through the windows. The trees look greener than they did before. I long to walk outside there and feel the breeze on my face.

  If Matt didn’t have a gun, we could try running. With Caleb gone, we’d have a chance. But there’s no point in letting those thoughts in; Matt does have a gun and we can’t get out now.

  The rope around my wrists drops to the floor with a thud.

  I flex my fingers and roll my hands.

  Owen moves behind Evan. I keep my eyes on Evan. His eyes are tight, and he pants when he breathes.

  Owen steps back with Matt, and I push myself to my feet. I grab Evan the second we’re free. He’s unsteady on his feet, his body weak from the beating, but he doesn’t lean on me. Even though he’s in pain, he still won’t lean on me.

  “It’s okay,” I tell him, stepping closer.

  The metallic smell of blood stings my nose. God, he’s in a bad shape.

  With his pretty eyes staring ahead, he gently shakes his head.

  “Always the strong one,” I say as we walk through the door, m
e a lot steadier than Evan. He won’t accept help, so he is shuffling along with one eye almost completely swollen shut.

  I place my palm on his back because I know that’s about as much as he’s going to allow me to do. “Are you all right?” I ask as he braces himself against the wall with his hand.

  “Yeah. Are you? They didn’t hurt you, right?”

  “They didn’t,” I reply. Not physically, but watching someone you care about being hurt is difficult. Evan’s grunts of pain and the twisted expression on his face will stay with me forever.

  I follow a step behind him, and as we walk through the clothes room, I grab us both a bag. My clothes are fine, but I don’t want to wear the same things I have on now. Evan’s top is covered in drops of blood from his split lip.

  “We’re both okay. That’s great,” I say.

  He smiles. “We’re the same, you and me.”

  “Hurry it up,” Matt mutters from behind us.

  I push the door open and the next and the next, being sure to slam them behind us. Then we’re back.

  Hazel is on her feet the second she sees us. “Oh my God! What happened?”

  Theo stands stiffly, his eyes wide and fixed on Evan. Evan’s face is shocking; what they’ve done to him is brutal. He’s going to be in pain for a little while, with his eye in particular.

  “Get some wet towels,” Theo commands.

  “His lip might need stitches,” Priya says, walking over from the kitchen where’s she’s microwaving something.

  They take over completely, which I am grateful for because I feel like I’m holding on by a thread, my heart thudding in my chest too fast.

  Evan could have died. I thought he had at one point.

  I take in a deep ragged breath and let go of him.

  “I’m fine,” Evan grunts, hating the attention.

  “Sit still, they’re trying to help. You look awful, bro,” Theo says.

  I stumble backward and grip the edge of the counter. Evan is getting looked after now, so I need to take a minute away. My ears ring.

  Hazel’s hands grip my upper arms just as my head feels light. “Are you okay? You’ve turned pale as a ghost.”