Bella: The Ending: A Sagatori Family Saga

by Kimberly Soto

  I opened my mouth to speak but instead nodded, letting her know I understood. The hallway was eerily quiet as we walked only on the carpet along the wall. She must have thought someone was around the corner because she tugged on my arm and pulled me into the empty darkness of an entrance.

  Again, she lifted her finger to her lips. Adrenaline and the heat in my blood circled my chest, twisting in tight circles in response to hers.

  Once she was sure we were the only ones in the hall, she clasped my hand and pulled me along. We stopped before approaching the turn. I followed her finger when she quietly pointed in the direction we needed to go.

  I nodded my understanding and followed close on her heels. My heart pounded in my chest with worry, while my head buzzed from pure adrenaline.

  We reached a door that opened to a staircase. Every breath was heard in an echo, and fear washed over me when she stopped abruptly, causing me to shove into her back.

  I lifted a hand to her shoulder, not hearing anything beyond where we stood. I tapped her shoulder. I nodded and offered a kind smile, a thank you because I had a firm feeling that wherever she was taking me was going to stir things up. I was all for that.

  We had descended four flights when finally we approached a solid metal door.

  She turned to me, moving her lips, her voice barely audible. “No matter what, you must be silent; if they find us...”

  “Okay,”

  Her eyes averted, hesitantly turning back toward the metal door we stood in front of. A few moments of hesitation crossed her trembling hands before she clutched her tiny fingers around the door and pulled, closing her eyes as the door gave way with a loud creak.

  A hiss escaped my teeth as fear sunk into my chest stripping me of all strength. I sprang back, covering my mouth with both of my hands, convinced someone had heard us. We waited a few minutes, but no one came so she clutched my hand and pulled me along again.

  A light bulb flickered providing only a small amount of light as we continued. We struggling to contain our shivering from both the cold and fear. I had no idea what exactly I was supposed to be fearing, but it was there, casting a dark shadow.

  We approached another metal door. “Bella, you must be silent.”

  “I know,” I whispered.

  The quick rise and fall of her shoulders told the story that she was even more terrified than she had been even just moments before. She pulled a key from her pocket, a long, wide key unlocking it, turning slowly until the door gave way spewing metal screeches. If someone had been near, they would’ve heard and we’d be caught.

  Her rapid movements into the room startled me. Once we were inside she closed the door, locking it behind us. “There.” She pointed down another long hallway. This one had other small rooms down an aisle. Fluorescent lights flickered in this hallway as well, and the temperatures were noticeably cooler than it had been in the rest of the castle.

  She tucked the key into her apron, patted it, then smoothed her hands over the crisp white cotton. She stepped in front of me. There were many doors along both sides of the hallway. She took five steps and searched through a small window.

  What was she searching for?

  Without realizing it I coughed, and an awful smell drew closer threatening vomit to spew from the back of my throat. My eyes burned from the horrific odor, and when she jumped back she released a gasp from her mouth clutching at it with her trembling hands. I knew something was wrong, terribly wrong. She shook, leaning against the right side of the hall. I rested my hand on her arm seeing her eyes focused on the tiny window she’d just looked inside of. What could be in there?

  I lifted onto my tiptoes oblivious as to what she’d seen. I pressed my fingers to the wooden door, a splinter scratching and poking at my flesh. I shook it off and pulled myself taller to see. The rotten odor became volatile. Rotten flesh burned my nose with every second my eyes searched the straw-filled room. To the right of the small room I saw an arm first, then a covered face hidden behind darkness. I fell backward then looked at Albina who was still shaking against the wall, but I needed her to give up the info and tell me what the hell we were doing in this place.

  I gripped her shoulders and pressed my fingers into her sleeves. “Tell me what we’re doing, Albina. Who’s the dead man in that room?”

  She blinked but didn’t speak. I shook her harder, hoping it would force her into telling me. “Keep looking.” The two words escaped with a breath.

  I narrowed my eyes on her. “What are we looking for?” I demanded.

  Her thin lips pressed together, “You take that side and I’ll take this side.”

  I pressed my hands against the wall of each door as I passed, seeing nothing and became frustrated.

  I nodded, continuing forward. A rustling sound, like paper scraping against concrete, filled my ears. “What is that?” I winced, clutching at her trembling arm.

  I feared what I would find as I looked through the small window where I’d heard the noise. A dark shoe slid along the floor. My heart slammed against my chest, nearly knocking me back. I dropped to the heel of my boots and turned. “Someone’s in here,” I whispered.

  Her big round eyes stared as she waved for me to continue.

  I pressed my hand to the door, searching for a handle, but only found a lock. “We need a key, do you have one?”

  She shook her head violently. “No, no.”

  I released a frustrated breath. “Hello, can you hear me?”

  The person’s foot moved, but they didn’t answer. Another foot slid from behind the corner. I couldn’t see the person’s body, but at least I knew they were alive unlike the other guy.

  “Bella? Is that you?”

  The voice was broken and coarse. I couldn’t tell by the words alone who it was. Since I’d been here everyone had called me Nadia, even after I’d demanded they call me Bella. But this person called me by my name with certainty.

  And then like a million icicles had just stabbed me everywhere including my throat, I was left unable to speak. Unable to say what it was I was thinking. What I knew.

  A tear fell hot against my frozen flesh, gliding slowly. I paced, hands clenched at my sides, wrecked with shock.

  I rushed to Albina who was two doors down. “How do I open this door, Albina?”

  “This is horrible, Miss.”

  “Who?” I shook her body again.

  “Your father, he’s an evil man.” Her eyes slid closed as tears flowed from them. “Wait, I think there might be a key,” She pointed to a small shelf above the door. “Maybe there,” neither one of us were tall enough to reach it.

  I turned toward the entrance where I remembered seeing a bucket filled with waste, and the smell overwhelmingly gagged me. Without another choice, I dumped whatever had been inside, and rushed back toward the door I desperately wanted to open.

  I needed to save him.

  I tossed it upside down, squirming with the loud clank it made. I pressed my booted foot onto the small, round, metal strip; it was flimsy but held me. My legs wobbled as my fingers crawled along the edge of the shelf, pressing the frozen pads of my fingers onto the prickly wood.

  My balance became questionable, but I had to try. I lost my balance, catching myself just before my foot slipped from the metal. I was desperate not to screw this up, and falling wasn’t an option; I was pregnant after all. I couldn’t allow my baby to become hurt or my pregnancy risked. Still, I needed to try. Albina stepped back releasing a relieved breath into the cold air.

  My fingers were past the numb stage of freezing, but I continued pressing them along the wood. I couldn’t feel anything but heard a piece of metal as I swept across the shelf.

  “I found it,” I cheered.

  I reached for it carefully, not wanting to lose it. I lowered my arms, needing to rest my tired muscles for a few seconds.

  “Bella?” the disconcerting voice asked again.

  My eyes closed tight fearing the worst once more. “Yes, it’s Bella.�
� Another tear slid from my soul, knowing who this voice belonged to, even if it sounded nothing like him. Part of me wanted to deny it. Forget the possibilities, but I knew. It all made sense, everything was adding up. Everything that Ivan had said a week and a half ago was now coming to fruition. Which meant…

  I was rushed from my thoughts as I swept the metal side to the side. Pushing hard and erect on the bucket, I rested against the door for support as I steadied myself.

  The key fell off the edge with a loud clank of the metal against the concrete. I stepped from the bucket one foot at a time searching for the key.

  “Here.” Albina lifted, shoving it to me. “Hurry!”

  A dark figure slouched against the wall. The small room reminded me of a horse stall with straw covering the floor. The straw lay as a bed for this darkened figure. “Hello?” I asked.

  “Bella?” The voice was weak.

  I was scared. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

  “Bella, you have to get out of here.”

  “Chase,” I cried, tears falling so rapidly I couldn’t stop them. I choked on anger, seeing him lay against the wall.

  “Tony, he’s here too.”

  Vomit lurked in the back of my throat, wondering if it was Tony we’d found in the first room. I didn’t say anything, but I knew the probability was high.

  “Albina, take this key and search the rest of the rooms.” She hesitated, staring at it before finally taking it and shuffling backward from the small room.

  “Are you hurt? Where’s Jax?” I stroked his cheek, pulling him to my chest to warm his frozen body.

  “Help me to my feet,” his speech slurred. “They drugged me, but it’s wearing off,” he answered seeing my worry.

  “How long have you been here?” I closed my eyes, dipping my chin as the tears rolled from my face.

  Was it Jax in the first room?

  Chase wrapped his arms across my shoulders, and I pulled back.

  “I’m okay, Bella. I just need to get on my feet.”

  “I found him. He’s okay.” Albina slid into the room catching herself on the door frame.

  Chase stumbled on his feet, clutching at the wall for support. “What did they give you?” I wiped at my warm tears.

  “It doesn’t matter. He just wanted to keep me paralyzed and unable to get to you.” His voice was strengthening, finally sounding like his own.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Hey.” He stumbled, reaching for me, almost falling. I moved forward offering support.

  “We must hurry!” Albina said while supporting Tony.

  My heart sunk.

  Chase shook his head. “No, it’s okay. They don’t come to check on us.”

  A relentless angered hiss left my lips. “He left you here to die?” I clenched my teeth. “We have to get out of here.”

  His eyes met mine. “Bella, my body is too weak. I need to get some strength before we can leave.” He shook his head “It’s been more than a few days since we’ve had anything to eat or drink. I’m just not strong enough to get you out of here.”

  I wanted to die. I’d been warm and fed the entire time they’d been in this dungeon, cold and hungry.

  “His men are powerful, but we have something they don’t know about; remember that, Isabella.” He winked.

  “Okay, okay.” I pressed a hand to my mouth thinking of what to do next. “Let’s get them to my room; if we’re sure that no one’s going to come back and see that you’re gone.”

  Albina insisted, “No, no, bad idea.”

  “You’re the only one who comes into my room now. No one will know.” Since Alexei had walked into my room and I scolded him, no one had been back inside.

  Her eyes filled with fear. “This is a bad idea. If anyone finds out I’ve helped you, I’ll be killed and my family…” She cupped her mouth as her face turned green.

  “Albina, my husband is a powerful man. I’m sure he can help you.”

  She wrinkled her brows as she looked at Chase, who leaned against a wall for support. “He doesn’t look well.”

  He didn’t. I chewed on my thumbnail, needing to say something that would reassure her she was doing the right thing. “Please,” was all I could mutter.

  When Chase and Tony were able to stand firm, we closed the doors to the rooms they’d been in, locking them, and returned the key and the bucket, but left the contents that once resided in the bucket on the floor. We left the dungeon and locked that door as well, careful to have everything appear untouched except the bucket. We still had the four flights of stairs to ascend, and as weak as they were, I wasn’t sure we’d make it before the castle woke and we were caught. We ascended each one slowly and carefully taking several breaks along the way. They wanted to push forward, but I knew they needed those small breaks, and I insisted on it.

  We’d finally reached the top of the stairs to the hallway, and my heart shattered against my chest with fear that someone would be there.

  I turned my eyes toward Albina, and she waved me to continue. I was terrified of what they would do with Chase and Tony if they found us. “What if someone’s there?”

  Chase seemed out of breath as he rested against the wall. “Listen against the door,” he ordered and gestured with his head. I watched as the exhaustion circled his dark eyes knowing that they needed to rest.

  Hesitantly, I pressed my palms against the coldness of the heavy metal door. I didn’t hear anything, but it was probably too heavy duty to allow sound to move through. I pressed my ear as flush as possible and still heard nothing, not even vibration from the other side.

  “Well?”

  I turned to Chase seeing that everyone was watching as they waited for an answer. I shook my head. “I can’t hear anything,”

  “Then maybe there’s nothing to hear,” Tony whispered.

  I scattered my gaze between Chase and Tony. “We’re as good as dead if we step through and someone’s waiting.”

  Chase drew a deep breath. “Bella, we could stay here all day, but”—he winced—“someone is bound to come.” His lips stretched out with pain.

  “Bella.” Tony leaned forward and pressed his fingers to my forearm. “If they’re on the other side we’ll deal with it, but it will be alright.”

  I sank a hand into my hair and panicked as irrational thoughts flooded my mind, shaking off Tony’s hold. “We aren’t getting out of here, are we? We’re never getting out of here!”

  Chase pushed off from the wall with his right hand while he supported his left side with the other and stepped in front of me, easing me back a few steps. “You’re gonna be okay.”

  “We’re prisoners until he says.” An ache had begun to spread over my entire body and was enough to cause chaos throughout my mind.

  Chase never left my narrowed stare. “Breathe, Bella, breathe.” He pressed his palm to my cheek. “Breathe.” He watched with concern as horror filled my face.

  “Don’t you see? This is it.” I was stepping onto the ledge of insanity as a sickly feeling washed over me. “I want to go home.”

  Chase’s hand slid to my hair so that he could pull my head to rest against his. “I need you to listen, Bella. I need you to trust that Jax made sure we’d get you out of here.”

  I nodded against his forehead feeling a hot tear slip down my cheek. “Me, but what about you three?” I closed my eyes tight knowing he’d lie to me. Hoping he’d lie to me.

  “The only thing that matters is that you’re safe.”

  I lifted my eyes letting him see the realization on my face; hiding it was pointless. I swept my tongue over my dry lips watching the truth as it swam in his eyes. The idea that he and Tony would die for me and that somewhere in this castle Jax waited for his death, or was in that room already dead, gutted me. “I can't do this… I don’t want to do this anymore.”

  Chase lifted as Albina cleared her throat. I turned, having seen from my peripheral that she’d approached. “Miss, it’s okay. We can go now.”
r />   “What? Are you sure?” I slid my palm down my cheek and wiped the wet tears away.

  She nodded and dipped her head. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  I swallowed.

  “See, it’s okay.” Chase held my cheeks as his hooded eyes stared at me.

  I sensed that she knew something that I definitely didn’t, and as much as I wanted to ask, I knew that time wasn’t on my side. “Okay.” I turned toward Chase then Tony, assessing them. They were weak, and the longer we stood there the weaker they were becoming.

  I pressed my hand to the door and winced as the heavy metal screeched. I stilled, hoping no one heard it, but there was no sound. I waited a few moments and then pulled the door fast hoping to prevent further noise. I took a deep breath before leaning into the hallway to investigate. “It’s empty.” My heart pounded in my chest with desperation to get them to safety.

  I held the door and waited for Albina and Tony to walk through and then reached for Chase’s hand, pulling him.

  “Thanks.” His smile fell short.

  I offered a half smile. “Of course,”

  Albina led us through the halls, keeping close to the walls so that the hidden surveillance wouldn’t catch us and signal the guards. I feared that one of them had seen us, but Albina had been very careful and deliberate with every step of our journey, but uneasiness covered my thought, nonetheless. As we finally approached the room, I took a deep breath, hopeful we’d made it without being seen.

  After we entered, I turned toward Albina and saw that her eyes were fixed across the room where the lights from the guard tower cast a glow. That’s when I saw a dark silhouette of a figure illuminated in the window. Someone was in my room, and they knew I wasn’t alone.

  Ignorance inside the darkness was often the safest place, and being strong enough to turn on the light didn’t come without a price.

  I leaned in closer, getting a look at the shadow that loomed inside the darkness. Only an outline from the lights below the window revealed their presence. I blinked once, twice, three times, expecting… I didn’t know what I expected, honestly. Perhaps I expected the mysterious man to kill me, shoot us until we were nothing.