drugs involved, there really was a chance of a rescue. A tiny seed of hope was planted.
“Why?” Darrius croaked out.
Such a simple question. She was silent for a long moment struggling to find the words, but there were none. “I don’t know. I just don’t know. These people are sick, Darrius. We need to figure out how to get away from them.”
He titled his head at her. She couldn’t see his eyes because of the swelling but his shoulders straightened slightly and she knew he felt it, too. Hope. That was all they had at this point.
Suddenly, the van jerked forward. After a few feet, it came to an abrupt stop before slowly continuing on. Where in the world were they taking them? Not knowing was the worst part of all of this. They had no control of their lives at this point. If they at least knew what to expect, maybe they could mentally prepare for it. Although, no one could have mentally prepared for what she’d already been through.
“I love you, Darrius. I’m so sorry I let you down.”
“Not your fault.” She saw a tear slide down his swollen cheek. “Not your fault,” he repeated and her heart broke in a thousand pieces. She knew it was her fault. If it weren’t for her, he would have never been in this position. Those creeps had wanted her.
She wanted to calm him, reassure her little brother somehow. But the words would not come so instead she did the only thing she could think of.
Aaliyah started singing in Afrikaans. Their native tongue in South Africa. Her voice sounded sad to her own ears. The song had been Darrius’s favorite bedtime song when he was littler. Wielie-wielie-walie,die aap sit op die balie. Tjoef-tjaf val hy af. Wielie-wielie-walie. A silly song about a monkey sitting on a barrel. Darrius used to beg her to sing it over and over when she tucked him in bed at night. She would sell her soul to go back to that time and place again.
Darrius’s head dropped to her shoulder, and she continued to sing in a hushed voice. It bothered her that she couldn’t reach up and touch him, but at least they were together. His breathing soon became regular and his head rolled back. She smiled and kept singing. Poor little boy probably hadn’t had a good sleep since they’d been abducted. She knew she hadn’t. Nightmares kept her up.
They drove for hours. At least it felt like hours. Mostly in a straight line it seemed, and they were driving fast, so they were probably on a main highway. Somehow, she knew where they were going would be far worse than where they had come from. Just the thought, made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, as a chill ran down her spine.
Eventually, the van slowed and rolled to a stop. Darrius was awake and shivering. She knew it wasn’t from the cold. He was terrified. They both were terrified. But nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see.
“It’s going to be okay. I love you,” she whispered.
“Right.” Darrius dropped his head.
The doors flew open and two large men pulled them out of the van. Despite the cold, perspiration beaded on her upper lip. Desperately, she tried to fight the fear that flooded her body.
Aaliyah looked around trying to take in her surroundings. Huge colorful metal boxes stacked high surrounded them. She could smell the ocean and hear the waves lapping. At any other time, the sounds would have been soothing. Here, nothing was calming. They were being shoved forward. Darrius cried out and the man slapped him hard across the head. Blood flew from his mouth.
Aaliyah went crazy. She thrashed and kicked, but the man just laughed, dragging her along on the ground. Eventually, he got sick of pulling her, so he threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing. Her gown slipped up and the man cupped his hand on her bare bottom. His large fingers dug into her skin making her want to vomit. Frantic, she struggled against him, squirming, twisting, but it was useless against
“Why?” Darrius croaked out.
Such a simple question. She was silent for a long moment struggling to find the words, but there were none. “I don’t know. I just don’t know. These people are sick, Darrius. We need to figure out how to get away from them.”
He titled his head at her. She couldn’t see his eyes because of the swelling but his shoulders straightened slightly and she knew he felt it, too. Hope. That was all they had at this point.
Suddenly, the van jerked forward. After a few feet, it came to an abrupt stop before slowly continuing on. Where in the world were they taking them? Not knowing was the worst part of all of this. They had no control of their lives at this point. If they at least knew what to expect, maybe they could mentally prepare for it. Although, no one could have mentally prepared for what she’d already been through.
“I love you, Darrius. I’m so sorry I let you down.”
“Not your fault.” She saw a tear slide down his swollen cheek. “Not your fault,” he repeated and her heart broke in a thousand pieces. She knew it was her fault. If it weren’t for her, he would have never been in this position. Those creeps had wanted her.
She wanted to calm him, reassure her little brother somehow. But the words would not come so instead she did the only thing she could think of.
Aaliyah started singing in Afrikaans. Their native tongue in South Africa. Her voice sounded sad to her own ears. The song had been Darrius’s favorite bedtime song when he was littler. Wielie-wielie-walie,die aap sit op die balie. Tjoef-tjaf val hy af. Wielie-wielie-walie. A silly song about a monkey sitting on a barrel. Darrius used to beg her to sing it over and over when she tucked him in bed at night. She would sell her soul to go back to that time and place again.
Darrius’s head dropped to her shoulder, and she continued to sing in a hushed voice. It bothered her that she couldn’t reach up and touch him, but at least they were together. His breathing soon became regular and his head rolled back. She smiled and kept singing. Poor little boy probably hadn’t had a good sleep since they’d been abducted. She knew she hadn’t. Nightmares kept her up.
They drove for hours. At least it felt like hours. Mostly in a straight line it seemed, and they were driving fast, so they were probably on a main highway. Somehow, she knew where they were going would be far worse than where they had come from. Just the thought, made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, as a chill ran down her spine.
Eventually, the van slowed and rolled to a stop. Darrius was awake and shivering. She knew it wasn’t from the cold. He was terrified. They both were terrified. But nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see.
“It’s going to be okay. I love you,” she whispered.
“Right.” Darrius dropped his head.
The doors flew open and two large men pulled them out of the van. Despite the cold, perspiration beaded on her upper lip. Desperately, she tried to fight the fear that flooded her body.
Aaliyah looked around trying to take in her surroundings. Huge colorful metal boxes stacked high surrounded them. She could smell the ocean and hear the waves lapping. At any other time, the sounds would have been soothing. Here, nothing was calming. They were being shoved forward. Darrius cried out and the man slapped him hard across the head. Blood flew from his mouth.
Aaliyah went crazy. She thrashed and kicked, but the man just laughed, dragging her along on the ground. Eventually, he got sick of pulling her, so he threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing. Her gown slipped up and the man cupped his hand on her bare bottom. His large fingers dug into her skin making her want to vomit. Frantic, she struggled against him, squirming, twisting, but it was useless against
Similar Books
