3.

Hayat's POV:

My body jerked suddenly, snapping me out of the trance I was confined in throughout the ride. I didn't know when we reached the destination and how long I was lost in my thoughts, away from the cruelty of the present but in the misery of the past.

I was too scared to take a look around but did, nonetheless. And that was an horrible mistake of that day.

"Leave me alone. What did I do? W-why have you brought me here?"

My voice rang through my ears, leaving me restless and anxious. As if I could almost, almost feel, hear and see my 16-year self again, all bruised.....and broken.

"Get out. Do we need to escort you like a princess?" I turned my face to my left, realizing that the men were already out and only I was in the car, and they were waiting for me. I didn't want to go but I had no other option at the moment.

If I didn't step out of the car, they'd forcefully grab my arm and pull me out, and as someone not fond of anyone touching me without consent, wanted to ignore that prediction which would definitely come true if I did not obey as they said.

I struggled my way out with tied hands. I was sure I had the rashes on my wrists because of the tightness knotted on them. They just stood there watching me but were all too early to arrest my arms in their cold hands again, the same hands they used to kill and torture innocent people. Thinking that they were placed on my skin, that too with such intensity and harshness was proving my discomfort as I felt burns and shivers all over my body like an electric current.

In the scary darkness of evening, a vast open land unfolded in front of me as I let my eyes observe around, dominated by a solitary bungalow standing in the centre. The bungalow, an old yet imposing architecture sits amidst the landscape, fields stretching into the distance, and a few scattered trees adding eerie silhouettes against the wide darkening sky.

Its weathered exterior and dimly lit windows casted an ominous shadow growing in the darkness, amplifying the feeling of isolation and captivity for anyone brought there against their will. The sense of desolation and threatening aura is so palpable, enhancing the haunting atmosphere of this remote place.

This place hasn't changed much but only got more unnerving.

"Please, I didn't do anything. Let go of my hand!"

If I didn't know better, I would cry and beg them for my freedom just like how I did years back. But when I spent months with them, I was well aware of their brutality and craziness. They wouldn't, even if I was on the edge of death, they'd rather give me one more kick in my gut to make it a little more painful for me and a lot more exciting for them.

The two holding my hands pulled me along with them, while the baggy cloth guy and the one who drove the car followed behind. The anxiety hasn't left me since I stepped in the car, and it is only increasing more now that I'm slowly taking steps ahead and towards the bungalow.

The flashbacks of all the abuse and torture resurfaced, haunting my confidence and hope and engulfing me in a wave of helplessness and hypervigilance. I wanted to escape and seek safety, but no one here could be powerful and brave enough to provide me with that. They are all puppets of money and greed, drowned and dead in the destructive oceans of their desires, floating on the piles of corruption and crimes, cursed by the innocents and oppressed.

As the distance between me and the frightening structure of the rusted bungalow began to diminish slowly, I gazed up, my eyes falling on the only window with the presence of someone. In the dimly lit room, a silhouette stood against the illuminated windowpane, casting a stark contrast between the darkness outside and the warm glow emanating from within. The outline of his frame was obscure, but I could still make out who he was. I knew him, I know he lives here. And I know much more.

When I tore my look away from the window, I was standing at the door of the bungalow. My heart sank, not theoretically but actually.

The door opened, revealing the luxurious furniture settled at various edges and corners of the hall. I stared with moist and blurry eyes, standing there motionless in the most deafening silence ever experienced by my ears. Engulfed in the haunting flashbacks of the past, I appeared frozen and stoic until my hands were being pulled again. My legs screeched against the clean marble floor, causing a burning sensation at my toes to be sensed as my body tried but couldn't resist being dragged mercilessly. They patently were much more powerful and fierce than me in terms of physical strength and tough bones with bulky muscles.

"Why are you doing this to me? Let me go...!"

"Give me what I am asking for then."

"How could you do this to me, you bloody bastard?!"

"Just like how I did it right now~"

My mind has always been a dangerous place to be. I had shut off each bit of broken pieces somewhere far at the back of my head, the memories that were peeking out of their locked closet earlier were now hovering over me like monsters from all sides, provoking trepidation and restlessness to trail down each of my nerves.

I struggled in vain, trying to break free from the old demons working their way up to my nerves and mind, enforcing their cruel domination. The panic in my eyes mirrored the terror that gripped my soul as I fought against the force pulling me deeper into the abyss of my haunting past.

Even though I had been very familiar with the situation, still couldn't help myself from trying to get out of the harsh grips. I told myself I could take it, I could handle this, I would get through it but now that I stood on the very floor where all the disaster began, I found myself not wanting to face the situation.

My screams were muffled and the corners of my lips and cheeks itched because of the tape stuck to my mouth. I fisted my fingers, pulling my hands in continuous attempts to protest, continuous failed attempts. My resistance was in vain when I realized I stood outside of the very room which gave me the deepest scars and traumas of my life.

The door opened, showcasing the brownish affluent furniture, aligned with a clean and well-maintained interior.

◇─◇──◇─◇

"Ugh leave me!" I screamed, dodging my wrist off from the man's sturdy rough hands. I am in no state to be calm and tolerant, earlier conversation with the devil's head had me coerced to my edge.

Not that I would ever be cool while being crumpled into such a disastrous instance, but every little flame of hope and every tiny plant of tender faith that stayed and consoled me was now fading away.

"You do not give orders, woman. You just listen and obey." He jerked my wrist in his fists stronger, crushing the bone beneath it while the tap of his fingers dug deep into my skin.

The car door shut with a thud and I averted my eyes to the brawny figure approaching. All the other guys stood around me tall, one of them abusing my right wrist while my left wrist had a light grip around, though not to the extent that I would be able to retract my hand.

My face crouched up as the man now stood hovering over me. He had been driving the car all this time. His muscular build somehow made me feel weak and vulnerable. Though, I'll never admit it.

His eyes bored deep into mine, and I felt the same sensation again, that I felt in the car earlier. He fixated his stoic gaze on me for a couple of seconds before turning his face to the guy crushing my hand in his.

"I've heard from Charles that she's quite quick and smart," I looked at my side watching the hooligan sprout out the words to him about me, "Take good care of her, Tiger." He looked at me with a dirty smirk, pressing on the word 'good'.

I frowned and gritted my teeth, feeling my blood boil, I jerked my hand once again from his hold. But as usual, nothing happened.

"Don't worry Nike, I'm good at taking of women more than you." He, whom now I know goes by the name Tiger, said in the huskiest voice ever.

"You guys think I'll die here for all my life?" I asked in a loud voice, practically shouted, my conduct was dripping with pretentious confidence. I just can't fall weak in front of them, I just can't.

"Well not all your life but till you agree for what we want-"

"I'll never agree, not in this life!" I retorted.

"Great then. Wait till you die out of torture." He smirked, exciting my anger more at the resentment. If my hands were free, I would have made sure that he had a bleeding nose and broken jaw.

A foreboding farmhouse loomed across the wide area, the night has girded its menacing atmosphere. The circumjacent cottage was aligned at a little back and seemed to be rusted and leftover for years. The farmhouse was in no good condition, the faded paint and creaked walls were the self-describing elements of its low maintenance.

I was then forced into the farmhouse by them, two pulling me with them while tightening their holds on me, while the other two trailed behind. Their faces were obscured by the darkness as they moved with a sinister purpose, their intentions hidden beneath the shroud of night.

I could feel my dreadful memories haunting my every step, while my senses heightened my fears. I had given up in the depth of my heart somewhere, I just wasn't ready to admit the cowardice and guilt that with it.

I was too drained and exhausted to give even a little attention to the interior of the sumptuous collection of bricks, the antiquated furniture and faded daunting walls still made their presence known to my mind somehow.

"Warren, open the door." The guy kicked open the door, followed by an irksome creak. they practically shoved me inside, as I once again tried to wrest my hand. The guy wrenched at it too strenuously, making me lose balance and fall to the ground.

I winced in pain, grabbing my feet as if it would lessen my now sprained toes. He heaved a deep sigh, his shoulders shrugged down, acting like he was the one who had been through the hell all this time.

"Damn, you're so stubborn." He frowned, "You can't escape, you should accept that already, no...?" He trailed off, taking steady steps towards my awkwardly seated figure on the ground.

"You know what...?" He crouched down in front of me, one corner of his lips lifted into a vicious smirk, his remorseless eyes enhancing his intimidating conduct while he continued to his next words. "We've not taped your mouth this time because no matter how much you scream and cry, nobody can or will hear you and come to your rescue. You can cry for help all day but no one, no one will help you."

"You're...." He leaned in closer to me and I couldn't move although I wanted to, "alone." He added, his voice nothing more than a mere whisper, trying to make his words more intense and threatening.

But how wrong he was to think that. I know no one will listen to me, no one will come to my rescue, no one will help. I know for it has been very clear on the way here. But I wasn't alone. No, I'm never alone. My Lord is with me, and He's the Most Merciful, the Best Helper. I had no hope and faith in me, but I have my immense faith in my Lord.

I will make it out of here, no matter how much the devil tries to lure me into his manipulative whispers and pushes me to be hopeless, I will not fall for it. He, the Greatest, has helped me before, and He will now too. I just need to ask, I just need to pray.

I didn't reply to anything, letting him think that he had won in scaring me. He tilted his head with that same irking smirk before standing up, not prying his gaze away from my figure till he turned around.

"Okay man, we'll be going now." He bid his goodbye to Tiger and the guy who opened the door before went to fetch them out.

I stood up, watching their figure as they made their way out of the room. Before I could move a muscle, my arm was again grabbed and even before I knew it, I was thrown into a crib.

"Agh what the heck are you doing?!" He, Tiger, slipped out handcuffs from a side table, while I watched him intently with a frown settled constantly on my face, he took his collected long steps towards me.

The place could be more described as an enclosure, it was a piece of room built inside a wall, it didn't have a door or fences but an iron pole was settled at a corner from top to floor.

I dared not to look much around it and felt more unpleasant and queasy than I already felt because of the detestable smell prevailing inside it.

He encircled one end on my right wrist while continuing to tie the free one on the iron pole. I twisted my hand to get my wrist out of it before he was done locking it. But I only ended up getting a burning rash on my wrist and he was done with his work.

"Stop trying so hard, didn't you listen to him just now?" He raised one of his brows, his sharp jaw and piercing gaze dominating the wide room, making a chill run down my spine. Was I afraid of him or was it just because of the horrendous situation I was forced in?

"It doesn't scare me!" I shouted, my brows furrowed in a deep frown and my eyes zeroed on him, watching him stare at me with an expression I couldn't describe.

"I'm sure your statement is gonna change soon, squirrel." He smirked. My eyes widened when I realized his last word.

What the heck did he just call me?

I was in a moment of a haze as if I suddenly lost the ability to speak or form words.

I watched him turn and take his seat on the bed in the middle of the room. It was a king-size bed, large and comfy-looking. I roamed my eyes around, finding that this specific room didn't have much furniture, just a couple of double-door cupboards and a side table just beside the wall where the crib ends, the bed and a small table, which had a laptop kept neatly on it. It was the only thing that didn't look outdated.

His words still lingered in my mind, although I tried to analyze the room and think of ways. How can I fool them and escape? It would be hard because this room only consists of one window, which is to my left. I tilted my head a little, trying to peek out of the crib and see what it was hiding from me. I could vaguely see a door at a far corner of the room, I assumed it was the washroom.

Something clicked in my head and for the first time in a while, I let out a small smile, more like a smirk. It soon faded when I felt eyes on me, my gaze flickered to the direction of that feeling and there he was, watching me intently.

He gave me that look which announced me as the stupidest person on Earth. I rolled my eyes, sitting down and avoiding being subjugated under his menacing orbs again. He makes me uncomfortable, in a weird way.