The Desired Victim

Chapter 16: A Cage Within a Cage

I'm not sure how long I sat on the floor crying. It could've been hours, days, weeks, I wouldn't have known the difference. All I know is that I eventually stopped when I couldn't feel anything anymore. I didn't want to feel anything ever again. I wish Emory had never saved me, I wish he would've just let me die. Surviving and living through this hell seemed to become more impossible with every second, and for what? I wasn't worth anything now anyway. Well, I wasn't worth anything that actually mattered. 

I was now lying on my stomach listening to the waters churn beneath me. It was strangely hypnotic, listening to the floorboards creak and groan as the ship moved. I imagined all of the creatures swimming beneath me, how free they all are. Free to swim where they please. My stomach ached at the thought of never being free ever again. 

I closed my eyes.

What was I supposed to do? Fight and struggle my way through my new life, or just accept it? 

I kept my eyes closed, hoping to fall asleep. And then I heard a loud crash from the deck above. Various forms of muffled shouting, too. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good.

I sat upright, my heart starting to accelerate. What was going on? Were we being attacked? Where was Emory?

I looked around the room frantically, searching for anything to defend myself with. Or for anywhere to hide. There wasn't anything I could use as a weapon, and the only place I could really hide was under the bed. 

Footsteps and shouts were thundering louder, they were coming from the halls outside the room. 

Not seeing any other choice, I dragged myself under the bed. I could barely fit, and I wasn't sure how much time I had before the room was invaded and I was discovered. I tried to crawl as far back as I could to the wall, praying they wouldn't find me. Whoever "they" were.

Seconds after I got my body completely under the bed, the door crashed open. The space under the bed was small enough to where I could see only dirty boots. There were about three pairs of them. 

"Search the room!" a gruff voice commanded. I noticed he had a Spanish accent. "Take any valuables you see, we still haven't found what she's looking for!" 

The men started tearing the room apart, looking through Emory's pile of clothes, and ripping apart the chest at the foot of the bed. Holding my breath, I prayed to whatever god was listening that I wouldn't be found. 

"We've torn this place from top to bottom," one of the other men complained. "We got all of the loot we need, let's just go."

"No," the Spanish man snapped. "There's something so valuable on this ship, that it's worth more than all of the treasured combined. We're not leaving until we find it!" 

My pulse quickened. 

Before I could even have another thought, the bed seemed to sink on top of me. My bones felt like they were getting crushed inside of me, and I had to cover my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out.

"Oh, come on Nicolas," the man whined. He was lying on the bed above me, and wasn't exactly the smallest in size. "We never get a break, why can't we just relax for once?"

"We can relax when we find the treasure, culo manteca!!" He sounded very irritated. 

I could barely breathe, the pressure from the bed was crushing me. I prayed the man would get off soon, or else I would suffocate to death and it wouldn't even matter if they found me or not. 

And then I heard a small cracking sound inches away from my face. The bed was starting to snap from the man's weight. 

"Even if we do find the treasure," the man on the bed was saying, "it won't make the Captain favor you anymore than she already doesn't." He burst out laughing along with the other man in the room.

"Watch your mouth, you scum!" Nicolas seemed to punch the man in the gut above me, and that was all it took for the bed to completely collapse on top of me. 

I couldn't help but cry out in fear and in pain.

"What the hell?" Nicolas muttered. "Get off the bed, there's someone under there!" 

I kept my head ingrained in the floor, I didn't want to look at them when they found me. I felt the bed being moved off of me, and all of the pressure was lifted off of my body. I could breathe again.

"Well, look what we have here," the fat man remarked. "We found a little mouse hiding in the floorboards!"

I didn't want to look at them. I just wanted to die right where I was. 

A rough hand grabbed my arm and lifted me up. Another hand grabbed my face so I was forced to look.

I assumed it was Nicolas who was holding me. He was very young, younger than I would've thought. Perhaps around Emory's age. He had dark skin and wavy black hair. I looked straight into his black eyes, horrified. 

"Pretty little thing, she is." Nicolas said softly. He was looking at me like he was trying to figure something out. "You're coming with us, niña."

*********************************************************************

Hey guys!! Hope you liked this chapter :) I know it's short, so I'll probably be uploading another part later today or tonight <3 I really love comments and feedback, so keep it up!! Thanks for reading, my loves <3