Chapter Thirteen

Still trapped, Florence is eager to know the story behind her kidnapping. But Frankie is reluctant to spill the stories because she knows Florence will have a hard time hearing them.

Chapter Thirteen; Revenge

As much as I tried to pull out all the secrets and stories of Michael, Frankie wasn’t having it. She was absolutely determined not to tell me anything, and she’d kept it like that, she didn’t even nearly accidentally spill the beans of all Michael’s doings…

It was annoying but at the same time, a relief. I wanted to know everything Michael had done, but at the same time, I was completely terrified as to what Frankie might well be telling me. I needed someone to take hold and say no Florence, no. And Frankie, was that person.

After I’d fully woken up and was introduced to all the girls that had surrounded me when I returned from unconsciousness, Frankie happily surprised me with the amount of water and food supplies. I was starting to feel like I was in a movie, this was just too good. It was too good to be real.

Frankie didn’t take long to defend herself and the girls though; her reason being was that they were just too smart for Michael to handle. Which to be honest, I loved the sound of, and with what Frankie had done and ordered me to do, just to be able to set me free was, well, truly amazing and clever.

‘So…’ I sliced the silence, finishing off yet another bottle of water. ‘What’s your secret?’

Frankie raised her eyebrows, and smirked, ‘That’s for me to know and for you to wonder!’ She said, tapping her nose secretively.

‘I’ll just ask Charlene…or Maisey!’ I carelessly gestured to the two girls sitting on the floor, minding their own business.

‘They wouldn’t tell you either, Florence.’

I turned my head to the side, curiously. ‘Why?’

‘Because they don’t know.’ She said, winking and tapping her nose again.

I rolled my eyes, ‘You’re very…secretive.’

‘It’s for your own good Florence. Now go eat some more bread..’

‘Do you have any fruit? I need to stay as healthy as I can..’ I said, gesturing to my stomach.

‘We’re good Florence…but we’re not that good.’ Frankie smiled with sadness. ‘Sorry.’ She said, chucking another bread roll at me. I shrugged, stuffing down the bread roll without another complaint, then I remembered…

I slowly and cautiously lifted my top to examine my wound, the t-shirt was soaked in dry blood as was my hair, but my stomach was completely clean and was surprisingly covered in dressings. I stared down at it until my neck began to ache, and then shot a look at Frankie. ‘How? W-When?’ I asked, my mouth still wide open.

Frankie shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. Truth is, it is totally a big deal.

‘We managed to do it while you were still completely out, we had second thoughts but then decided it was probably best cause you wouldn’t feel a thing.’

Frankie explained, unmoved.

‘Wow.’ I whispered, ‘Thanks.’ 

Frankie shrugged with a smile, ‘You’d do it for us to, and we knew that. We knew we could trust you.’

‘Thanks.’ I repeated because I didn’t know what else to say.

‘Again, don’t mention it…’

A small silence grew, but it felt comfortable. Frankie passed me another bread roll, I looked at her cautiously. ‘I don’t want to take up all the supplies. I’ll be fine for a while, really..’

‘Florence, don’t be so silly. We’ve been here a while, we’re all fed up well. You have two people to feed, you need it more.’

I smiled, nodding at her. ‘Okay.’ I said, taking the bread roll from her and stuffing it down in only a couple of huge bites.

As soon as I swallowed down the bread, I felt more alive than I’d ever have in the last few hours. I didn’t know how long I’d be stuck down there in that dirty dungeon but I knew it was enough. 

‘Feeling better?’ Frankie asked.

‘Yep. Much more.’ I grinned. I felt almost happier too, but that wasn’t just down to the bread; of course Michael had completely disappeared and hopefully, he was out of my life.

Well, hopefully.

My mind had been burning up questions for me to ask ever since I’d been awake. But I wasn’t sure if Frankie would answer them, I didn’t know if it was worth it because she had been very reluctant earlier, though they were more serious questions that I had asked.

I decided to just go for it, I didn’t have anything to loose. Frankie would understand and if she said no, then that was that. ’Frankie?’

‘Yes?’ She turned to me expectantly, and I already knew she could tell what I was going to say. ’Another question?’ 

I nodded innocently, ’You don’t have to answer. I understand why you don’t want to.’

‘Okay, well fire away?’

I swallowed tightly, forcing my eyes down to the floor and then I spoke quietly. ‘What…happens now? When will I…be able to go home? See my family? Oh god!’ A pang of worry jolted me as I spoke the word. I hadn’t even thought about what my parents must be going through. My hand was already slapped over my mouth before Frankie could answer.

‘Florence. Don’t worry yourself. They’ll be fine okay? They probably have a whole search party of police looking for you and hopefully they’ll find this place.’

I frowned, ‘So we’re just waiting for them to find us?’

Frankie took a big sigh, ‘Listen Florence. I know this may have a lot of pressure on you, but you are going to be the reason we get set free. None of our search parties found us! But yours might!’

‘Why mine?’

‘I just have a feeling, Florence. We all do.’ She glanced over to the group of girls that were also sat in the room. ‘We just have to believe, and that is including you.’

I bit my lip, knowing that they wouldn’t find us unless they had some sort of special detector. A Michael foot print detector, which to be honest, he’d probably had covered up. There was probably no evidence that we were all in here! Sick, cold, hungry. Even though we did have supplies, it wouldn’t be enough. It would never be enough, we wouldn’t survive….Maybe weeks, or a few months but what if it took years?

Some people never find the kidnapper of all these women and young girls.

Another horrible thought came to me….years. I thought. I’d of had my baby by then, I actually didn’t have many months to go. Frankie and the girls did not have the supplies or equipment to deliver a baby! I wasn’t being selfish, I just wanted to be realistic. We all needed to get out of here, right now.

Who knew if Michael would return? What would he do if he knew we were all here? Hiding.

He’d go off his head.

My lips were trembling, my eyes were all over the place. My mind was taking me somewhere that wasn’t on this earth. But it was all making so much sense, I just wondered if Frankie would understand…

‘Florence?’ Frankie’s small voice spoke my name.

My head suddenly snapped to her face, ‘Frankie. We need to get out of here, and we need to do it now.’

‘What?’ Frankie and all of the other girls snapped their head to me, and spoke in unison.

I grinned, I even laughed a little. ‘We’re getting out of here girls! We’re going to be free.’

‘Florence! There is no way out! We can’t escape, there is no way out…’ 

I had ran over to the only window at the front of the room. Outside, it was dark and rainy. I had no idea how we were going to do this, but I’d try my very best to make it happen, for the girls, for me and for my unborn baby.

We all deserved it, and Michael deserved revenge.

I walked back to Frankie, hearing her words at the back of my mind. I was completely miles away, and then her words had snapped me back. ‘Frankie. Do you trust me?’

‘What?’ Frankie looked at me, all confused and innocent. She was too loyal and genuine. ‘Of course I do. You know that!’

‘Good, and you want to get out of here right? You want to have a life! You want to see the look on Michael’s face when we get revenge on him, for you, for me and all the girls!’

‘Yes. I do.’ Frankie grinned, beginning to imagine the idea. ‘I’d love that!’

‘Well it can happen Frankie. We just have to believe.’ I winked at her, and then whispered, ‘C’mon Frankie. I need you. This won’t work without you.’

She stared at me, her eyes absolutely terrified but excited and worthy. She knew we could do it, she knew we could get out of here. She was just too afraid to try.

‘I know it’s scary. I know that, but think what we’ve been through? What you’ve helped me with?’ I couldn’t even recognise my voice. It sounded so unfamiliar; so strong and determined….and I absolutely loved it.

‘Florence. You’re….you’re crazy!’ Frankie shook her head, as though she had no self confidence in herself or me, or the girls.

‘I know. I know that Frankie, but if we stay here any longer, then we wont survive. You know that too.’

Frankie had drowned in the silence, as had the other girls. I slowly walked towards them, sat huddling together, trying to keep warm with only the dirty clothes on their back and the surrounding warmth. We’d never survive here. 

They all knew that, they were basically just waiting to die.

‘Don’t you want to get out of here?’ I approached a huddle of three girls, shivering. They were only young, maybe even younger than me. I didn’t even want to listen to what my thoughts were telling me, what they were concluding this all to. I didn’t want to hear the word…. ‘Look at you.’ I gently stroked one girls hair, she couldn’t have been any older than 13, it made me ache inside. It made me so desperately angry.

‘You’re so beautiful. You don’t deserve this life.’ I whispered, trying to keep back the tears. ‘You can’t let them die Frankie…’

‘I’m not going to, I’d make sure that they wouldn’t…’

‘But what about you! You deserve to get out of here too.’

‘This isn’t about me. Its about all of us. You can’t just suddenly think of a plan to get us all out of here! Just think about what these girls have been through, everything that happened to you. What would Michael do if he saw us! He’d kill us all. We’re lucky we’re alive Florence…’

I stared at her, helplessly. The tears began to sting my eyes and then with one big sob, my eyes drained them out. I clutched my stomach helplessly, ‘You can’t just give up!’ I sobbed, ‘I won’t let you give up.’

‘We’re not giving up, we’re alive aren’t we?’ 

I couldn’t answer that, so in that moment I gave up with my own plan, my own thoughts and fell to the floor, crying. 

‘You have no idea what Michael is capable of.’ Frankie’s voice was near again. It sounded harsh, but at the same time, caring.

‘Yes I do. Don’t forget that it happened to me too! I know what we’ve all been through! You were the one telling me that I needed to keep my chin up.’

‘Florence, I know that. I just meant stop with all the crying. I know your pregnant and I know you feel helpless but escaping instead of someone finding us, it could be lethal.’

She explained, and suddenly I felt like I’d hit a nerve; maybe Frankie was about to tell me all that had happened, open up the box of secrets that Michael tried to throw into a dungeon like he did with all of us!

‘Why would it be lethal?’ I asked, my voice only a small murmur.

‘Nice try, but no way am I telling you..’

‘Frankie! We don’t have anymore time for keeping secrets!’ I exclaimed, ‘If you tell me, maybe I’ll change my mind? There’s no point in keeping all these secrets from me!’

‘Just tell her Frankie. She deserves to know…’ A voice spoke behind me. Finally someone was hearing my point, and was actually on my side.

‘Amelia don’t encourage her!’

‘She’s right though, she does deserve to know.’ Amelia had stood up now, and was facing us both.

‘Thank you, Amelia.’ I smiled sensitively.

‘Don’t mention it. It’s only fair if I’m honest..’ She said, and then sat back down with the rest of the girls.

Frankie took a big, long sigh. I know it wasn’t easy for her, but I really wanted to know everything that had happened with Michael.

‘You really won’t like this, but okay, I’ll tell you.’ Frankie said, her voice still a little distant. I could tell she really didn’t want to tell me.

‘Okay.’ Frankie breathed, ‘Here it goes…’

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Author's Note

Unedited.