On my way up, the staircase also packed with people, making me fervently hope no one was in my unlocked bedroom, I heard some voices coming from one of the rooms near mine – one of the guest bedrooms. I would’ve left it well alone – probably a couple wanting to be alone, after all – except I heard what sounded like a scuffle, and a girl scream before the sounds became muffled. I hesitated for a split second before deciding I had better take a look. Opening the door, I peeked inside.
Cole and Monica were fighting, it seemed. He had her backed up against a wall, her wrists held tightly above her head by one of his hands, and she was struggling, her legs thrashing, as if to escape. I would have turned away and let them be except her eyes were red and glistening with tears, and pure terror and hatred gleamed in those eyes.
“Let me go, you filthy monster!” She struggled again, attempting to knee him in the groin, which he avoided easily, and it was clear she was no match for Cole, who was appearing to enjoy watching her squirm, unaware that I was watching. Was he drunk? It just didn’t make sense that she would be avoiding his advances like this, or that he would have to force himself on her. Still holding her wrists in one hand, he unzipped his pants and forced her to turn around. “Cole’s too busy downstairs to care about you, you stupid whore,” he hissed, and I had a sudden lightbulb moment. Hans.
“Get away from her!” I shouted.
Hans whipped around, his eyes snapping on me. “Ahhh...Ella. Come to join our little party?” His mouth turned into a sneer, looking at me up and down. “You’re not exactly my type, but we’ll have to make do.”
He was definitely high on something. I could smell it in the room, even as I made to turn and call for help. “Somebody! Help! Please!”
“Don’t you dare!” The angry growl came as I felt my hair being yanked backward, the roots hurting like hell, causing my eyes to water. The sudden force made me drop onto the floor, and I watched as Hans hurried to shut the door. The click confirmed he had locked it, and my heart dropped. “Sadly, nobody cares about either of you. No one’s come to look.”
His pitying gaze landed on Monica before swerving to meet mine. He was right – it seemed the music downstairs only became louder, and a minute passed by without any knocks on the door, or someone trying to barge in, to save us both.
He looked at me loathingly before grabbing a pair of scissors on the table. “Get away from the door.” He waved the sharp object threateningly as he motioned for me to move further into the room.
“Now, where were we?” He stalked towards Monica, who had moved into a corner, his hands resuming its previous task, and soon his pants were on the floor. “Come on, you tease. I’m exactly like Cole, except I’ve got tons more experience than him.” He let out a smug, brittle laugh. “Too bad you made him into a wuss when you were with him.” His belt in his hands, he made quick work to tie Monica’s hands to the bedpost and pushed her face-down onto the bed. “I’ve always wanted a taste of the girl he refused to share.”
“Hans, please don’t do this,” I pleaded with him quietly, eyeing the pair of scissors he still held, and now used to trace a faint pink line on Monica’s neck. She whimpered, her eyes wide in fear, face distorted from being pushed into the mattress. I mentally calculated how long it would take me to get past him and to the door. Enough time for him to slash her neck. It was a gamble I wasn’t about to take. This Hans was on drugs, making him infinitely more dangerous than the guy who had put Hank on me.
“You can wait for your turn, Ella. You’ll both get a piece of me.” He said it with relish, as he used the pair of scissors to cut the back of Monica’s flimsy dress into ribbons. He pressed his mouth onto her skin and inhaled deeply, and my stomach lurched. Monica had gone completely still, her face pale. “See what you do to me?” He pressed his groin into her, eliciting another whimper, which made him laugh harshly.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to do something. I could escape and save myself, but at what expense? Monica’s body had begun to tremble, and she looked close to collapsing from the fear. I saw that Hans had begun to cut a line down her back, so that blood slowly started to snake its way across her skin, and Monica now began to shriek.
“Shut up, you bitch! Shut up!” He grabbed her head and slammed it against the metal bedpost, and I watched as she sagged and her knees gave way. It was now or never. I ran towards the door, quickly unlocking it before shouting at the top of my lungs. There were a few people at the foot of the stairs, oblivious to what was happening just above them.
“Somebody help us! Please! COLE!”
It was the last thing I remembered before I felt a sharp crack hit the back of my head, and I was swallowed into a blissful, black nothingness.
***
When I came to, I found myself lying in an unfamiliar bed. The room was white and austere, and I could hear a low beeping sound nearby. Turning my head, I felt pain sear through the back of my skull, causing me to squeeze my eyes shut. I tried to remember the events leading up to my being here. Hans. Monica.
I sat up, and immediately regretted it. I breathed as calmly as I could through my nose, waiting
