The Hidden by Kiersten Modglin

Author:Kiersten Modglin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kiersten Modglin

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

3—1:18:31

The space under the bed isn’t comfortable, and I’m fighting everything in me not to panic as my claustrophobia sets in. The metal bars are touching my back, and with my front on the carpet, I feel as if I can’t breathe properly.

Next to me, Elliot slides his hand into mine as if he can sense my anxiety levels rising. I’m not positive, but I think it might be the first time he’s touched me since he woke me up stumbling over the dishes the day he arrived. I don’t know what to do with it. We’re face down on the carpeted floor with the bed providing very little cover should the man walk into the room right now.

If he knows we’re here, this is the first place he’ll look. I’m certain of it.

Somehow, despite the worry in my gut and the confusion over my feelings for Elliot, his hand in mine does just what I need. It’s a balm for my fears, a promise that no matter what happens, we’re in this together.

He’s grounding me without any idea he’s doing it. Without any idea I needed it so badly.

I turn my head and rest my cheek against the carpet, meeting his eyes as we listen to the hushed voices down the hall. It sounds like he’s delivering food to them, just like he has been for us, though I hear no threats for them. I guess they’ve been better behaved.

I smile to myself thinking of how I attacked the man that first day, and though he doesn’t know what I’m smiling about, Elliot grins back.

Eventually, the door shuts and the sounds of footsteps rushing our way freezes my heart in my chest. I swear I black out, because one second the footsteps are coming, and the next, the man is on the floor at the end of the bed, nodding and waving for me to come out.

“It’s alright. He’s gone. You’re safe.” He nods and waves, coaxing us out of hiding as Elliot lets go of my hand and begins to slide out from under the bed.

I crawl out on the other side, dusting off the front of my clothes before meeting the eyes of the man and his son, who both look equally as terrified as we are.

“Are you okay?” the man asks me.

I check with Elliot before answering. “Yes, I think so. Thank you for hiding us.”

He presses his lips together, the skin around his blue eyes wrinkling with concern. “What are you doing here? You still haven’t told us. How did you even get here?”

Elliot holds up the key. “We escaped. Tried to run, but there’s a fence around the entire property, watched by at least one armed guard. We were coming back for supplies, and we thought this was the house they’d been keeping us in. Like she said earlier, they look exactly alike.”

The man presses his lips together, trying to understand. “So, wait a minute, there are more places than just this one? How did you manage to find us? How many others are there?”

“We don’t know.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.