Time had ticked faster and the weather change was drastic.
Aurora had woken up with a groan, slowly and steadily crawled to her couch.
She'd sat there, taking no notice of the change in the weather as her only thought was on Sandra.
' How could I have allowed such a thing to happen? It's all my fault, I shouldn't have ever gone there to quit. I shouldn't have accepted Derrick into my life, I …
And her thoughts had gone so far, she couldn't help but blame herself the more.
She'd cried herself numb when she gained consciousness, neither standing up or crying she couldn't do any.
Staring in the openness, her tears stained cheeks and swollen eyes just watched, waiting for nothing.
The sound of the clock ticking became loud and clear in the quiet space.
Drops of rain drizzling, with the mild cold atmosphere and small waves of the wind.
Yet she couldn't feel anything as this was one of her favorite weather.
' "Sandra! Are the drinks ready yet?" Aurora asked, setting the popcorns down in front of the tv with fluffy blankets and pillows.
"Almost!!" Sandra yelled from the kitchen.
They were both in Sandra's apartment for a sleepover, it was around the year they'd met and clicked as best friends.
It was already known to Sandra that Aurora loved this kind of weather and had always insisted on staying over.
"Done, now… it's time!" Sandra exclaimed dramatically as she settled down with the chocolate drinks and biscuits besides Aurora.
Both laughing, tuned in the channel.'
She wiped her nose as the memory of their first sleepover replayed in her mind.
*********
Sandra had just left Aurora's house, it was already getting late but she didn't mind as long as she was able to comfort her a little.
She'd hope everything would work out fine for her friend.
Walking down the street, she made a turn clutching her bag tight. She really wanted to stay over some more but she couldn't as she'd a lot on her palms already.
A black silk tinted car drove past her at high speed, stunned as she watched as the car made a turn towards her.
'What!?' she thought.
Not thinking much of it, she turned back, walking towards Aurora's street clutching her bag tightly as her hands were trembling and her heart tightened, beating faster.
***
In the car
"Boss, we'd seen her." A man said over a phone as he held the steering wheel of the car.
"Good. You boys know what to do next – remember, bring her alive."
With that the call was cut and there was silence.
The man glanced at his assistant at the passenger seat who gave a smirk, as they watched the auburn lady closely.
The assistant glanced at the other and whispered, "let's have some fun first."
And with that the car sped up and maneuvered.
As the lady turned back to where she was coming from, they knew play time was over and sped towards her.
The assistant came down watching her closing, bringing out the napkin, he rushed towards her and held it to her nose as the lady struggled but eventually fell unconscious.
He hijacked her and threw her in the boot of the car, and sped off.
****
Groaning, Sandra strained to open her eyes as the pain increased.
She tried to get up from bed but she felt restrained and couldn't move.
As her vision finally came back,
'What? This isn't my room. What happened?...'
She felt immense pains as she finally glanced around her surroundings and her wrists and ankles, to find out she was strapped on a bed.
In a room with dim lights and had no windows, only a vent. The ceiling was high as the walls were just black. The sheets she was in were also black but she was immensely uncomfortable.
She couldn't decipher how she got here and her thoughts were disrupted as she heard an iron door slammed.
She only stared at the door of the room she was held hostage in, as loud footsteps echoed loudly.
Sandra was getting anxious as she watched the door closely.
Slowly and slowly it sounded nearer till the door slammed open.
She was speechless as she saw the person at the door.
He walked closer to her with steady and slow steps, hand tucked in his pockets and a cigarette in mouth.
"Well…hello dear, hope you had a good sleep?" He said in a mocking manner.
Sandra was trembling with fear, as she hadn't seen this man before or how she even related to him.
With a trembling voice, she asked, "Who are you?"
"I thought you'd know by now since a little birdie told you what she shouldn't have exposed to anyone."
'huh?' Sandra wasn't even sure if she'd heard of him before, Aurora only told her of Derrick and…
"Viktor." she gasped out with tremor.
"Such a smart one." Viktor smiled deviously as he took out a handset from his pocket.
Sandra wondered what he was about to do with it but as she glanced at it more, it looked exactly like hers.
What was he doing with her phone?
Viktor saw a prey in front of him as the girl was just exposed to him.
He could easily read her emotions and thoughts through her facial expressions and he knew she'd realized it's hers.
He sat beside her and shrugged, playing with the phone, "call her."
Only that command was enough.
Sandra gave him the passcode and dialed Aurora's number but it wasn't going through.
Viktor couldn't waste anymore of his time as he snapped and held her jaw harshly, fingers digging into her skin.
Sandra cried out in pain as she felt blood dripping down from her jaw.
He spat, " you are in this because of that – thing. And also possibly die here, so better prepare."
Like that he bolted out the room slamming it shut as the sound echoed around the room and locked it.
Sandra looked at the ceiling as the pains had subsided, and her thoughts were only on Aurora.
Tears streamed down her eyes as she thought of Aurora and what they might have done to her.
She really hoped that Aurora was okay.
****
"What now?" Derrick asked as he walked up to Viktor.
They had gotten news of Aurora and the exact hospital she was admitted into.
Viktor closed his eyes as he exhaled the cigarette, feeling the night breeze on him.
He slowly opened his eyes, "we wait."
That was all he said as he focused back at the night view, exhaling out the cigarette smoke.
****
The next day
Aurora woke up, the first thing she did was to get freshened up, wore black sweatpants and a blue oversized hoodie and sneakers.
She didn't care how she looked although last night was a struggle to sleep.
Her only mission of the day was to meet Viktor.
Last time wasn't a nice visit but she'd made it clear that she was done with all this, now they have Sandra held hostage.
Rushing through her threshold, she immediately put the pocket knife she had in her pockets and called a taxi.
She needed to do something, even if it ended up with her getting hurt she didn't care.
Something has to be done.
****
Standing in front of the club with a stammering body and fast beating heart, she headed inside.
Her surprise was that none of the guards stopped her till she reached his office.
The door to his office opened before she could knock.
As she walked in, the smell of gun powder and cigarettes engulfed her nostrils.
She stood, not a single word was exchanged.
Viktor sat in his seat, staring at her. His smirk was visible as he watched waiting for her to make a move.
He'd been waiting a while for her, as one of his workers had gotten information on Aurora and her movement this morning.
"Sit."
Just a word, a command was all he said. But the weight of that one word had every message passed across already.
Aurora hesitated, sat.
"You know what I want Aurora –stay."
Viktor spat as he went straight to the point.
Aurora glared at him as she held herself from throwing the knife at him. "where. is. she?"
"Straight to the point I see… well let's watch her together then? Good."
He mocked as he signalled the guards who brought a laptop.
Viktor smirked as he showed her the Livestream of Sandra.
Aurora gasped, eyes wide and tears filling it as her body trembled with fear.
There in the screen, Sandra was strapped with metallic chains to a wooden torture plank.
She was left only in her panties and bra, her body scarred with different marks, blood still dripping from the fresh ones.
She was half conscious and looked malnourished.
Aurora couldn't watch it as she screamed and thrashed around.
"No dear…let's keep watching our little friend. Isn't that what you wanted? –now watch.".
He spat as the guards immediately rushed and held her, forcing her to face the laptop.
"Here comes the best part…
Viktor came and hardly grabbed her hair and pushed it into the screen more.
Derrick was seen walking into the room with some equipment.
He dropped them all on a side table, faced the camera and grinned.
Slowly he brought out the things, a lighter, scissors, acid and it went all.
Aurora couldn't see clearly as her tears were blurring her vision.
Derrick took out the first tool, lighter.
He walked closer to Sandra, clicked the lighter and kept it closer to her stomach where the tiny flame burned a spot as Sandra screamed.
Aurora cried out, her throat hurting as she exclaimed.
"Please stop!...I'll..I'll do anything you ask..just please stop."
Her voice breaking more as the tears streamed down, her vision getting blinded by the tears and her heart clenching at the sight of her friend suffering…and it was all her fault.
Viktor smirked as he won. He signalled to the guards to release her, so did Derrick as he left the chamber shutting it.
Sandra's cries could still be heard.
Viktor crouched to her level on the floor, as Aurora kept on crying.
He saw it as a waste of time and had not a single ounce of pity for the girl.
He dragged her by her hair and quietly whispered, " now you know how your actions can actually take someone's life when you act foolish. Such a pity." he tsk as he stood and cleaned his finger with a hankie.
Aurora saw this as an opportunity as she immediately stood and stabbed his leg.
Which left her in shock.
Viktor felt a slight pain on his legs, and laughed.
'Such a fool.'
Aurora gasped as she saw no blood on his leg nor an ounce of pain radiating from him.
He slapped her across the face, sending her flying across the room.
The guards came in and dragged her out but before the left he spat,
"Aurora…make the right decision for the sake of your friend."
With that being said she was dragged out.
As she laid on the ground her thoughts were on his leg and Sandra.
****