Celine's POV
I waited for some minutes, but there was no word from him. I muttered a prayer and turned around.
I heard a loud thud as he slumped to the floor.
I waited a while before getting up, gradually scanning the room and tiptoeing my way to the exit of the basement.
"Whe…where are you going?" He mumbled, followed by incoherent words. He was obviously drunk, cause he reeked of alcohol.
My heartbeat stopped for a while and then quickened. "This is it, he's had me," I muttered under my breath.
One of his hands tried to grip my legs, but I reflexively adjusted, letting his hand slump to the floor.
"Get…backkk..here, d..don't ma..." he muffled a stutter and probably passed out.
I opened the door silently, and after I shut the door behind me, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to my room, making sure not to make a sound.
I didn't want to wake the other sleeping lions who weren't so different from their father, my wicked foster brothers.
I slowly opened the door to my room; it made a rattling sound whenever I pushed it, so I made sure to do it slowly.
I paced around my room, confused about my next line of action. I sure wanted to escape, but not into the hands of another monster.
This other man could be better, or even worse. I couldn't take chances either way.
I had to leave before it was too late, by 'too late' I meant this evening, when the faceless man would come to claim his collateral, as I had overheard him discussing with my mother.
I started packing the small things I had, including a few clothes and shoes.
I didn't forget to pack the locket my dad got for me on my birthday, and the bracelet, which was also a gift from mum for my ninth birthday, the last birthday I had with them before their sad demise.
Then suddenly, three cars pulled out in front of our gate, and five men dressed in suits alighted from the vehicles.
They walked swiftly into our compound and to our door. I was watching them from my window, a cold shiver running down my spine.
Could it be them? No, 'Please lord, don't let it be so,' I muttered a prayer as I continued packing my luggage. I would use the chaos created by these men to my advantage and disappear.
The doorbell rang, they didn't wait for a response before barging into the house, knocking down the door.
"Where is Mr Klein? Come out from your hiding place, we have come to claim our collateral," a commanding voice echoed throughout the house.
I became frantic. That was too soon; I had thought I could escape it.
I could hear fast footsteps behind my door, and soon my door was pushed open, and the men barged in with Mr Klein, my brutal brothers and mother.
I looked at each of them, my fate dawning on me. They were all aware of this, but none of them cared to disclose it to me.
If I hadn't eavesdropped on that conversation, I wouldn't have ever known.
"Is she the price?" the tallest man asked, sizing me up.
"Our boss will surely love this one, she is a fair one," the other one commented.
Mr Klein nodded his head in a proud gesture as he bargained with the messenger of the boss. But for the first time, I was called fair, not disgusting, silly, whore and every hurtful word Mr Klein and his son could muster.
"Going somewhere, Celine?" Mr Klein said mockingly, an evil grin appearing on his face as he scanned my half-packed luggage.
"Answer me," he said, taking two steps closer to where I stood, visibly shaking. The whole world felt like it was crashing down on me.
My heart was pounding rapidly, and the room felt like it was spinning around me. I mustered some courage to answer him.
"I was just trying to arrange my belongi...ngs," I stuttered.
"That doesn't seem like the sight before me; it seems like someone was trying to escape my claws," he continued.
"Enough of the long talk, bring her to the car as promised," the tall man from earlier said, turning his back to leave as the others trailed after him.
"I cannot go with him," I protested, "Mum, tell them, I can't go with them," I continued, wailing profusely.
"You are old enough to answer for yourself. I can't do anything for you," Mother replied.
I didn't dare look at my brothers; I was sure that they had huge smirks on their faces. My brothers dragged me after the men in suits, and all I could do was wail in protest.
These men seemed very dangerous, like the mafia. I wonder what kind of world awaits me there.
"I'm sorry, Dad, I didn't mean…"
At this point, I didn't know what to say; I didn't even know what I was apologizing for, but perhaps if I apologized, he could find other ways to pay the debt so it wouldn't be my fault. But as usual, my pleas fell on deaf ears.
Two of the men in suits turned back, visibly enraged by my screams of protest, and approached me. I became frantic immediately.
At a glance, my brothers let me go. I was relieved. But my momentary relief was short-lived when the men in suits grabbed me instead.
Their grip was so firm that it stung. They would leave a mark on the spot they had held. The tall man approached me,
"It seems like you wouldn't ever keep shut," he said as he pulled out a handkerchief, as the other two restrained me.
He put it to my nose, and slowly all I could see was black.
I woke up to the scent of dust and rust, my eyes slowly adjusting to the environment. The room seemed to be rotating around me as my vision was blurry.
Where was I?. The smell of dried blood hit my nose, and slowly I realized where I was.