The Price of Silence

Chapter 2: Bloodbath

I woke up as I heard noises coming from outside.

It was from the voices of a man and a woman arguing. I couldn't make out what they were fighting about, as I could only hear them faintly, but I knew they were shouting because I could hear them from inside my room.

I looked at the clock. It's almost midnight.

I rubbed my eyes and stood up. I walked towards the door and slowly opened it. When I peeked out, I didn't see anyone.

Out of curiosity, I walked out from my room then walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the elevator as I saw something red on the floor.

I stared at the red color, it looks like liquid, so I sat down and rubbed it with my finger.

I gasped as I realized what that red liquid was.

It was...

It was..

Blood.

But whose blood is this?

I stand up and stared at the elevator and when I looked at the buttons, I noticed there's a letter B on it.

This mansion have basement? This is getting strange. I murmured to myself.

And maybe I am out of my mind because I just find myself entering the elevator. Then my finger automatically pressed the "B" button.

I felt scared as the elevator went down but I couldn't help myself, my curiosity was too strong.

When the elevator reached the basement, it's doors slid open revealing a hallway with six rooms with identical doors facing each other.

I silently stepped out and walked down the hallway then tried to open the first door but it is locked.

I tried another door.

One.

Two.

Three.

The third room was unlocked. I slowly opened the door, peeking inside to see if anyone was there.

Luckily there's no one inside so I sighed and felt relieved. I looked around, it was just a normal room.

What am I doing? Why did I sneak in here without getting Marcus' approval? I already knew I shouldn't be using the elevator, and I'm not even his wife yet. This feels wrong.

So I slipped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me. I shouldn't have snooped, I know. But the argument downstairs was so intense, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Still, it was late, and I was probably overstepping So I decided to head back to my room and try to forget about it.

But as I was leaving, I caught sight of a room that was slightly open. I could also smell a foul odor, probably coming from inside.

And once again,my curiosity attacked. I took a deep breath and slowly went near the room, as I was almost in the front of the door the foul odor grew stronger.

I looked inside and was so shocked from what I saw. I almost shouted so I quickly covered my mouth to avoid making a sound. I was so frightened and I started to cry and sweat.

What I saw was horrifying.

I saw Eloise.

No. Wrong.

I saw Eloise's body.

It was dismembered.

Her body was left in pieces, a gruesome puzzle scattered across the floor.

I froze, my mind went blank. I wouldn't have snapped out of it if I hadn't sensed someone else is in the room.

Despite my fear, I cautiously peeked and a wave of terror washed over me as I realized who was in the room with Eloise's body: Marcus. He's holding an axe and maybe it's the murder weapon used to dismember Eloise.

I accidentally gasped, causing Marcus to turn towards where I was standing. Thankfully, I was able to hide just in time. But the fear in my body subsided when he spoke.

"Who's there?" He said.

I clamped my lips shut, and when I felt his footsteps approaching, I frantically searched for a room to hide in.

Luckily, the door to the next room opened when I turned the handle so I entered quickly and closed it quietly.

I listened closely at the door, not hoping to hear him coming.

It was silent. Maybe he didn't notice me.

I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the door, but my eyes widened at what I saw in the room I had entered.

I was so shocked as I saw things I don't wanna see even on my own dreams. I was terrified by what I just saw.

Inside the room there's a cabinet filled with jars. And the things inside the jars scared me the most, there were fingers inside of them as if they were preserved. And every finger had ring on it, it's all identical.

On the outside of each jars, there were photographs attached. Photographs of women. And those women were the victims of the serial killer who dismembered his victims and took one of their finger as a souvenir.

What a sicko.

I trembled in fear while staring at them. I am too scared and cannot think of anything to do.

But one thing is certain now, Marcus is the killer and I almost married him.

Should I run? Should I get away from this place ?

Oh God please help me. I can't believe I put myself and my family in danger. I ended up with someone I thought who would protect me, but I'm actually in danger from him.

I know they might not know I came down to the basement right now, but they'll know tomorrow morning because there are CCTV cameras in every corner of the house. That's why I need to escape right now.

And despite my fear, I decided to leave the room and exit the basement to get out of this house. I had no other choice, I would die if I don't try to escape. So I needed to leave before they knew I was down here.

I listened intently to my surroundings, and within minutes, I felt the elevator started to move.

Has Marcus left already?

Maybe.

So after a minute, I slowly opened the door and cautiously stepped out of the room. And my heart almost jumped out of my chest as I emerged from the room and found Marcus standing there, waiting for me.

Smirking like a devil!

I could not speak as if I had swallowed my own tongue.

"I clearly told you that you cannot use the elevator." He spoke. "But you didn't listen, and now you've seen enough that means you can't leave this basement anymore."

I gasped and started to cry.

"Please, Marcus." Finally I spoke. "I won't tell a soul, just please set me free."

But Marcus didn't say a word. He suddenly grabbed me and pulled me into a room.

I cried as I felt the pain from his grip.

"Marcus,please stop." I begged.

"You should've listened to me Amara." He said angrily. Then he suddenly threw me, causing me to fall into the floor.

I glared at him. "Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"You wouldn't understand why, Amara." He answered.

He grabbed his ax and walked towards me.

I shrieked in fear as he started to swimg the ax.

My eyes squeezed shut. This was it. The end. My ending that I never thought of.

But I snapped my eyes open as I heard Marcus's phone ring. He lowered his ax and answered the call. He then left the room, locking the door behind him.

A surge of hope coursed through me. I scrambled to my feet, my eyes darting around the room, searching for anything I could use as a weapon against Marcus. He was going to kill me anyway, so I might as well die fighting.

I saw a knife and picked it up. I also grabbed the chair and hid by the door.

When Marcus entered the room, I immediately slammed the chair against his back, causing him to fall to the floor. I screamed and ran towards him, stabbing him in the side.

I didn't waste any time, I ran quickly towards the elevator then when I reached the ground floor, I sprinted out of the house.

I was heading towards the gate, but there were guards. I looked around frantically, trying to figure out how to escape, especially knowing that Marcus would be outside in just a few minutes.

My eyes landed on a dark corner of their garden. The fence in that area was under repair so I went out that way. Then I ran out of their mansion without looking back. I ran as if a devil was after me.

But before I could get far, I could hear vehicles pulling out of their mansion.

I ran as fast as I can.

But suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, I had been shot! It hurts but I wanted to live so I kept running.

But no matter how fast I ran, they still caught up to me.

"Stop right there." An armed man said while pointing his guns at me.

"You better come with us if you don't want to get hurt." Said the other one.

"Hurt? It's worse than that. I'd rather be dead than go back to that devil's lair!." I answered while crying.

I closed my eyes and braced myself for my own death. Tears streamed down my face as I heard the gunshots.

But despite hearing several shots, I didn't feel anything hit my body.

"Hey, open your eyes and snap out of it."

I slowly opened my eyes to see who's talking then I saw a handsome face with eyes burning with anger.

"W-who are you?" I asked.

"There's no time for that. Just follow me or we'll both die here." He answered and started to walk.

"Wait. How would I know you're not one of them?"

The man turned to face me then he looked around.

"If I were one of them, why would I kill those guys?" He asked. "I'm not forcing you to come with me. I'm just giving you another choice besides getting killed here. So if you wanted to live, you're going to follow me." Then he started walking.

I thought about it. What other choice do I have if I don't go with him? He saved me, that's enough proof that he wasn't one of Marcus' men.

Holding the bullet wound on my shoulder, I followed him. He got into a car driven by one of Marcus' men, so I got in too.

He started the car and sped off. When we reached the main road, he stopped the car and got out.

Confusion clouded my mind as I followed him out of the car. I was about to question the sudden stop, but the sight of another vehicle parked nearby silenced me. I think it's his car.

He slid into the driver's seat, and I scrambled in after him. Being left behind is not an option; I couldn't risk dying here.