The Silence That Surrounds

“I can get you the money! I can get –“ My voice falters temporarily in my panic as my feet are forced down one of the steps and I stumble to keep my footing. Luckily a pair of arms encircle the back of me to keep me upright and balanced as I am yet again unwillingly made to travel down the small flight of stairs.

The winter cold on my bare shoulders made my skin freeze, paling in comparison to the color I lost just a few hours ago when I was given the news – the news I would die.

“I can get you money, whatever my father owes, please! I’m more use to you alive!” I pleaded again to the heavy silence, the blindfold they had mercifully put over my eyes before we left the cabin scratched my skin and made it sweat despite the midnight frigid air.

“Please, someone, please say something.” I begged, a strangled wail leaving my mouth as my feet made contact with flat compacted dirt.

“Louis? Gag her.” The voice commanded emotionlessly. It was the only one to speak and I recognized the voice as Harry’s.

I stopped, pushing back against the other person who was guiding me to the clearing.

“No! Please! Louis, please!” I panicked, shaking my head wildly about and pressing my body into the other person as hard as I could.

“Shhh, come on Sophie, it’s alright. It’s not going to hurt.” Niall tried his best to soothe, his arms still around my bare shoulders, my lungs inhaling the icy air as it seemed to shoot through me in terror, numbing my soul, my muscles stiffening involuntarily as I subconsciously pulled at the ropes that held my hands behind me securely.

“I don’t want to die, I don’t want –“I felt the cloth protruding near my mouth and I pulled my head back.

“We know you don’t Ms. Stone. No one does but your father denied us our payment, so we are denying you your life. It may not be fair in life but we offered him three months and all the opportunities to make things right.” Harry spoke, this time with an unreadable expression. Regret? Pity? I couldn’t be sure.

“I can get you the money. I will work off my father’s debt –I will do anything you say to do without question, please! Harry, please? I’m scared. I don’t want to die!” I exclaimed again.

Harry sighs, almost regretfully.

“Lou?”

“On it Hazza.” Louis promised his friend as I tried to push my head back to Niall’s shoulders to avoid being gagged. I know once they gag me, I was as good as dead.

“Wait, please? Please! Louis, for anything good on God’s earth, please wait! I’m not ready, Harry I’m not ready! At least let me see, I want to see!” I shiver involuntarily, both from the cold and from the fear. I needed to see their faces, I needed to see the gun. I don’t know why but I wanted to.

“Gents, give her a few seconds.” Zayn spoke up, his dull footsteps coming near me. A second later the blindfold was pulled down from my eyes.

In the casted glow of the porch light, I could see Zayn’s face. It illuminated in a pale yellow, his black hair slicked back and his eyes, while not unkind, they were still guarded.

The tears and exasperated sobs racked my body, while my eyes shone bright with terror and betrayal.

Zayn pushed Louis gently to the side, put his arms out and pulling me to him in a gentle embrace.

“Zayn, please? I can get you guys the money. I don’t know how but I can.” I pleaded with him, comforted strangely by his kind gesture. It was something I had wanted for months. Just to be held –just to feel as if someone cared.

Zayn shakes his head.

“I’m sorry but it has to be this way. It’s too late, we’ve wasted too much energy and effort; there’s no reason to take any more risk.” He delivers the blow as soft as he can but it still knocks me back.

“It will be quick, dove. Harry is an expert shot” Niall reassures me again.

I don’t bother to stop the tears or the sobs. I never felt so betrayed in my life. My father certainly had to of tried, he had to have reached out to try and at least negotiate.

“My father wouldn’t just let me die, he would have at least tried to reason.” I pleaded desperately, looking around at the gang in front of me. For some reason they each bore unreadable expressions. I wished I knew what was going through their minds.

“He didn’t. All communication was ceased after the ransom tape.” Harry confirmed, his breathe coming out in the cold air like steam. His face hidden by a darker shadow where the porch light didn’t reach.

“Liam? Please, you have to convince them –“My voice trailed off when he simply sighed and shook his head.

“We made the agreement yesterday, Angel. I’m sorry.” His eyes betrayed his voice and I knew he wasn’t all that sorry.

I leant my head against Zayn’s shoulder and just let myself cry. It was strangely comforting to let all the pent up emotions out and arms allowing me their warmth to do it. A false sense of safeness. I don’t know why I felt safe, I was about to die and yet – his affection encircled around me was the most human I had felt in three long months.

“Here lass, you’re shaking like a fall leaf.” Niall sighed, slipping his jacket off and put it around my shoulders as Zayn broke away long enough to zip it over my bound body before pulling me back and allowing me to cry it out.

“That’s it, Sophie, just let it go.” Zayn comforted, knowing I was trying to come to terms with it.

Harry sighed impatiently, Louis glancing at him before shrugging.

“A little compassion never hurts. She’s about to die, let her have a moment.” Louis reluctantly agreed with Zayn.

“I’m bloody cold, she needs to hurry up.” He complained but said nothing else.

“I don’t know how much dad owes you but I can give you the information to a bank account that holds his stock share netted at fifteen million. I know that won’t save me but I can give you the account and the information. It was part of my trust fund, I can give –“I was cut off by Zayn’s arms retreating and a hand gently rubbing my now covered shoulder.

“It’s time, dove. Nothing you can do or say will change what must be done.” Niall says softly, forcing me over to the center of the clearing.

“Louis? Gag her, that’s the last time I’ll ask. Zayn, Niall? Help her kneel, make sure she stays on her knees, I want a clean shot.” Harry commands, his eyes an eerily dark green, his emotions now completely hidden in his tough exterior.

The night seems darker now, way later than what I only assume it is.

My voice breaks through, wracking with sobs and cracking in the deep despair that overcomes my numb body.

“The time, what’s the time?” I asked weakly while Niall and Zayn help lower me gently to the ground on my knees, making sure I stayed upright. I look up at them, glancing to each of their faces in a sort of memory.

Louis ignores my question and kneels down to my eyelevel.

“1:53AM, nearly 2:00.” Liam says, my eyes watching Louis.

He gently pushes a piece of hair from my eyes, his dark blue orbs piercing into my own.

“I don’t want to die.” I whisper with heaviness, knowing that no matter what I said it would still end the same.

“I know you don’t, kitten. I know.” Louis sympathized, readying the cloth.

I pull my head back once more and frown.

Louis smiled sadly as Niall pulled my body backward, my head pressed securely against his chest.

I watched my captor in front of me ready the cloth, his hands sturdy and unshaking. He’s done this before –perhaps too many times to count.

“Thank you.” I whisper before my voice is silenced all together, the thick cloth pushing to the back of my throat and muffling my cries.

“Good girl.” Zayn praised softly, his eyes going to Harry who was readying his gun.

Louis securely ties the cloth into my mouth and stands up again, dusting his pants off. I find it strangely normal –I don’t know why. Watching him do something so simple gives him a more human quality.

Maybe I’m distracting myself and I want to see some good in them –any at all.

Niall pets my hair once before Harry cocks the gun and he returns to his position.

The green jaded boy points his nine millimeter gun pointe blank in the center of my head and allows me a moment to meet his eye.

I finally do and he lets a small smile grace his beautiful features. I never saw in all my time here a genuine smile. His was gorgeous. It went so perfectly with his long brown curly locks and contrasted perfectly to his dark greens. My breath hitched upward, making me choke on the gag.

“For what it’s worth, Ms. Stone –Sophia, I’m sorry it had to be you.”

For the first time, I noticed his sincerity. It was the only emotion he had ever given me. I don’t know why I should be thankful but I am and his voice soothes me.

I mumble into the cloth and he seems to notice. He clears his throat and cocks the trigger back. His hands unshaking, uncaring.

“Goodbye Ms. Stone.” He says, the same tight emotion is back as fast as I could blink.

I let my eyes drop from his and settle on his shoes. I couldn’t meet his stare anymore.

My name is Sophia Stone and three months ago I was kidnapped by the British gang, One Direction. I didn’t know then what events would lead to my near future death but the picture started to get a lot clearer as the seconds began to pass.

Notes

New story enjoy.