Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“It will be alright,” Esther softly assured me, placing a gentle hand on my arm.
I didn’t believe that. Not for a single second. Something told me whatever they were being so secretive about would be anything but okay. The ability to see everything around me could either mean my chances of escape were slim, or I was being underestimated. There was only one way to find out. I swallowed and forced my silken flats to carry me forward.
Esther and Nicolette stayed on either side of me, an invisible guiding force. A cool breeze brushed against my skin as we walked, carrying a refreshing scent from the lake. I glanced back only once and immediately wished I hadn’t.
I wasn’t sure house accurately described what was behind us.
It looked more like a miniature castle—a masterpiece of sinister grandeur. The arching opaque windows seemed like sentinels, guarding the secrets of their master’s home. The landscaping was a blend of natural beauty and careful cultivation surrounded by the massive lake I’d seen earlier, its water now darker than the night sky, no doubt harboring secrets of its own.
Drawing closer to the waiting SUV, a man rounded the front and approached the passenger door to open it for us. My steps faltered as I took in the sight of him. Or maybe it was a woman. Cloaked in black and wearing a smooth, expressionless mask that concealed their features, I couldn’t say for sure.
“Why are they dressed like that?” I whispered, watching them wordlessly open the door.
“Don’t be afraid. It’s merely a custom of our faith.”
The realization hit me like a sudden jolt as pieces of a puzzle clicked into place. I didn’t know how I’d missed all the obvious clues. The enigma that was Mr. Hawthorne and those around him were part of some sort of group. That trade show revealed hints of this too.
A weight of uncertainty clung to me and gnawed at my thoughts. What would any of that have to do with me? I stared at the SUV and the driver, their silent invitation hanging in the air. The vehicle's presence now seemed almost like a harbinger.
“Nothing bad will happen to you,” Esther assured again.
A bitter chuckle escaped me before I could stop it. "Something bad has already happened. I’ve been kidnapped."
Esther turned and looked at me, her brown eyes taking on a note of confusion.
“You think you were kidnapped? It’s not like that at all, Lolita.”
I didn’t bother responding to her delusion. Just like Mr. Hawthorne, Esther was part of this enigmatic world. Nicolette shook her head and stepped closer, her eyes reflecting a deeper understanding.
"I know you're scared and none of this is making much sense. You have no reason to trust us. If I were in your position, I would feel the same, but you will get through this night."
Her genuine empathy offered a glimmer of solace. With a reluctant sigh, I closed the distance between me and the SUV, seating myself between the two of them. The driver shut the door and returned to his position behind the wheel, not speaking to any of us. I wondered if Mr. Hawthorne was confident that I wouldn’t run, or rather he wasn’t concerned about finding me if I did. My guess was on the former.
The SUV's engine hummed, the only sound as it journeyed away from where I was being kept.
With each passing mile, more of a world that was both unfamiliar and strangely captivating was revealed. I had no idea where I had been taken to. Once the seclusion of Mr. Hawthorne’s home fell away, we passed through a village of some sort. The cobblestone streets were lined with buildings that had been well maintained and seemed to whisper tales of secrecy.
Everything was bathed in the soft glow of lantern lights and ornate streetlamps. There were people too—as normal as they came. They wandered in and out of shops that seemed to hold different trinkets and restaurants that exuded enticing aromas. None of them paid more than a fleeting glance at the SUV driving through the streets. But why would they?
The village was alive with a deceptive tranquility. There was no way for these people to know I was here and not of my own free will. The people and the nightlife gradually fell away, and a few more minutes rolled by before the SUV took a turn onto a long road.
An imposing fence lined with some kind of barbed wire cut through the center of it. Unmasked guards patrolled the perimeter with vigilant canines at their sides. I counted two that were a breed of mastiff and one Doberman.
As the SUV proceeded through a tall set of gates, I sat back, pressing myself into the leather seat. Each passing second deepened my sense of unease. When the truck completed its half turn around a bend that had been blocked from view by a thick cluster of trees, my stomach sank.