Take Over Chapter 3 Taken

Chapter 3   Taken

Stefani awoke, her mouth dry and her muscles stiff. She thought her eyes were open but it was so dark she could not be sure. 

“Hello?” she tried to speak but it came out as a croak.  She tried to swallow; it was near impossible.

Slowly she sat up.  Her head felt like it was spinning.  She put her hands to her forehead and rubbed.  The spinning slowed down and after a while stopped.  She strained her eyes to see where she was. 

Something brushed up against her and she tried to scream but it came out as a moan.

“Don’t be afraid,” a voice came from the darkness. “You’re not alone.”

“Where am I?” she said in a whisper, “Who are you?”

“I am not sure where we are, but my name is Ali.”

Stefani felt a hand on her shoulder.

“What is your name?” the faceless voice asked.

“Stefani.”

“Stefani!” a familiar voice spoke now “Is that really you? It’s me, Kim.”

“Kim,” Stefani said.  Kim was one of Stefani’s best friends.  Some relief came to Stefani. The thought that she was not alone brought a little comfort to her.

Ali spoke, “Our guess is that you were drugged and it will wear off in a little bit.  Several of you came in that way.  Most have recovered, but there are still some of you that are asleep.”

Drugged? Stefani wondered, by whom and why?  She heard some shuffling behind her.

“Ali, please keep talking so I can find you,” Kim said.  

“I don’t know what to say,” Ali replied.

“Say anything.  I am almost there,” said Kim.

Stefani’s head was clearer now and she heard sounds of muffled sobs and sniffling.  She had no real sense of direction because of the darkness of the room.  She also had no idea how big the room might be.  “Here, Kim, over here,” she said in a hoarse voice.

 

This was all too much.  She needed Kim to be near, she needed something to be familiar.  “We are over here,” she said with desperation in her voice.

For the second time a hand reached out of the darkness and rested on Stefani’s shoulder.  She reached for it and pulled Kim close. The two held each other for a long moment, tears streaming down their faces.

“I thought…” there was a sob “I thought I was all alone,” Kim said, breaking the silence.

“There are a lot of us in this room,” Ali said. “We were brought here on school busses.”

“What do you mean?” Stefani asked.

“Well, I had gone to school and at lunchtime there was an announcement for everyone to meet in the gym.  When I got there the gym was full of students.  As far as I could tell it was every grade. They had the younger kids sitting on the floor and the older ones seated on the bleachers.

“Then we were told to line up.  They loaded us up on buses and we left town.  I think we are somewhere near the old mines, but I’m not sure. Anyway, when we stopped they separated us; boys on one side girls on the other.  Then they had us separate again by age.  We were scared, we had no idea what was happening. They walked us to the room we are all in now and shut the door.  I am not sure how long ago it was because after we were all in they turned the lights out.  I think it must have been at least overnight.  Then just a few hours ago the rest of you were brought in laid on the ground and, well, you know the rest,” Ali finished. 

The sounds of sobbing were again heavy in the room and Stefani, Ali and Kim listened, helpless and hopeless.