Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Miles
I sprint through the crumbling hallway, my heart pounding like a jackhammer.
Dust hangs in the stale air, catching beams of light that slip through boarded windows.
A figure lunges at me, wild eyes and a fist cocked back. No time to think.
“Get the hell away!” I shout.
I pivot on my heel, grabbing his wrist.
My training kicks in.
I twist hard, forcing him down.
He stumbles forward, caught off guard.
“Not today, buddy.”
With one swift motion, I bring my knee up into his gut.
The air rushes from his lungs. He doubles over, groaning in pain.
“Sleep tight,” I mutter, driving my elbow into the back of his neck.
He crumples to the floor like a rag doll.
I can’t waste time. Not now.
“Song!” I shout her real name, my voice echoing off the peeling walls.
No response. Panic grips me tighter.
Footsteps thunder on the second story, above me.
A crash rattles the floorboards.
The chaos outside is a distant roar, but here, it’s just silence.
“Song!” I call again, desperation clawing at my throat.
Where are you?
I throw open a door, splintered wood creaking under the force.
Empty rooms taunt me—nothing but shadows and shattered glass.
I slam it shut and move to the next one, my breaths coming faster.
I hit another door, and this one gives way.
My eyes scan the dim space—junk piles everywhere.
Old furniture, broken lamps, forgotten memories. But no Song.
“Come on!” I mutter, frustration boiling over.
I have to fucking find her.
God, is it too late?
I round a corner, my boots thudding against the wooden floor.
Each step feels heavier, the weight of urgency pressing on my chest.
She needs me. I know she’s in here somewhere. She has to be.
“Song!” I shout again, louder this time.
A faint sound catches my ear—a whimper?
My pulse quickens. It came from behind a locked door at the end of the hall.
I rush forward, adrenaline surging as I spot the deadbolt glinting under the dim light.
“Shit.” I glance around, spotting a random crowbar on the floor.
I position the crowbar at the lock.
It fits perfectly.
I take a deep breath, brace myself, and push with every ounce of strength I have.
The metal bites into the wood.
With a final grunt, I drive the crowbar downward.
There’s a splintering crack and the deadbolt shatters.
I swing the door open, and the darkness yawns before me.
I pull out my phone, flicking on the flashlight.
I shove the door open, breathless, praying I’m not too late.
“Please, please be here,” I murmur, stepping into the darkness beyond.
I fumble for my phone, turning on the flashlight.
The beam cuts through the shadows, but the first thing I see is a stairwell.
My heart races as I begin to descend the stairs.
Gunshots ring out, sharp and jarring.
I duck instinctively, adrenaline flooding my veins as I rush down.
“Song, can you hear me?”
Silence swallows my words.
I swallow hard, determination hardening in my chest.
Cold air rushes up to greet me as I reach the bottom, each step echoing in the stillness.
I sweep the light across the walls.
Old pipes drip somewhere in the shadows.
Dust hangs in the air, thick as fog.
My hands shake slightly, but I push it down.
“Please, please.”
I scan the corners, searching for any sign of life.
A rat scuttles by, and I jump, pulse racing.
“Don’t do that to me, little bastard,” I mutter under my breath.
My light dances over old crates, broken furniture, and shadows that seem to breathe. Where the hell could she be?
I strain to hear anything—a whisper, a cry. God, I can’t lose her.
Then, there. A flicker of movement in the corner.
My heart practically comes to a complete stop.
“Song?”
I swing the light toward the far wall.
There she is. Curled up, small, trembling.
“Thank fucking God.”
Relief crashes over me like a wave.
I rush forward, every part of me screaming for her safety.
She reels back, eyes wide, filled with fear.
She doesn’t realize it’s me.
Panic grips my chest.
“Song,” I whisper, stepping closer. “It’s okay. It’s me. It’s Miles.”
She’s beaten. Bruised. Bloodied. Naked. My stomach churns.
“God, no.”
“No, I…” Her voice trembles, laced with terror.
“It’s me. I promise you, it’s me.” I try to keep my voice steady, but every word is a struggle.
“No, I must be dreaming,” she gasps, instinctively curling into herself.
“Shh, please.” I reach out, careful not to startle her more. “I’m here. You’re safe now, Song. We’ve got you.”
Her hazel-green eyes dart around, searching for something—anything—to grasp onto.
She’s shaking like a small dog in a thunderstorm, and it feels like my heart is breaking all over again.
I say softly, “Look at me.”
Her eyes widen. Recognition flickers, and then she starts to cry.
I kneel in front of her, my heart pounding like a drum against my ribs. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
I yank off my jacket, the fabric heavy with urgency.
I drape it over her shoulders, covering her bare skin, shielding her from the world.
“Thank you,” she gasps between sobs, tears streaming down her dirt-streaked face.
“Don’t thank me yet.” I try to keep my voice steady, but it cracks. “Just hold on.”
“Please... I thought I was going to die in here,” Her voice breaks, fear spilling out with every word.
“Not on my watch.” I grip her hands, feeling how cold and frail they are, like a bird caught in a storm.
“How… how did you find me?”
“Doesn’t matter. What matters is I’m here now.” I scan the room, ready to defend her if I have to.
“Promise?”
“Yeah, I promise. You’re safe.”
She nods, but the tremble in her body tells me she isn’t convinced.
She moves her hands and chains rattle.
Glancing down, I realize she has chains on. I have to get her out of these.
Fumbling in my pocket, I produce a small lock pick set.
“Hold still,” I tell her, my voice barely above a whisper.
Carefully, methodically, I go to work on the locks.
Each click of the tumblers is another step toward freedom.
The chains finally fall away, clattering loudly on the concrete floor.
She sucks in a sharp breath.
I shush her gently, worried that the noise might have alerted someone to our presence. “We need to move.”
“Yes,” she agrees, her voice shaking nearly as much as her body.
I help her to her feet but she stumbles, legs buckling under her weight.
“Easy,” I murmur gently, catching her before she can collapse.
Tears spill from her eyes, glistening like shattered glass. She bawls, the sound raw and heart-wrenching.
It cuts through the chaos around us.
“Please don’t leave me,” she sobs, burying her face against my chest.
“Never,” I promise, holding her tighter.
The warmth of my body is a stark contrast to hers.
I can feel how small she is, like holding a bird that’s lost its way home.
“Hold on,” I murmur, wishing I could erase every bruise, every mark left on her.
“Let’s get you out of this hell.”
She lifts her gaze, hazel green eyes locking onto mine.
They’re filled with gratitude, but also something deeper, something I’ve long buried.
“Thank you for coming to find me,” she says, her voice steady now.
“You don’t need to thank me for that shit,” I reply, searching her eyes for any sign of hope. “I’ll always come for you.”
She blinks, tear-streaked face glistening in the harsh light. “Always?” she asks, her voice barely a whisper.
“Until the end of time,” I confirm, gripping her tighter to me. “I swear on my life.”
She nods against my chest.
Her hot tears seep through the fabric of my shirt but I couldn’t care less. The only thing that matters to me right now is her being here, safe in my arms.
Her small, trembling hands wipe away the tears on her cheeks before she takes a deep breath, as if trying to muster up every drop of strength within her.
I offer her an encouraging smile. “C’mon, let’s go.”
Taking one last look around this God-forsaken hellhole, I hold onto her and we make our way out of the basement.