Days came and went, she was let out in the morning to have breakfast, though now she was allowed to dine with all four men. She was still kept mostly in her room behind a locked door. However she wasn’t always alone, since the journals had been brought up to her, Damian had come to spend more time with her. They talked mostly about the journals and sketches, he made her laugh and took her mind off things. When she was allowed out she was not left unattended, one of them was always with her. The house was growing more and more tense as the days dragged on. Ian and Alex were at each others throats nearly every day, she had heard Mathew raise his voice for the first time the other day.
She didn’t understand why it was happening, but even Damian has stopped laughing as often. Something was going to happen and it had everyone on edge, even she could feel it, something strong in the air. Her nightmares came every night, the same ones over and over again, she was walking into a lake and was pulled under the surface. Waking before she drowned, the first night the familiar and unknown man was pushing her head under the water. Then Mathew was walking in with her and she was pulled under, each night she dreamed of the same lake. Each night there were subtle differences but the ending was always the same, she was fighting to gain the surface of the water.
Stretching out her legs, arms over her head as she arched back in the chair at her desk. Yawning lazily as she looked out the window, she’d been sitting here reading from her father’s fourth journal. Lindsay wished Damian was here at the moment though for the last few entries didn’t make any sense and they reference some of the occult items Damian had claimed from the basement. She was starting to think her father was a few bricks short of a load. He wrote about the magic of the moon and forces of nature, how at certain times of the year the forces aligned and became stronger. How something called the sight was warning him that his time here was coming to an end.
Nothing made sense anymore, she had been cooped up in this place for weeks now. There was no mention of her mother or any plans on getting her back home. Guilt washed over her as the more time she spent here, the less time she was thinking of getting away and going home. Her mother was probably worried and going crazy, and here she was spending time with her abductors and getting to know them. She wanted to hate them and had even tried to, but the more she got to know them the harder it was.
Getting up from her chair and walking over to the window, as she did a lot of the time these days. Leaning against the frame with her arms crossed over her chest and her forehead against the cool glass. A large open field spread out behind the house, no fences, just tall evergreens as far as the eye could see. It was just a guess but she assumed this place was far outside the city limits. There was never any traffic noise that she could hear, and from this view, no close neighbours either.
As Lindsay stood at the window three dark circling birds were visible just over the tree line. The sky slowly turning a lighter shade of blue with hints of pink in the clouds, she couldn’t see the sun from here but the signs of sunset were unmistakable. Any minute now there would be a soft knock on her door and one of the four would be here to bring her down to dinner. Sighing heavily before pushing herself off the window and throwing herself back on the bed, arms outstretched and staring up at the ceiling out of boredom. No sooner had she dropped onto the bed then there is was, the rapping of knuckles of wood. Pushing up on her elbows as the door opened and in poked Damian’s head, as usual, there was a large smile in place.
“I hope you’re hungry!” the note of cheer in his voice didn’t sound genuine and made her raise a brow at him, getting to her feet. “What?”
“You aren’t fooling me,” was all she said as she pushed passed him and made the familiar trip down to the kitchen. As she entered the room the three men sitting around the table stood, the closest to her was Ian and he pulled out her chair. It almost made her smile, big bad men being gentlemen. Tension in the air was thick and made her squirm in her seat a little. Ian and Alex were glaring at one another and Mathew looked deep in thought, no one spoke as Damian loaded the table with dishes of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and sweet-smelling roasted carrots.
“Well, dig in.” Damian urged, settling down with his usual mug of coffee in hand. Ian filled her plate before his own, this was usually the custom, the closest to her would pile food onto her plate for her.
“This evening we’re going out,” Mathew announced suddenly, Alex who had been contemplating his meal looked up, a grim expression in place. Ian just nodded before stuffing a forkful of chicken into his mouth.
“Where?” Lindsay asked, turning to face Mathew. The others were abnormally quiet and the scraping of utensils nearly echoed in the room.
“You’ll see. You’re coming with us, and I would ask you to wear the dress.” she knew that was all she was going to get out of him as he focused on his plate. She didn’t need to ask what dress he was talking about. Three days ago Mathew had brought the iridescent, Greek goddess, toga style dress up to her room. Though she left the subject alone she felt a stubbornness to not do as she was asked. However leaving would allow her to try for an escape. Leaving the house for the first time in weeks, her heart rate accelerated with excitement.
She didn’t even realize that the tension in the room intensified after Mathew has spoke. She was too preoccupied with thoughts of escape, she could make a run for the woods. The sun was already going down when she had come down for dinner, that could mean that when they left. Running off into the woods in the dark could both work in her favour and be dangerous. As long as she didn’t run into any bears cougars or coyotes everything would be fine.
“Damian, is everything ready?” Mathew’s voice brought her out of her thoughts, looking up and seeing that she wasn’t the only one looking at him. Everyone sat up and paid attention when Mathew spoke, he was definitely the leader. Pushing her plate away and leaning back in her seat, she was pleasantly stuffed.
“Everything is a go, tonight is the night.” Damian nodded, sipping his coffee slowly. “It came quickly didn’t it.” he murmured, this part was more for himself than the others.
“Alex, you’re going to start packing everything out to where we need it. Ian, help him and no fighting!” the last was growled out and coupled with a glare, even Lindsay could feel the agitation coming from him like a wave. It was clear he was tired of their constant fighting. “I will stay here with Lindsay and bring her along when it’s time.”
Sitting up a little straighter and scowling at Mathew, she didn’t appreciate being talked about like she wasn’t around. Squaring her shoulders and pursing her lips as she scowled, though he noticed all Mathew did was raise a brow at her. Pushing her chair out from the table and getting to her feet, it still amazed her that they all stood. No other move was made as she left the room, no one followed her as she went back upstairs to her room. Voices continued as reached the top stair, storming into her room and closing the door sharply.
Crossing to the window and looking out at the now pink, purple and orange coloured sky, she knew by where the light was coming from that her window faced South. If she ran for it, away from Mathew and she headed east it would be her best chance.
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