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A loud groan echoed in the darkness and awoke Evelyn with a start. She became aware of the ground pressing against the back of her skull, shoulder blades, coccyx and heels, the cold seeping into her skin. Propping herself onto her elbows, she felt a splitting pain reverberating through her head, realising the groan that had disturbed her sleep had escaped her own throat.
"Who are you?" a voice demanded.
As her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, Evelyn twisted painfully on the spot to squint at the source of the sound: a teenager had folded herself into the corner of the dark, damp room as if trying to disappear into the wall.
"My name is Evelyn. I'm a police detective." She climbed weakly to her feet and peered at the face she recognised; the face she’d been trying to track down for weeks. "Amelia Foley?"
The girl nodded cautiously, the frown on her face fading slightly.
"How did you get here? Who’s holding you captive?"
She scowled again. "I don't know his name. He barely comes down here." Evelyn spied the crisp packet and water bottles littering the ground. Just enough to keep a prisoner alive… barely. Evelyn tried to think back to how she ended up locked up in the very same cellar where Amelia was being held captive. She couldn't remember a thing since walking home from her last shift. Could she even remember turning the key in the lock? She didn't think so.
The cellar door banged open and Amelia yelped. Evelyn shielded her eyes from the bright light that sliced into the darkness of the cellar and gasped. "Jason?"
He laughed bitterly. "No, not Jason. He's still rotting in the prison cell you put him in, Evelyn." He spat her name out like it was a swear word. "I'm his brother, Mark."
"You," she said incredulously. "You're the one who's been following me." Evelyn subconsciously patted her pockets and belt but of course he had removed her ASP, taser and radio. Mark approached her like a wolf, eyes transfixed on his prey. Evelyn stepped backwards and started to edge around the room so she could keep Amelia in her line of vision. "What do you want, Mark?"
"Revenge. Nothing more."
"We had to arrest him, Mark. He murdered two people. He tried to murder another four. We can get you some help," she offered, despite knowing he wasn't interested in any help she had to give.
He smirked at her but remained silent.
"Why didn't you kill me before?" said Evelyn, as she watched Amelia carefully climbing to her feet and creeping silently along the wall behind him. "You've been stalking me for years, Mark. You've had so many chances. You've broken into my flat… you could’ve killed me in my sleep. Why didn't you?"
Amelia reached cautiously for something on the ground behind Mark.
"Killing you wasn’t enough. Not when I could create the perfect crime for you to solve, only to kill you both at the end. Such a tragedy," he whispered coldly, and stepped closer. Evelyn felt the solid roughness of the wall behind her as she ran out of space to move. She tried not to look as Amelia's fingers reached down to the ground and grasped a loose bit of stone. It wasn't big but if she used enough force it had the potential to knock him out. Evelyn had to keep Mark talking.
The rock slipped from Amelia's hands with a loud clatter and she swore loudly. Mark whipped around and lunged for her, knocking her to the ground and grappling with her until her arms were pinned to the ground. She kicked him and tried fruitlessly to bite his arms. Evelyn raced from one side of the basement to the other and leapt onto Mark's back, smashing him in the side of his face with her fist. He roared in pain and flung her off. She scrabbled to her feet and dodged him as he swung for her again. Amelia rolled the loose rock towards where Evelyn was headed. Evelyn grabbed it with both hands and launched it at Mark, who staggered backwards in surprise. As he fell, he smashed the side of his head on the wall and lay motionless on the ground.
"Come on!" Evelyn yelled, motioning for Amelia to run up the stairs. When they reached the door, it didn't budge and Amelia eyes widened in fear. Evelyn threw her body against the door but it still wouldn't move. She felt a flutter of panic rising in her chest as she darted back down the steps to where Mark lay silent but breathing. She crouched down and rummaged in his jacket pockets for a key, just as he started moaning and regaining consciousness.
"Quick!" cried Amelia.
Evelyn finally found the key in Mark's back pocket, but just as she withdrew her hand she felt a jolt in her stomach as his rough, thick fingers closed around her wrist and pulled her back. She twisted, scraping the heel of her free hand on the concrete beneath her as she aimed her right boot straight into his face. He spluttered and let go. Evelyn scrabbled away from him, clumsily taking the steps two at a time before launching herself towards the door again. She could hear the thud of his footsteps behind her, the same footsteps she'd been hearing following her for the past two years. Evelyn struggled with the key, finally managing to prise open the heavy door, before they both spilled out of the door and into the safety of the sunlight. She slammed it shut behind them.
The last thing she saw was Mark's face contorted with fury as he reached for her.
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Roxie Key
@RoxieAdelleKey
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