Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Tobias speeds through the dark streets, the roar of his engine filling the tense silence in the air.

"You should slow down," I tell him quietly, keeping my eyes trained on the road. Uncle Tobias ignores me, his hand clenching and unclenching around the steering wheel. Behind us, Woody shuffles forward, placing a hand on Tobias' shoulder —

"Slow down Tobias. We're no good to Jake and Emily if we die in a car crash." Woody says firmly.

Uncle Tobias visibly exhales, his shoulders slumping in defeat. His foot comes off the gas and the car slows down. I turn to give him a worried look, concerned for his wellbeing.

"Are you okay?" I ask him quietly. It can't be easy being in his shoes right now.

"I'll be fine." Uncle Tobias responds, his voice wavering slightly. After a few seconds, he clears his throat and re-gains his tough exterior.

"Did you mean what you said before? That you're going to kill Jasmine?" I ask him, my words spoken in a hushed tone. It feels wrong to say the words, almost as if I'm committing a crime for simply asking the question.

"She tried to kill you Ruby." Tobias responds flatly, his eyes emotionless.

"She thinks you're going to keep her alive." I tell him. He shakes his head, turning to look at me. His dark eyes burn into mine before he tears them away. The cold look he gives me causes a shiver to run down my back.

"Like I said before, she tried to kill you." Uncle Tobias repeats, his words dripping in an icy tone. The car slows down and I glance outside the window, feeling my heart thump against my chest.

"Is this it? This place is a dump." I comment. The buildings are on the verge of collapsing. Tall dull grey apartment blocks line the side of the road, graffiti sprayed over the windows and walls. The glass pane on every window is shattered, the remnants of people's belongings spilling out onto the floor. The area is completely deserted and it eerily feels like a ghost town.

"Nobody lives here anymore." I say quietly, thinking out loud.

"It's the perfect place to hold them hostage. It has history too, she said it was Peggy's old apartment." Woody responds from the back seat. I nod my head, remembering her words.

"What number was it again?" I ask Uncle Tobias, craning my head out of the window to glance up the road. Another shiver runs down my back and I quickly duck back inside the car.

This place is seriously creepy.

"Number fifty two. The one with a black door on the left coming up." Uncle Tobias responds. He sounds like he's gritting his teeth in frustration and anger, struggling to keep a lid on his pent up emotions.

"It's like a damn graveyard around here." I mumble, feeling disgusted and heart broken that my parents may have been here the entire time. Uncle Tobias parks the car directly in front of the black door. It's old and beaten down but shut firmly to avoid people from getting in.

Or to stop my parents getting out...

I quickly unbuckle my seatbelt, pulling open the car door.

"Ruby! Wait!" Uncle Tobias yells at me. I ignore him and walk straight up to the black door, turning the handle. If my parents are in here, I want to see them right now. I feel my heart thudding against my chest as the handle clicks but doesn't budge.

"It's locked." I mutter to myself. Behind me, I hear everyone else get out from their cars, the sound of the car doors slamming shut echoing around me. I don't turn around and instead start kicking the door in the bottom right corner.

It's the weakest section in terms of structure which makes it the easiest place to break in. . . Don't ask me how I know that.

The door shakes on its hinges, threatening to burst through any second. I breathe heavily as I continue pounding into it, grunting from the effort I'm throwing behind my leg. I feel a hand rest on my shoulder from behind and turn to find Woody's dark eyes looking at me.

"Allow me," He says quietly, giving me a small smile. I slump my shoulders in defeat and respond with a nod, taking a step aside. Uncle Tobias, Ivory, Ben and Jasmine stand behind us in a row, watching silently.

Woody clears his throat before swinging his leg back and kicking the door with a forceful impact. The door immediately falls through, the noise of it breaking the silence in the area. Woody's arm flies out in front of me and he quickly protects me as the door falls, spraying debris everywhere.

"Thanks Cowboy," I murmur under my breath. His eyes flicker up at me from under his thick lashes and he smirks, looking pleased with himself —

"You're welcome. After you." Woody gestures inside with his arm. I glance down the pitch black corridor inside, the air thick with dust and dirt particles.

"Before my niece goes in there, does she need protection?" Uncle Tobias asks firmly from behind me. I turn around to see him glaring at Jasmine, hatred sprawled across his face. Jasmine immediately shakes her head, her dark hair flying around her face.

"No, no she doesn't. It's safe." Jasmine responds quickly, her words rushed. I swallow the lump in my throat and place one foot inside before turning back around. I hold my hand out and Uncle Tobias takes several steps forward before placing a small gun in my hand.

"I-I said it was safe!" Jasmine protests, confusion filling her eyes. My eyes flicker over to her and I clearly display my hands wrapping around the gun protectively, ready to defend myself.

"It's funny that you think we'd believe you." I respond flatly. Jasmine's eyes widen like two saucers as they flicker between Uncle Tobias and I. She looks completely speechless and I scoff, shaking my head at her sudden naive personality.

"I can go first but I know how badly you want this." Uncle Tobias explains, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nod my head, the moisture disappearing from my mouth.

"You're right. I need to do this." I respond quietly. Woody and Tobias both stand behind me, their shoulders squared and ready to follow me. Next to each other, they resemble body guards and if the situation wasn't so serious, I'd probably laugh.

"I'm ready." I mumble before whirling around. I stand inside the building, squinting my eyes to see in the darkness. I take several steps inside before feeling the walls for a switch. After several moments, my fingers press into it and a dim light flickers above us.

The hallway is completely outdated and disgusting, covered in year old cobwebs and thick layers of dust. I cough and cover my mouth with my arm, the gun still firmly wrapped in one hand.

There's a door on my left, the only door in the hallway. I slowly reach out with my free hand and turn the handle, pushing it open. I expect it to be locked but it isn't. The door squeaks on its ancient hinges, the noise causing me to jump slightly. I briefly turn around to find Woody and Tobias directly behind me.

"You've got this," Uncle Tobias tells me, his eyes searching mine. I nod my head, pushing the fear aside and replacing it with bravery for my parents.

They deserve to have a daughter just as brave as them.

I push open the door fully and my eyes land on a dark room furnished with a single sofa in the middle. The fabric is torn and matted, neglected for what looks like years. Besides from rubbish littering the floor, there's nothing else in here. I slowly take a step inside, the gun raised and ready to go.

My breathing shallows out and I feel my hands trembling as I walk inside, heading for the next door in the far corner. The entire building is eerily silent and the only sounds I can hear is the footsteps of Woody and Tobias begins me.

"Mum? Dad? Are you here?" I yell out, keeping my aim at the door in front of me incase a crazy drug addict squatter comes charging at me. My words echo in the empty room before dispersing into complete silence.

I breathe heavily, my chest rising and falling as I slowly approach the door. I place my hand on the handle and close my eyes for a brief moment to compose myself.

I can do this. I'm the daughter of Jake Melvin and Emily Wentworth. . .

Two of the strongest people I know.

I pull the door open and immediately step back, the gun raised as I inspect the inside. My breathing hitches in my throat and my eyes widen as I find my parents slumped on the floor, tied to each other back to back. I cry out and run towards them, dropping the gun to the floor in the process.

"Mum! Dad!" I scream, falling to my knees beside them. They're both lying completely still, their eyelids closed. I pull them upright as best as I can, tears filling my eyes. Behind me, I hear Woody calling for an ambulance, his voice urgent.

"Uncle Tobias! Help me!" I scream at him, checking Mum for a pulse. Both of my parents looks unhealthily skinny, dark rings circled underneath their eyes. Their faces are pale and paper like and I lean down, placing my ear to Mum's mouth to see if she's breathing. Beside me, Uncle Tobias does the same with Dad.

"Jake? Come on buddy, wake up." Tobias says desperately, checking his neck for a pulse. I scramble with the thick roped binding them together by their wrists, desperate to free them so we can save them before it's too late.

My hands tremble and shake but eventually they come undone from one another, the rope falling to the floor. Uncle Tobias takes Dad's weight and gently lowers him flat to the floor. I mirror his actions with Mum, adrenaline cursing through my veins.

Neither of them move or show any signs of life and Uncle Tobias gives me a worried glance from the corner of my eye. I stare at both of my lifeless parents in front of me, silent tears streaming down my face.

Uncle Tobias begins checking Dad again for a pulse, his fingers trembling. I release a frustrated scream and lean over Mum, listening out for any sign of life near her lips.

"Mum, it's me. Ruby. I'm here to save you, please wake up!" I shake her shoulders, desperate to see her smile at me with nothing but love in her eyes. When she doesn't respond and continues to lie completely still, I scream out in agony, refusing to believe it.

We're too late.