Chapter 2: Sinister Plans
Madison’s vision blurred as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The car ride had felt interminable, the darkness outside the van growing denser with each passing mile. Her head swam with confusion and the effects of the drink Rowan had given her earlier. The euphoria of being crowned Prom Queen had quickly dissipated, replaced by a growing sense of dread.
The van came to a stop, and Rowan’s voice cut through the fog in her mind.
“We’re here,” he announced with a twisted smile.
Madison tried to sit up straight, her limbs heavy and uncooperative.
“Where are we?” she slurred, struggling to keep her eyes open.
Rowan’s face hovered close to hers, his breath hot and reeking of alcohol.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re just having a little after-party, away from all the noise.”
The doors of the van swung open, and The Gold Bachelors piled out, their laughter echoing in the night. Madison was dragged out of the van, her legs barely supporting her weight. She stumbled, her heels sinking into the soft earth. The cold air bit at her exposed skin, and she shivered involuntarily.
Rowan tightened his grip on her arm, leading her through the rusted iron gates of an old, abandoned cemetery. The headstones stood like silent sentinels, their inscriptions worn away by time. The moon cast an eerie glow over the scene, the shadows dancing menacingly.
“Why are we here?” Madison asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rowan’s smile widened, his eyes gleaming with malice.
“Just a little place I like to visit. Quiet, private. Perfect for what we have in mind.”
Madison’s heart pounded in her chest.
“I want to go home. Please, Rowan, take me home.”
Rowan’s grip tightened painfully.
“You’re not going anywhere, Madison. Not until we’re done with you.”
Fear coursed through her veins as she realized the true nature of his intentions. She tried to pull away, but Rowan’s friends quickly surrounded her, their faces twisted with sadistic delight.
“Let’s get her over there,” one of them said, pointing to a crumbling mausoleum at the edge of the cemetery.
Rowan nodded, and they dragged Madison towards the mausoleum, her protests falling on deaf ears. They forced her inside, the musty air thick with the scent of decay. The dim light from their phones cast grotesque shadows on the walls, amplifying the horror of the scene.
Rowan pushed Madison to the ground, and she fell hard, scraping her hands on the rough stone floor. She tried to get up, but her limbs felt like lead, the drug in her system sapping her strength.
“Please, don’t do this,” she begged, her voice trembling with fear.
Rowan knelt beside her, his hand caressing her cheek with sickening gentleness.
“Oh, Madison, you should have thought of that before coming with us. Now, just relax and enjoy the ride.”
He pulled a small vial from his pocket, the liquid inside glowing faintly in the darkness. Madison’s eyes widened with terror as she recognized it.
“No, please, no,” she pleaded, but her voice was weak, her protests futile.
Rowan uncapped the vial and forced it to her lips, tipping her head back to make her swallow. The liquid burned her throat, and she coughed, choking on the bitterness. Within moments, her vision began to spin, the world tilting dangerously.
“Good girl,” Rowan murmured, his voice a grotesque parody of affection.
“Now, let’s have some fun.”
Madison’s mind screamed in protest, but her body refused to obey. She felt hands on her, tearing at her dress, ripping it away with brutal efficiency. The cold air bit into her skin, and she shivered uncontrollably.
“Look at her,” one of Rowan’s friends jeered.
“The Prom Queen, all helpless and scared.”
They laughed, a cruel, mocking sound that echoed in Madison’s ears. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the dirt on the floor. She tried to scream, but her voice was a mere whisper, lost in the darkness.
Rowan’s hand gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“You’re ours now, Madison. No one can hear you, no one can save you. Just accept it.”
The first blow came from nowhere, a sharp pain exploding in her ribs. She gasped, the air rushing from her lungs. Another blow followed, and another, each one driving her deeper into the cold stone floor.
“Stop, please stop,” she begged, but they only laughed harder, their faces contorted with pleasure at her suffering.
Rowan’s hands roamed over her body, his touch a vile violation. She felt her consciousness slipping away, the drug pulling her into a dark, merciful oblivion. But the pain kept her tethered to reality, a constant reminder of her helplessness.
“You like this, don’t you?” Rowan whispered, his breath hot against her ear.
“You like being our little toy.”
Madison’s mind reeled, unable to process the horror of her situation. She felt herself slipping, her grip on reality loosening. The last thing she heard was Rowan’s laughter, a haunting sound that would echo in her nightmares forever.
Hours later, Madison awoke to a world of pain. Every part of her body ached, the bruises and cuts a testament to the cruelty she had endured. The cold stone floor pressed against her bare skin, and she shivered uncontrollably.
She tried to sit up, but her muscles protested, her body too weak to comply. She lay there, tears streaming down her face, the enormity of her situation crashing down on her.
“Help,” she whispered, her voice a fragile thread in the darkness.
“Someone, please help me.”
But there was no one to hear her. The cemetery was silent, the only sound the distant rustle of leaves. Rowan and his friends had left her there, broken and alone, a discarded toy.
Madison’s mind raced, trying to find a way out of her nightmare. She had to get up, had to find help. But her body refused to obey, the pain too much to bear. She closed her eyes, praying for strength, for some miracle that would save her.
Time passed in a blur, the darkness pressing in on her. She drifted in and out of consciousness, her mind a haze of pain and fear. Each time she woke, the reality of her situation hit her anew, a fresh wave of terror washing over her.
Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted, strong hands gripping her arms. She barely had time to register what was happening before she was thrown onto something hard. The van. They were taking her somewhere else.
“Is she out again?” one of the boys asked, his voice full of cruel amusement.
“Yeah,” Rowan replied. “Good. Makes this easier.”
She felt the van start to move, the vibrations making her body throb with renewed pain. She tried to hold onto consciousness, to make sense of where they were going, but it was no use. The darkness swallowed her again, mercifully taking away the pain for a moment.
When she woke again, the van had stopped. She could hear the boys talking outside, their voices muffled but full of malevolent glee.
“Get her out. Let’s have some more fun,” Rowan’s voice commanded.
She felt herself being dragged out of the van, her feet scraping along the ground. She opened her eyes, trying to focus. They were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees. The moonlight barely penetrated the dense foliage, casting everything in a ghostly light.
“Look at this place,” one of the boys said, laughing.
“It’s perfect.”
Rowan leaned down, his face inches from hers.
“Wake up, Madison. The night’s not over yet.”
She tried to speak, to plead for mercy, but no words came out. They pulled her deeper into the woods, the branches scratching at her skin. She felt them pushing her against a tree, binding her wrists with something rough.
Rowan stepped back, admiring their handiwork.
“There. Now we can really have some fun.”
Madison’s heart pounded in her chest. She had to stay awake, had to find a way out. But her body was betraying her, the drugs and the pain pulling her back into unconsciousness. She fought it, trying to focus on the voices around her.
“Hey, let’s carve our names into her,” one of the boys suggested, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure.
Rowan laughed.
“Why not? She’s not going anywhere.”
She felt the first cut, a sharp pain slicing through her skin. She gasped, tears streaming down her face. They were laughing, mocking her pain. Each cut was a new agony, each laugh a dagger to her heart.
“Please,” she tried to beg, but her voice was barely a whisper.
Rowan’s face loomed above her, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
“You’re ours, Madison. No one’s coming to save you.”
The pain was too much. She felt herself slipping away, the darkness pulling her under. She welcomed it, praying for it to take her away from this nightmare. As she lost consciousness, the last thing she heard was their laughter, a haunting sound that would follow her into the darkness.
When she woke again, she was back in the van. Her body was on fire, every inch of her screaming in agony. She was barely aware of the movement, the van bouncing over rough terrain.