Alessia realised she had turned down the wrong passage and turned around, just as she moved she heard a voice. Not a scream this time, not even a strong voice, a weak almost whispered voice that sent her heart into her throat.
Clenching her fists she moved down the passage to the sound of the voice, as she drew closer she realised that the speaker was praying, slowly she understood the words being spoken.
"Please God, let me die now. Before he comes back, grant me at last the peace you have denied me for so long. Please just let this finish. Let me die."
The voice was full of loss, hopelessness and despair. She couldn't abandon whoever it was.
Pushing open yet another metal door she stifled a cry. It was a room attached to the furnace of the house, a huge pipe filled one side of the room and windows looked out at the garden, one of the panes was cracked. The thing that filled her with fear were the rusting manacles attached to the walls, the pools of blood still fresh on the floor and the three figures, all male, all battered and bloody, all unmoving.
At first she feared they were all dead, then she realised that the man closest to her was moving, feebly, he was face down in what unfortunately was most likely his own blood.
Her skin prickling with goosebumps she moved further into the room and over to the man.
