Amberkin

My initial instinct was to look around everywhere I could to figure out what I had been brought to, but before I could see anything beyond the metal ceilings, walls, and floors, a blindfold was quickly wrapped around my head and over my eyes. ”What the hell- Tim, why? ” I said, with my voice raised in alarm. ”You
e okay. We just can risk anything here. Trust me, and I promise youll be safe soon, Amber-kins. ” He said with a comforting tone. I was anything but comforted by that, and I hated that nickname, but I didn say anything about it.

I realized a second too late that my phone and my Airpods were swiped out of my pocket. ”Was that really necessary? Its not like Im some prisoner! ” I mumbled, just loud enough for my uncle to hear me. I heard someone set something down on a hard surface, which I assumed was one of the bodyguards putting my stuff away somewhere. I was guided, still blindfolded, through what seemed to be an endless maze of left and right turns. The longer I listened to the quiet, yet firm footsteps of the two bodyguards and Tim, the more anxious I got. Where were they taking me? Am I in trouble? Did I do something wrong?

Suddenly, Tim said, out loud, ”We can tell you where we
e going, but you aren in trouble. This isn because you did something wrong. We just need to help you…adjust to something…new. ”

Wait a minute. Wait a damn minute. I didn say anything. I was just overthinking, overthinking. I was so confused. Did he read my thoughts? I know technology is getting advanced, but not that advanced. I always thought Tim knew my best out of all my family, he knew everyone best. Suddenly, a thought of pure terror went into my mind. What if he had been reading everyones minds all along? He would know everything Ive thought, about friends, family, and maybe even about Lewis…

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden halt. Through the little sliver I could see out of the blindfold near my nose, I could see that both Tim and the bodyguards stopped in front of seemingly nothing, showed a non-existent badge on an non-existent lanyard around their necks to a non-existent scanner, then continued on the journey. It seemed childish to me- why bother pretending to need to scan your ID when theres nothing guarding the hallway? I couldn see it, but I could just feel it when a heartbeat later, Tim looked over his shoulder at me and smiled. It wasn a funny smile, or a ”Im having fun ” smile, but it was a ”thats cute ” smile. I mumbled some mild swears under my breath, because nobody calls me cute and gets away with it, even indirectly. Sometimes I hated Tim for that. He doesn ever visit without calling me cute in some shape or form. That stupid bastard. Always doing everything I hate the second he visits-

”Watch your language, Amber. Youll never know who can hear you anymore. ”

Youll never know who can hear you anymore.

His words echoed through my head, like when Lewiss family brought me along to this one cave near our town. It was way too humid for me down there. Cold, but humid, perfect for a frizzy hair fiasco. I tried not to think about him, as Ive been trying not to for the last year and a half. Pushing him out of my head, I tried to figure out why Tim said ”anymore ”. Did that mean Im not just visiting? How long would I be here? The thoughts raced through my mind like my old barrel racing horse Lexi would run. We called her Sexy Lexi, because she sure was pretty.

I kept waiting for Uncle Tim to answer my questions, even though I hadn said them out loud, but he said nothing. Maybe it was just a coincidence that he knew what I was asking in my mind earlier? I doubted it, but it couldve been the case. At some point, we stopped. More button-clicking was heard, and a door of some sort creaked open slowly, with a metal hinge sound to it. I was turned left, towards the door, and into the room that this door lead to. I felt the bodyguards hands lift from my shoulders. I was waiting for someone to say something, but nobody said a word.

”Tim? ” I addressed him sort-of softly.

”Yes, Amber-kins? ” he said, almost a whisper. I could tell he was holding back tears, but I didn know why.

”Why did you take me here? ” I spoke a little louder, and more confident, trying to make him think I knew where we were.

”Im sorry, Amber. ” He was basically sobbing at this point.

Im sorry, Amber. What was that supposed to mean? The small sniffles got farther away, and I assumed he was pacing or something. The bodyguards slowly stepped away from me, trying their best not to make a sound, but of course, I could hear them. For some reason my hearing has always been extremely sensitive and high-range, almost like a bird of some sort. I started thinking about how my uncle always calmed me down at family reunions when stuff was just too loud. He seemed to understand, somehow, and he always made me feel better. I liked Tim for that reason. He just gets me.

Whoosh!

Clank.

The sudden noise snapped me out of my thoughts. The bodyguard with the beard had taken off my blindfold…and locked the door behind him?

I looked around to take in my surroundings…

…