The Cellar

THE CELLAR is being PUBLISHED on March 1st 2014! This version will stay on Wattpad, but the twice re-written, polished book will be available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository and many others, as well as stores in the US and Canada. E-book is available on most e-readers. 1K

Nothing ever happens in the town of Long Thorpe - that is, until sixteen-year-old Summer Robinson disappears without a trace. No family or police investigation can track her down. 128

Spending months inside the cellar of her kidnapper with several other girls, Summer learns of Colin's abusive past, and his thoughts of his victims being his family...his perfect, pure flowers. 228

But flowers can't survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out... 123

Copyright 2012 Natasha Preston 38

----------------------------------------------------------------- 34

Chapter One 123

Summer 151

Saturday 24th July 2010 583

Looking out of the window, I came face to face with the dull, grey sky. The heavy clouds made it look too dark for summer, but not even that could break my happy mood tonight. GCSEs were finally over, and I wouldn't have to take another exam until next year. I was celebrating my freedom by going out with my friends to a local gig. 277

"Hey, what time are you leaving?" my boyfriend, Lewis, asked as he let himself into my room and sat on the end of my bed. 529

"In about half an hour. Do I look okay?" I looked back at my reflection in the mirror and frowned. My hair never really ended up how I pictured it in my head. Lewis smirked and rolled his eyes behind me. "You know I can see you in the mirror, right?" I teased. 70

"You look beautiful. As always," he replied. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off tonight?" 183

I sighed. The social club where the gig was being held was barely a two-minute walk. I could make it in my sleep. "No thanks, I'm fine walking. What time are you leaving?" 355

He shrugged. "Whenever your lazy brother's ready. Are you sure? We can give you a lift on the way." 44

"It's fine, seriously! I'm leaving now, and if you're waiting for Henry to get ready, you'll be a while." 210

"You shouldn't walk alone at night, Summer." 596

I sighed again and slammed my brush down on my dresser-it wasn't improving the look of my hair anyway. "Lewis, I've been walking around on my own for years. I used to walk to and from school every day and I'll do it again for Sixth Form. These-" I slapped my legs for emphasis- "work perfectly fine." 261

He smirked, his pervert eyes flicking down to my legs. "Hmm, I can see that." 1.3K

Grinning, I pushed him down on the bed and sat on his lap. "Can you put your overprotective boyfriend shirt away and kiss me?" Lewis chuckled as his lips met mine. We had been together for fourteen months and I was totally crazy about him. 595

I had started liking him when I was eleven and he had come home with Henry after football practice one day. Being so young, I thought it was just a silly crush-like the one I also had on Usher at the time-and didn't think anything of it. But when he still gave me butterflies four years later, I knew it was something more. 280

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"You two are disgusting." I jumped back at the sound of my brother, Henry's, deep voice. 193

"I'm going now, anyway." I said, and pushed myself off Lewis. I gave him one last kiss and slipped out of the room. 54

"Bye, Mum, bye, Dad," I called, and then slammed the front door shut behind me. I didn't wait to hear from them before I left. 380

I started along the familiar pavement, towards the pathway next to the graveyard. That was the only part of walking alone that I didn't like. Graveyards were a scary place, especially alone. I subtly glanced around while I walked along the footpath. I felt uneasy, even after passing the graveyard. We had moved to this neighbourhood when I was five, and I had always felt safe here. My childhood had been spent playing out in the street with my friends, and as I got older, I hung out at the park or social club. 235

I pulled my jacket more tightly around myself and picked up my pace. The social club was almost in view, just around the next corner. I glanced over my shoulder again and gasped as a dark figure stepped out from behind the hedge. 121

"Sorry, dear, did I frighten you?" I sighed in relief as old Harold Fox came into view. 460

I shook my head. "I'm fine." 22

He lifted up a heavy-looking black bag and threw it into his wheelie bin with a deep sigh. His skinny frame was covered in wrinkled skin, and it made him look as if he would snap in half if he bent over. "Are you going to the disco?" 278

I grinned at choice of word. 'Disco.' "Yeah, I'm meeting my friends there." 93

"Well, you have a good night and watch your drink. You don't know what the boys today slip in pretty young girls' drinks," he warned, shaking his head as if it were the scandal of the year. 251

I laughed. "I'll be careful. Bye." 41

"Goodnight, dear." 85

The social club was visible from Harold's house. I relaxed as I approached the entrance. My family and Lewis had made me jumpy. It was ridiculous. As I got to the door, my friend, Kerri, grabbed my arm from beside me, making me jump. She laughed. "Sorry. Have you seen Rachel?" 119

My heart slowed to its normal pace. "Nope. Just got here." 16

"Damn it. She ran off after another argument with the idiot, and her phone's turned off!" Ah, the idiot. Rachel had a very on/off relationship with Jack. "We should find her," I groaned. I had only just arrived and had hoped for a fun, chilled out evening with friends. 165

Sighing, I resigned myself to the inevitable-I would be spending the first part of the night looking for my overemotional friend. "Okay, which direction did she go?" 336

Kerri gave me a flat look. "If I knew that, Summer..." 56

Rolling my eyes, I pulled her hand and we started walking back towards the road. "Fine. I'll go left, you go right." Kerri saluted and marched off to the right. I laughed at her and then went my way. 523

I walked across the middle of the field, heading towards the gate at the back to see if she had gone through to the Sports Centre. Though Kerri said Rachel's phone was off, I tried calling it anyway. Of course, it went straight to voicemail. If she didn't want to speak to anyone then why were we trying to find her? Because you're her friend and she's upset. 134

I headed through the gate and across the field, to the back near the skate ramp. The clouds had shifted, creating a grey, swirling effect across the sky. A light warm breeze whipped across my face, making my hair blow in my face. 46

"Lily?" a deep voice called from behind me. I didn't recognise it.. I spun around and backed up, as a very tall, dark-haired man stepped into my view. My stomach dropped. Had he been hiding between the trees? He was close enough now that I could see the satisfied grin on his face, and his neat hair blowing in the light wind. "Lily," he repeated. 828

"No. Sorry." Gulping, I took another step back. I scanned the area in the vain hope that one of my friends would be nearby. "I'm not Lily," I mumbled, straightening my back and looking up at him in an attempt to look more confident than I felt. He towered over me, glaring down at me with menace in his eyes. 134

He shook his head. "No. You are Lily." 452

"I'm Summer. You have the wrong person." 233

I could hear my pulse crashing in my ears. How stupid to give him my real name. He continued to stare at me, smiling. It made me feel sick. Why did he think I was Lily? I hoped with everything that I just looked like his daughter and he wasn't some crazy weirdo. 233

I took another step back and casually searched around to find a place that I could escape if needed.. The park was big, and I was still near the back, just in front of the trees. There was no way anyone would be able to see me from here. That thought alone made my eyes sting. Why the hell did I come here alone? I wanted to scream at myself for being so stupid. 236

"You are Lily," he repeated.. 546

Before I could blink, he threw his arms forward and grabbed me. I started to scream, but he clasped his hand over my mouth, muffling my shouts. What the hell is he doing? I thrashed around, frantically trying to get out of his grip. Oh God he was going to kill me. The tears poured from my eyes. My heart beat so fast that I thought I was going to pass out. 385

He pulled me towards him, hard, and then spun me around so that my back pressed tightly against his chest. His hand was still covering my mouth. He grabbed my hair and pulled my head back against his shoulder. I couldn't move or breathe properly. I was going to die. 142

He pushed me through the gate at the back of the park and then through the field. I tried again to scream for help, but his palm stifled my cries.. He kept whispering Lily over and over while he dragged me towards a white van. Oh God, I needed to get away now. I dug my feet into the floor and screamed so much that my throat hurt. It was useless though, no one was around so all I was doing was exhausting myself. 539

He tugged his arm back, pressing it into my stomach. I cried out in pain. As soon as he let go to open the van's back door, I screamed for help. "Shut up!" he shouted as he pushed me inside the vehicle. I hit my head on the floor while I struggled. 36

"Please let me go, please. I'm not Lily, please," I begged, and gripped the side of my throbbing head. My whole body shook with fear, and I was gasping for breath. 81

His nostrils flared and his eyes widened. "You're bleeding. Clean it. Now," he growled in a menacing voice that made me tremble. 240

He handed me a tissue and sanitizer. I was so scared and confused that I could barely move. "Clean it now!" he screamed, making me flinch. 195

I lifted the tissue to my head and wiped away the blood. My hands were shaking so much that I almost spilled the sanitizer as I squirted it onto my palm and rubbed it into the cut. The stinging caused me to clench my jaw.. The man watched me carefully, breathing heavily and appearing repulsed. What the hell was wrong with him? 275

My vision quickly blurred as tears spilled over and rolled down my cheeks. He grabbed the tissue, careful not to touch the bloody part, and threw it on the floor. He cleaned his hands with the sanitizer before slipping the small bottle into his pocket. 114

"Give me your phone, Lily," he said calmly, holding his hand out. I cried harder as I reached into my own pocket, took my phone out and handed it to him. "Good girl." He slammed the back door shut, immersing me in darkness I screamed and banged against the door. A moment later, I heard the unmistakable roar of the engine and felt a rocking sensation as the van began moving. He was driving. Taking me somewhere. To do what? 525

"Please help me!" I shouted. I repeatedly punched the door It was useless, but I had to try. Every time he turned a corner I fell against the side of the van, but I got up and continued shouting for help and banging on the door. My breathing turned to panting, and I kept gasping for breath. It didn't feel as if air was getting into my lungs. 87

He continued driving and with every passing second, I started to give up hope. I was going to die. The van finally came to a stop and my body froze. This is it. This is where he kills me. 96

After a few seconds, the door flew open, making me scream. He smiled and reached in, grabbing my arm before I had chance to jump back. We were in the middle of nowhere. There was a large red brick house sitting at the end of a stone path, tall bushes and trees surrounded the field. Who could ever find me here? There was nothing here I recognised at all, I had no idea where he'd brought me. 103

I tried to resist as he pushed me towards the house but he was too strong. I screamed loudly in one final attempt to get help, and this time, he allowed it, which was so much scarier-it meant that no one would be around to hear me. 72

I kept repeating in my head, 'I love you, Lewis' as I prepared myself to die and for whatever he had planned before he killed me. He pushed me through the front door and along the hallway, I didn't see much, because I was too busy struggling to get out of his grip. 336

He picked something up from a table then opened another door. I gasped as I saw a wooden staircase leading down to a cellar. I screamed again and pushed back, but he easily forced me inside. 114

He closed the door behind me, leaving me standing on the stairs and shaking violently. My eyes widened as I looked around. I was in a large room painted in a pretty light blue colour. There was a small kitchen along one side, two brown leather sofas and a chair in the corner that faced a small television. There were three wooden doors on the wall opposite the kitchen. Everything was spotless. There was no mess anywhere. Four vases sat on the table; one held roses, one Violet, one poppies. The fourth was empty. 548

I collapsed on the step, grabbing the wall to stop myself falling down the stairs. I let out a startled cry as three girls stepped into view at the bottom of the stairs. One of them smiled sadly and held her hand out.