Courtney's POV:

Through my teary haze, i noticed a hesitant, yet beaming Miranda, gesture to me. I gazed back, rather confused, until I realized what she meant. Now that my legal guardian was here, the real questioning was supposed to take place right away, and considering that was the only way I'd be able to go home, I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

I pulled away from my brother and shot Miranda a grateful smile, before returning my attention to my family. "Hey guys, the police have to do the questioning part now, so..."

Ash nodded, his happy expression quickly being masked by a more serious one, "of course. Let's get this over with."

---

"Alright, Courtney, I assume this is your older brother, Ashley, is it?" Miranda asked, glancing down at her notes.

"yeah, I'm her guardian. Thanks for keeping her safe, by the way," Ash adds.

She smiles once before her professional demeanour returns, "of course, it's my job after all. Before we begin, how exactly are your companions related to the victim?"

Andy is the first to respond, his hand clutching tightly onto my own, "I'm her boyfriend, and we all work together in a band. They're like her un-biological family."

She nods, looking up finally, "alright then, so I believe we should start at the beginning. When exactly did Courtney go missing?"

"Six months ago, in October," Ash concludes, his expression dark and unreadable.

Unconsciously, i reach for his other hand and give it an affectionate squeeze, but he doesn't return my smile.

"Now, Courtney, during your time away," she begins gently, "you originally told me your were abused and often beaten. Would you like to add anything else to your statement?"

I gulp, visions of the past months flying through my head, I feel conflicted, confined. The air isn't getting to my lungs in time, I'm suffocating. i can't tell her anything, not with the guys here, looking so hopeful yet fragile. I can't burden them with the knowledge of what i went through, alone and all by myself.

"um, is there any chance that I could talk to you more in private?" I rasp out, "I can't talk about it in front of them." i confess.

I ignore their sudden hurt expressions and keep my focus on my scarred wrists when Miranda speaks again. "of course, hun. Sometimes, talking about their... tragic experiences in front of loved ones is uncomfortable," she soothes them.

They nod and one by one, exit the room, dropping a kiss on my forehead as they leave.

Miranda leans forward, "now, they will hear everything."

I nod, "I'm okay with that. you can continue."

"Great, so what happened?"

I take a deep breath, "I was starved and fed every two weeks, with a bottle of water arriving every week. It was constantly dark where I was kept, with only a small skylight to provide minimal light on occasion. One day, the entire room filled with acid rain and scalding water that burnt me badly. The temperature in the room would rise and drop to negative degrees. I remember they would beat me and inflict wounds with weapons, such as a knife. I was violated as well," i whisper the last pat, my voice breaking.

She nods sympathetically, "tell me how you escaped,"

I used the knife to stab one of the guards and I ran fro the open door."

"and what was outside the room you were locked in?"

"It was eerie. Everything was white and bright, and there were many doors, yet no windows. It took me forever to find the exit, and when i ddi I realized i was in the middle of nowhere. After that I ran and came across a small diner. the people helped me , but then they came back for me, and killed everyone in the diner. I managed to hide and then defend myself, gaining access to a cellphone during my second escape. And then I came here."

She scribbles something down in a notebook, urging me to go on.

"That's basically it, though. I have no idea who took me," i answer, my voice quivering at the end.

Miranda nods, closing her small notebook and smiling gently at me. "That is all the information I need, thank you. I would like to express my surprise and sympathy, I am so sorry you had to go through that all by yourself, Courtney. But I can promise you that, the police are looking for them, and will not rest until they are found, and their motives discovered. If you feel the need to add anything else, please do not hesitate."

I nod slightly, standing slowly and turning towards the door, but something holds me back. "There was a reason I was taken, or else they wouldn't of chased after me. I'm not safe, I hope you know that."

Notes