by Verne, Lara
“Oh no,” I looked down at my feet, “I-uh, was just getting my stuff for my next period.” I forced my eyes to meet his and couldn’t help but notice that he looked familiar. “Hey, have I seen you around before?”
The man shrugged. “It’s possible.”
My eyes dropped to his attire. He was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt with a black hoodie. He was all blacked out, which was actually somewhat suspicious. “Do you teach here?”
“No,”
“Oh,” I trailed off, “Well, I think I’m just going to go to class now.” I flashed him a fake smile before I turned on my heel with full intent on walking away when something held me back.
It didn’t take me long to figure out it was his hand grasping onto my arm. I turned to face him and forced a laugh, “What are you doing?”
“You’re coming with me, darling.”
I titled my head slightly to the left in confusion, “What are you talking--” I brought my eyes back to his to see that they were hard and cold. “You’re--” I couldn’t make out the words that I wanted to say. I couldn’t even scream even though I knew that’s what I should do. “This isn’t happening.”
“My dear Elizabeth, you need to come with me now.”
He said it with so much certainty; it sent shivers down my spine. His grasp on my arm grew tighter and tighter until I was almost sure he was cutting off my circulation. “Okay,” I agreed, “I’ll come with you, just please let go of me. You’re hurting me.”
The sharp lines on his face softened, obviously relieved. “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” he whispered softly.
I forced a smile but I knew I was nowhere near happy. I could hardly stand up straight. My knees were trembling and my hands were shaking. “I’m glad I--” I didn’t bother to finish my sentence. I ducked under his arms and ran past him.
Just as I thought I was getting away, I was pulled back only this time, by my hair. I cried out in agony as I felt strands of hair being pulled from my scalp.
He ignored my cries and held onto my hair whilst pulling me towards him. When he got me close enough, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. His words purred at my ears. “Don’t try to run. It’s useless.”
My breathing stopped when I heard those words and it was in that moment I knew that it was over. There was only one thing left to do. Scream.
I opened my mouth to let out the loudest scream that I could ever make but to my avail, the man covered my mouth with a damp cloth that instantly brought sleep to my eyes.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - JACOB
I stood there, hidden in the hedges, watching my love’s house from a far. I didn’t like the distance but it would have to do for now, until we were together. My lovely Elizabeth must have figured it all out. She’s much smarter than I had anticipated. This thought instantly brought a smile to my lips.
If she thinks that she’s figured it out then I’ll just have to keep her guessing.
The cops will be an obstacle, though. If they continued to stay around the house, I would have to eliminate them. Anyone who proved to be keeping Liza away from me was a threat.
I knew eventually, she would have to return to school and it will be then that I claim her as mine. Oddly enough, it took my Liza a week before she got school sick.
I watched as she exited the detective’s car and walked up the steps leading to the front door. I knew enough about the school to know that it was lunch time. This meant that the hallways were most likely empty.
With haste and much precision, I cleared the backseat of my mid-sized sedan just incase Liza proved to be uncooperative.
Wasting no time, I rushed out of the van and into the school. I had taken the liberty of memorizing her schedule and locker number incase my plan was not executed as planned.
Luckily, I found my brown haired beauty at her locker, which seemed like the perfect opportunity.
“Um,” she hesitated, “Hi.”
“Hello,” I said, trying my best not to sound too excited. “You’re all alone in the hallway. Is something wrong?”
“Oh no,” she shook her head, “I was just getting my stuff for next period.” She brought her enchanting blue eyes to mine. “Hey, have I seen you around before?”
Yes. I wanted to tell her about the bar but I knew that would result in her getting scared
“It’s possible.”
“Do you teach here?”
“No,”
“Oh,” she said, “Well, I think I’m just going to go to class now.” She gave me a quick smile before she turned away.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed onto her wrist.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re coming with me, darling.”
“What are you talking--” She paused, allowing her thoughts to process in her mind. “You’re---this isn’t happening.”
“My dear Elizabeth, you need to come with me now.”
“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll come with you, just please let go of me. You’re hurting me.”
I released my hold on her hand, not realizing that I was holding onto her so tightly. “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.” I told her. I knew that she was the one. The other girls thrashed and screamed but not Liza. She loved me.
She smiled back at me. “I’m glad I--” She stopped mid-sentence and ducked underneath my arm and attempted to run past me.
Frustrated, I grabbed onto the first thing that I saw. Her hair. Though I hadn’t meant to, I was pretty sure I had ripped out strands of her beautiful hair. As much as I wanted to sympathize, she did try to run away from me and I couldn’t have that happen. “Don’t try to run. It’s useless.”
I heard her jagged breathing trying so hard to make out other words but in her mind, I believe that she’s finally come to realize that we were supposed to be together.
Pulling out my cloth dipped in Chloroform, I pressed it gently against her face until her body grew limp.
▪▪▪▪▪
It was extremely difficult trying to open the door at the same time as trying not to let Elizabeth fall out but I managed, laying her back on my thigh as I used my hands to bind hers. I made sure to wrap the rope tight so that it wouldn’t be easy trying to break free.
I reached into the glove department and pulled out a neon pink scarf. With ease, I tied it around her face, covering her eyes, and tied a knot behind of her head. I set her down gently on the back seat and planted a small kiss on her forehead. “I wish it didn’t have to come down to this Elizabeth, but this is what happens when you don’t cooperate.”
▪▪▪▪▪
Halfway through the drive, I heard a faint shuffle coming from behind of me. It didn’t take rocket science to figure out that my dear Elizabeth was becoming conscious.
I paid no attention at first, knowing that it would be just a few more minutes until we arrived at our home. That was, of course, until she started to scream. I wanted to bring my hands up to my ears and try to shield myself from the shrieking but I forced myself to stay focused on the wheel. I just needed to get there, and then I would be able to take care of it then. But what good would that be if her screaming caused us to get in an accident?
A growl erupted from the back of my throat. “Be quiet Elizabeth. I can’t drive when you’re being so distracting.”
She continued to scream, thrashing her body in the backseat. She kicked her feet against the window whilst muttering incoherent sentences.
“Stop it, will you?” I grew more agitated. “I’m trying to drive! If you don’t stop screaming, you’ll get us in an accident!”
“Get me out of here!” she yelled, “I don’t deserve this!”
I heaved a sigh and reached into the passenger seat for the cloth that I had used on her earlier. Being careful, not to take my eyes off of the road ahead of me, I reached back and gently placed the damp cloth on Elizabeth’s face. She continued to struggle for a few more seconds until her body grew still and her screams faded u
ntil the only sound coming out of her mouth were her gentle breaths.
▪▪▪▪▪
I closed the front door behind of me and walked down the hall. I came to a white wooden door with a silver handle and opened it with ease. I entered the room with pale blue walls, hardwood floors, and white furniture.
I liked to keep things simple.
Gently setting Elizabeth on the bed, I grabbed a throw blanket off the rocking chair located in the corner of the room and laid it over her.
I planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and whispered, “I love you, Elizabeth.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - LIZA
I awoke with a start, my heart pounding furiously in my chest. I looked around the room that I was in. It was simple; nothing but blue and white. It was decorated quite nicely. Seashells hung from the ceiling acting as some sort of chandelier. Paintings that resembled the beach and the sunset hung upon the walls. The room looked like one of those rooms you would see in IKEA.
I threw the blanket off my body and got off the bed, running to the white wooden door. I tried to turn the knob, but it was locked.
I tried again.
And again.
It took me quite a while before the events that had occurred not too long ago to come rushing back to memory.
▪▪▪▪▪
I don’t feel dead but I don’t feel quite alive either. I know that I’m still here, my mind is working but my body’s not.
I feel numb.
Useless.
Gone.
The cold winter air tickled my sweaty skin causing me to shiver. I felt strong hands being wrapped around my waist, hoisting me over their shoulder. My arms dangled down his back without any control.
I wanted to know why no one at school noticed that I was missing. After what happened at lunch, I would have expected Sean or Katie to come after me, uttering false apologies. Maybe they did. Maybe they were just too late.
I felt the man gently laying me on a leather surface, what I predict was the seat of a car. My hands were being pulled together and wrapped with a scratchy rough object, which I knew was a rope.
Seconds later, a blindfold of some sort was being tied around my head. It was accompanied by a wet surface on the midst of my forehead followed by an unsettling voice. “I wish it didn’t have to come down to this Elizabeth, but this is what happens when you don’t cooperate.”
I wanted to kill him right there and then. But I couldn’t. My brain couldn’t command my body to do anything. I was frozen.
I decided to wait it out until I was sure that I would be able to do something about the situation I was in.
The car started to move and I became even more uncomfortable. Tears formed behind my closed eyelids and my heart pounded so hard I was sure he could feel it.
Katie and Sean were gone.
Jeremy was gone.
It hurt to think about my old life. I even lost faith that I would see them again because I referred to them as my old life. I wasn’t stupid. I knew I was never coming back. I was done for.
He was going to kill me, just like he killed Ellen McHannon. Sobbing quietly to myself, I found myself drifting off into sleep. There was nothing better to do, anyway.
Maybe when I wake up I’ll be in my room and this will all be just a dream.
When I came to, I felt dryness in my throat. Desperate for something to drink, I swallowed my own saliva, surprised that I could even manage to do that. Trying out my hands, I began to move my fingers. Knowing that I was fully conscious again, I took this as my chance to end this. If I managed to get us in a car accident, then I would die and hopefully, he would too.
I didn’t scream yet. Instead, I wriggled about on the back seat hopelessly. Lifting my legs, I began kicking at the window. I still felt half-asleep so my kicks were light and weak but that was when I accompanied it with a loud, ear-wrecking scream.
“Be quiet Elizabeth. I can’t drive when you’re being so distracting,” the man said in a calm and collected voice.
I continued to scream. My hands joined in with the leg action, punching and thumping anything that came in contact with my body. I screamed to the heavens, not caring about anything else but getting out of here.
“Stop it, will you?” the man growled. Somehow, in his deep tone, I could still hear his voice over my screams. “I’m trying to drive! If you don’t stop screaming, you’ll get us in an accident!”
“Get me out of here!” I yelled. “I don’t deserve this!” I didn’t think I deserved it. After all, I’ve been nothing but a good girl my whole life. Even after being bullied for one and a half years, I never stooped to their level. I always stayed calm and I knew that I would eventually be out of the situation. I did nothing to deserve this. I fought harder, kicking with all my strength, screaming with all the breath in my lungs. But it wasn’t enough because in a matter of seconds I felt the cold cloth being placed over my nose again. My eyelids felt heavier than ever and my whole body grew numb again.
▪▪▪▪▪
My situation was real. As much as I wanted to believe I was having an Alice in Wonderland moment where I’ll wake up and find myself wrapped in my pink polka dot comforter, I knew that it was far from happening.
I threw my body against the door until my whole right side of my body was numb. I kicked the door until my feet were sore. I punched until my knuckles were swollen. I pulled at my hair until clumps of brown hair came out in my hands.
I was having a mental breakdown. I was scared and angry and because there was nothing else to do! I was trapped in this room with no escape and I was most likely going to die just like the others.
The door opened and there stood my kidnapper. The murderer.
He was tall, which made him overpower me by a lot. His dark brown hair was a disheveled mess on top of his head. It was obvious he didn’t take time to groom it. His eyes were a pale color of gray that they almost seemed colorless. His cheekbones cut perfectly into his face, making him look more mysterious. He was quite an attractive man.
Had he not been a murderer.
An uneasy smirk settled on his face as he looked down on my pale body. “Hey, don’t be throwing fits, Elizabeth.” he said sternly, “You could hurt yourself.” He walked into the room and closed the door behind of him. He looked over to me and smiled, overlooking my whole body.
“Why am I here?” I demanded, pulling my knees up to my chest. “Where are we? Why did you take me from--” Questions poured out of my mouth uncontrollably until he finally held up his hand, which made me stop talking.
“You’re here because this is where you belong,” he said calmly. “You are in our beautiful home far away from those horrible people.”
Tears streamed steadily down my face. I took shuddering breaths as I tried to calm myself. “What do you want from me?”
The man smiled amusingly. “I want you to be mine, Elizabeth, just like you want me to be yours.”
I froze at his words. I wanted him to be mine? He was crazy! There was no way in hell I wanted him! “You’ve got the wrong girl, I don’t know you.”
He chuckled and turned around, walking out of the door and returning with beige shopping bags. “These are for you,” he said, setting them on the bed. “You’ll be wearing them tonight for dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Of course,” he said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “You didn’t expect me to let you starve, did you?”
I had expected him to let me starve. After all, he’s only going to end up killing me. Why bother to feed me? Instead of responding, I went over to the bed and wrapped the throw blanket around me.
“I’ll be back in five minutes.” he informed me, “You should be ready by then.” With those words, he exited the room and closed the door behind him. I heard the faint click of a lock and sighed.
I brought my blanket up to my chest and stumbled off the bed. I walked over to the shopping bags, pulling out the clothes he bought me. There was a midnight bl
ack strapless dress, a necklace to accompany it and a pair of black stilettos. I laughed to myself before tossing them back into the bag.
I wasn’t dressing up. Especially not for him. He disgusted me.
I crawled back into bed, threw the blanket over me, and began to think to myself. It was obvious he had been the one to send me the secret admirer messages and I was almost certain that he had killed Ellen McHannon. What I didn’t understand was, why? I knew most serial killers didn’t become serial killers because it was their lifelong dream. Something tragic usually happens in their lives that corrupt their minds.
