by West, Sinden
“You’re so lucky. What’s he like? Does he have a sexy voice?” Corinne pumped me.
“He’s arrogant as fuck. You can take him his order if you want.”
She beamed, eagerly taking the coffee once it was ready. I watched as she approached him. My mouth dropped open when his face broke into a friendly smile, and I could tell he was thanking her. And I didn’t get so much as a please. She was glowing as she walked back.
“He’s so hot, and friendly. I don’t know why you’d think he was arrogant.”
I scowled at her and got on with my work.
In a rare calm moment, I confessed to Merida that I’d been kicked out, but not why.
“You want to stay at my place tonight?” she offered. “My sister’s away so I’ve got my room to myself.”
“Actually, I was thinking about crashing at Finn’s for a while.”
Merida arched an eyebrow. “Really? After him and Melody?”
“I haven’t told him that I know yet, and let’s face it, his mom is such a drunk she doesn’t know who’s coming or going. It’ll just be easier, plus I know that it would make Melody sick to her stomach if she knew that I was staying there.”
A smile slid across Merida’s face. “You are so devious.”
“I know,” I said smugly
I was wiping a table when the hot, arrogant guy walked past me. “See you later, Rachel.”
My head snapped up.
“Paige, my name’s Paige,” I blurted out. He stood in front of me, looking down at me with a small nasty smile on his face.
“Paige is a good girl’s name. Rachel is more of a whore’s name. It suits you better. I’ll be seeing you, Rachel.” And then he casually walked out the door, leaving me staring after him with my mouth open in shock. I looked around to see if anyone had heard what he’d said, but no one was paying attention.
“Paige,” my boss called. “Can you stay later tonight? Anne called in sick.”
It was a moment before I could speak. “Sure,” I managed, still shocked. I manage to calm myself and texted Finn to ask if I could crash at his place. He replied quickly back with a yes, but there was no offer to pick me up. Still, it was a short walk to his house.
At ten o’clock, I finally left work. I hoisted my bag over my shoulder and walked out into the night. It was quiet now, and very few cars were around. I wasn’t scared though, this was a small town and no really bad things happened. It was mainly juveniles breaking into cars and empty houses. I headed down the alleyway that would make the walk to Finn’s house just five minutes, versus twenty if I went the normal, well lit way. I stared up at the sky; somewhere cats fought and a couple were having an argument, I tried to tune them out as I took in the night sky. It was all so pretty, with twinkling stars and a stunningly bright moon.
But then everything went black, just like that.
Chapter Five
When consciousness came, I was bound hand and foot and lying in darkness. At first I thought it was a coffin but I heard noises and kept being bumped around. I was in the trunk of a car and a moan escaped me. But something thick in my mouth was hindering me and I panicked and thrashed. Then I passed out again.
The next time I came too was when sunlight slipped in, and the trunk opened. I stared up groggily as a dark silhouette appeared over me, and I had to squint against the pain of the light in my eyes. A hand reached in to circle around my arm roughly and I was yanked up and out of the car. Then he let me drop, and I fell crashing to the dirt. My face, arm and thigh hit the ground with force and pain speared through me.
I cried through the gag in my mouth, shaking as I lay there.
“Get up,” said the silhouette. I trembled, and my breathing through the gag was coming through in raspy pulses.
“Get up,” the voice said again. A light kick was directed at my thigh, and that spurred me into action. Do what he says. I somehow pulled myself upright until I was on my knees, finally taking in the scene around me. A shabby two-story wooden house stood to my right, and to my left was an old barn that looked like it was about to collapse. And beyond that, just trees. We were obviously in the middle of nowhere. New fear registered in my brain.
The man crouched down beside me, and my eyes darted fearfully to him, widening when I saw who he was. The hostile man from the diner was looking at me, but he didn’t look hostile now, he just looked amused by my fear and discomfort. He studied me for a while longer while I trembled under his gaze; my arms were aching terribly from the strain of being bound behind my back and something tight was cutting into my wrists. I wanted to beg him, but all I could do was struggle to breathe with this gag in my mouth. My mouth was dry with thirst, and I was scared that I might vomit, knowing that if I did I would suffocate.
Then the man suddenly stood as he wrapped an arm around my waist and slung me over his shoulder and started walking. I didn’t struggle; half scared he’d drop me onto the hard ground again. He strode toward the barn, pulling open the old door effortlessly. The only light was coming in through gaps in the wood, and the smell of feces invaded my senses making me gag. And then he placed me down, so I was standing on some kind of wooden box. I teetered unsteadily until he crouched down and cut through the cable ties with a knife.
He stood again. “Better?”
And I nodded emphatically, almost thankful. Then he walked behind me and suddenly something thick and heavy went over my head to rest on my neck, the rough of the rope rubbed viciously against my skin, and panic washed over me anew. I started to hyperventilate. A noose! He’d put a noose on me. And then from behind me, he started to pull something, and it tightened and pulled me up with it, forcing me to stand on the balls of my feet. He was going to hang me.
A strangled noise was forced from me, and fresh tears flowed down. I would have given anything to have the gag taken from my mouth so I could beg. Then the pulling and tightening stopped. As long as I stayed on the balls of my feet, I had sufficient room to breathe. He walked slowly back around, studying his work.
A foot shot out and lightly kicked at the box so it moved. A new sound came from me, terror apparent in the muffled noise. He kicked it again, and I screamed again, through the gag.
God, don’t please, don’t. I started praying even though I didn’t believe in any god.
He met my eyes and smiled. It was that blinding, charming smile that he’d flashed at Corinne that had her creaming her panties. The effect it had on me was to make me pee myself through my jeans. He saw that and let out a laugh.
And then he turned on his heel and walked out of the barn, pulling the door closed behind him. I was left balancing on the balls of my feet trying not to hang myself as I stood in my own urine. I started to cry again, violent sobs racking my body while I tried to stay as still as possible.
My legs ached, and I was so scared that they might give way beneath me and send me swinging. Would anyone come looking for me? Or would they all just think that I left town after my Mom kicked me out. The thought sent me spiraling into a sobbing mess again.
I balanced there until the sunlight creeping in faded as twilight set in and I started to shiver with cold. Was he going to leave me here all night? I half wanted him to set me free, but the other half feared what that psycho would do if he did come.
The creek of the barn door sent my head snapping up with renewed alertness and fear. He walked silently, and I was reminded of my first impression of him. He really was like a wolf, a stealthy and silent predator. He stood in front of me and looked up; I met his eyes and tried to plead through them. My legs hurt so badly.
That knife was in his hand again, and I flinched as he reached toward me, but he was only cutting the rope. I fell down off the box and onto the dirty barn floor, breathing as hard as I could with the stifling gag in my mouth and not even caring about the bruises forming on my skin.
A hand hauled me roughly to my feet, and he dragged me along behind him and out of the barn. We headed to the house, me stumbling up the rotti
ng porch steps and his rough grasp holding me upright. Inside, he dragged me up a narrow staircase that creaked dangerously under us. At the end of the hall was a bathroom into which he shoved me, my side hitting the sink painfully, and I struggled to keep my balance. He had the knife again and it cut through the bindings that pinned my arms painfully behind my back. Cable ties fell to the cracked linoleum floor as extra pain washed over me as I moved my stiff arms finally.
The first thing I did was put my hands to my mouth and rip off the duct tape, wincing as I did so. And then I pulled the cloth that had been jammed into my mouth for so long out. The minute I did, nausea came over me and I collapsed against the toilet to heave out everything in my stomach.
“That’ll be the drugs I had to give you to keep you down.”
I didn’t turn to look at him, just clutched the porcelain of the bowl until I was sure nothing more would be purged from me. Even then, I just sat back on my heels, not wanting to look at him. I wiped at my eyes as new sobs erupted from me.
“Please, just let me go. I won’t tell anyone.” My voice was pathetic and pleading.
“Why would I do that? The fun’s just getting started, Rachel.”
I looked at him then; he stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest as he lounged against the doorframe.
“My name isn’t Rachel. It’s Paige. I told you I’m Paige.” My voice was panicked and desperate.
He raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. “Really? You think I’m stupid?”
I think you’re crazy, motherfucker.
“No, you made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. God, please just let me go.” I hugged myself to stop the shaking.
He rolled his eyes. “Get your clothes off.”
“No,” the word automatically spat from me without thinking. He cocked his head at me then took a step closer. I flinched, digging my nails into my arms. He crouched down, so he was at my eye level.
“Take your clothes off, or you’ll spend all night in the barn with that rope around your neck.” He spoke clearly and succinctly. There was no doubt in my mind that his threat was real. I let out a sob and then, hating myself, pulled off my jacket and then my top. He stood and went back to leaning against the door frame, watching my every move. I stood as well and lowered my soiled jeans, so I just stood there in my bra and panties. I hugged myself again, one hand over my chest and the other across my waist.
He motioned with a finger. “And the rest.”
I shook my head. “Please don’t make me,” I begged.
That earned a laugh from him. “Stop the innocent act, Rachel. I know what a whore you are. Take ‘em off.”
I didn’t correct him, just did what he said until I stood there even more vulnerable than before. His eyes cast up and down my body before saying, “Get in the shower; you’ve got two minutes.” Then he looked thoughtful. “Although, let’s face it, it would take a lot longer than that to get someone like you clean.”
I stepped into the stained bathtub and turned on the water. It was freezing at first but soon warmed. I took as much as possible into my parched mouth and tried not to think about him watching me.
“That’s enough.”
But I didn’t move, just stood under that spray, too scared to think about what might come next.
“I said that’s enough.” He reached over and shut off the water, grabbing my arm and pulling me so I fell over the bathtub ledge and onto the linoleum on my hands and knees. A threadbare towel was thrown on the floor by me. “Dry yourself.”
I got to my feet and rubbed the towel across my body before reaching for my pile of discarded clothes. But they were kicked away.
“No, only good girls get to wear clothes, Rachel.”
My eyes snapped to him, but I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing me beg anymore. Once more, he took my arm and roughly guided me out of the bathroom to one of the doors in the hall. He shoved it open with his foot and pulled me in front of him before pushing me down onto the only piece of furniture in the room: a narrow wrought iron bed. It was covered with a faded floral blanket that reminded me of the hideous couch in my mother’s house. A fresh sense of longing and homesickness came over me as I dug my fingers into the blanket.
“Get into bed,” he ordered, and I did so, fearfully as my eyes caught on the sole window in the room that had been boarded over with thick planks. I pulled the blanket over me protectively before he yanked my arm over my head and set about binding it to the iron headboard, and then he did the same with the other. However, he left my legs free, but I didn’t even entertain the fantasy of kicking him. He was strong; there was no way I could take him.
After I had been fastened to his satisfaction, a hand swept some of my hair away from my face as he looked intently at me. “You can yell and scream as much as you like, but we’re in the middle of nowhere. No one would ever hear you except me.” He leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, and I flinched against his hot breath. “Let me warn you though, if I don’t get a good night’s sleep, I get really mean.” I kept my eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling, pressing my lips together to stop any new sobs from escaping.
He moved away from me, and the room plunged into darkness. I heard the door shut and then the sound of a bolt being pushed into place. Only then did I take a deep breath. Half terrified, yet half grateful that he hadn’t touched me. What the hell was going on? How the fuck was I going to get out of this?
Chapter Six
I cried myself to sleep, and when I woke I nearly forgot what had happened. But the hideous reality came rushing back to me as soon as I opened my eyes, and small slits of sunshine intruded through gaps in the planks blocking the window. I strained against the bindings on my hands, but there was no give. I needed to pee badly. I contemplated calling out to that crazy psycho but decided against it. I’d rather pee myself than endure whatever he had planned a minute sooner than I had to.
I heard noises; he must have been moving around downstairs. I lay there, holding my breath in dread. Finally, I heard a bolt draw back and my door creaked as it was opened. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans, and his face hadn’t gotten any friendlier since yesterday.
“Rise and shine, Rachel.” He moved over and sat beside me on the bed. He slowly moved the blanket back so that I was uncovered and all too conscious that I was naked. He looked at me for a minute before starting to untie my hands.
“I know that you’re probably tempted to run. That’s a normal reaction. But we are a long way from the nearest town, or even another house, not to mention the fact that you’re lucky to get one car come along these roads every six months. So if you run, you’ll probably die of exposure and starvation, if I don’t catch you first.” Finally free, I pulled my arms down, wincing against their stiffness. “And if you do run, I’ll hunt you down, Rachel. That’s a promise.” I felt his eyes on me as I rubbed my wrists.
I wasn’t going to acknowledge his words. “Can I use the bathroom?”
He stood up and motioned with his head toward the door. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and walked through to the bathroom. I went to close the door behind me, but his hand shot out and stopped it. He swung it back so that it was wide open. I swallowed and sat on the toilet, staring at the floor as I peed. I avoided any eye contact with him as I washed my hands. My reflection stared back at me from the cracked mirror; my eyes were puffy from crying, and my mother’s bruising handiwork was now matched with a ring around my neck where the rope had rubbed.
“Let’s go,” he said impatiently. I turned to him.
“Please can I have my clothes?” My goal this morning was not to cry.
“You want clothes; you have to earn them. Now come on, you can cook me breakfast.” I walked down the stairs in front of him; my eyes trained on the door as it came into view. My heart sunk as I saw three locks on the door, and they all needed keys to open them. He guided me past a living room and then onto the kitchen. Everything was worn, but clean. A
frying pan, eggs and bread sat on the countertop.
“I like my eggs fried, and just in case you get any ideas, I removed all the sharp knives. Get to work.” He leaned against the counter as I set about doing as he said. I hissed as butter sizzled and jumped out at me from the hot frying pan onto my naked skin. This elicited a small laugh from him. I ignored him.
Finally, I laid his plate in front of him, and went to sit at another chair at the table, but he stopped me.
“No. You don’t get to sit on the furniture.” He pointed down to the floor. I frowned but did as he said, kneeling on the scarred wooden floor. He ate like he did everything, quietly. When he had enough, he took the plate and placed it on the floor in front of me. A piece of toast and half an egg remained.
“You can eat that.”
I ate with my hands as he’d taken the utensils away. I felt so self-conscious, knowing that he watched my every move, but I was so hungry. I ate every last bit on the plate and then he told me to clean up. And like before, he leaned against the countertop watching me. Even if I found a weapon, I doubted I could do much harm to him. His arms were well muscled, and everything about him looked strong. When everything was clean, I turned to him with apprehension.
“Now you can clean the bathroom.” From under the sink he brought out a bucket with cloths and bleach, shoving it into my hands. For a split second, I contemplated throwing the bleach at him, but as we passed the front door with its numerous locks, I thought better of it. I didn’t want to antagonize him until I had the means to escape. I had to bide my time.
I scrubbed at the bathtub under his watchful gaze. To my surprise, the dirt and stains lifted, resulting in something nearly white. I longed to take a bath in it, a hot bath with the door locked. When I’d finished, and the bleach irritated my hands, he took the cleaning bucket from me.
“Go back to your room.” He cast an eye over my handiwork.
I obeyed, and the door was bolted behind me. I jumped into the bed, covering myself with the blanket. I wondered on his reasoning for keeping me naked. To humiliate me? Probably. I curled up into the fetal position, wondering if anyone missed me or cared where I was. The door stayed shut for the rest of the day, and I pressed my eye to the small gaps in the window but I couldn’t see anything. As the light dimmed, so did my hopes. I had to spend another night here with that psycho.
