ꜱᴛᴏᴄᴋʜᴏʟᴍ ꜱʏɴᴅʀᴏᴍᴇ

one

"Scream and I will kill you."

I felt the man's warm breath brush against my ear, as he spoke those words. His voice was low and aggressive. 

His hand gripped over my mouth. His thumb squeezed the tip of my nose. The blade of his knife pressed on my neck, the cold metal pushing into my skin. 

I could feel his chest pushed up against my shoulders. His body was firm and warm, compared to the cold night breeze around us. 

"Do you understand?" He said leaning back into my ear. All I could do was stand still in disbelief. "Do you understand?" He spat, pushing the knife deeper into my skin.

I looked to the side of my eye, trying to get a look at the man behind me, without moving my head. All I could see was the corner of his shoulder. 

I nod my head quivering. 

"Good," His voice was deep. His hand lifted off my mouth. He brushed his hand on my waist in a dominating way. 

I heard a rustling sound. "Stay still." He lifted a cloth to my face and he tried the fabric around my eyes, next grabbing my wrists behind my back, putting what felt like a zip tie around my wrists. He walked me to his car, I obeyed like a dog as the knife pushed into my back. 

He opened the trunk and I got in. He held my ankles together and he tried them together. 

The trunk door slams shut. My body jumped as the loud sound echoed through me. The air was silent, I was alone now. I let my tears run down my face. 

I tried to move, kicking my legs out trying to escape from the ball like the position that I was stuck in. The space around me was small. I move my arm aggressively, pointlessly trying to free myself.

I heard the car start and we drove out of the parking lot. The car jolted roughly as we go over a speed bump. My head smacked the bottom of the trunk. 

I rub my head on the scratchy carpet-like surface of the trunk. My blindfold lifts up a little bit, to find myself still in the dark. There was a small slither of light. I watched the light fade and grow bright again as we pass street lights. 

I had lost count of the number of turns we had taken. Right, left, left... It doesn't matter anyway. I had no idea where we were. 

It's not fair. It's not fair!

I struggled, kicking on the sides of the car. 

Don't think about it. I tell myself focusing on the light. I felt my throat grow tight. I have to get out of here!  There's not enough space. It's too tight. Not enough room for me to move. 

I couldn't breathe. I felt my breath grow rapid as I started to sweat.

---

"Jonathan! Please let me out!" I yelled out, as I repeatedly bash my shoulder on the cold wooden wardrobe. My shoulder had gotten a splinter in it. I could feel it, underneath my skin. 

"Please, anyone! Dad? Mum?" I screamed, even though no one could hear me.

---

My chest was tight. "Please let me out!" I screamed, "I won't tell anyone about this if you let me go! I swear! Help!" 

I wasn't sure how long we had been driving. The rug under me started to warm from my body heat. It was nice. It was a freezing night. I didn't dress for the weather; a skirt, thin tights and a top. 

The road had changed to gravel. We had been driving quite fast for a while now. I remember getting thrown when he speed up. I know there is a road like this to Ballarat, but that might just be wishful thinking. 

The street lights were much dimmer, now, we weren't in the city anymore. It was hard to tell, but it didn't really smell like the city. 

The police will find me. My father and brother will notice that I'm missing.

---

The door swung open, I fell to the ground. It left a thick layer of dust and dirt on my skin. "I forgot about you, Madeline. Dinners ready, clean yourself up, your face is red and puffy. Your arm is bleeding as well."

I came down from the attic and washed up in the bathroom.

"Madeline, where have you been? Your father and have been calling you for dinner for the last 10 minutes."

"I'm sorry," I said softly, they didn't notice I was gone. I look up and Jonathan was smiling at me. 

---

My mouth when dry and my skin cold. How long until they notice I'm gone? 

I felt the car slow down, turn left and come to a stop. I rapidly pushed the fabric back over my eyes, leaving just a small gap to see out of. 

The car door opened and slammed shut behind him. The boot opened, and I felt a cold gust of wind brush over my skin. The damp skin of my face froze. I turned my head up, to get a look at the man that had taken me. 

His hair was black and straight, small strands fallen on his face, and the rest pushed behind his ear. His eyes are narrow, intimidating, muted grey eyes with dark circles under them. His expression was dull, he looked tried, unamused and not scared either.

It was hard to tell his intentions from his expression alone. 

He used his knife to untie my ankles. "No point in running, there's nothing around here." His voice was as dull as his face. It scared me. Made me think this was not his first time doing something like this. He had a plan.

"Come with me." He grabbed my arm and pulled me upright, out of the puddle of tears, I had left behind. His grip was tight, his hand wrapped fully around my arm, his hands cold. 

I pulled myself out of the car. The ground was rough, gravel and dry grass. He took me to a wooden door and unlocked it pushing it open and throwing me in. I wanted to plead for my life but my mouth was too dry, I couldn't bring myself to open it. His face didn't look as though he would listen to me.

After he locked the door he took me down some stairs, into a small room. It had a chair in the middle of the room and some boxes in the corner.

He sat me down on the chair. Used the rope laying next to the chair to tie me down to it. The light was dim, in the room but I could see him getting something out of one of the boxes.

"We are going to make a video," He paused, as he set up the camera. I felt myself cry as my mind ran with the vilest thoughts. I heard him click a button and he walked over to me. "Don't cry, won't you smile for your dirty rich daddy," He said pushing his knife on my throat. 

I breathed out. That's all he wants, money, money from my father. "I have taken your daughter, if I'm not paid what I am owed, with an interest rate of let's say 2.5 million, within 10 days, pieces of your daughter are going to start showing up in the mail."

He paused, I could feel his other hand touching my hair. "Tell me, honey, are you a virgin?"

"...yes," I stuttered, as I felt myself shaking more with his every touch. 

"Well, Mr Walker, if I am not paid by day 15, your daughter is going to lose a lot more than her virginity," He said pushing the knife into my skin simulating a cutting motion. "You want to say something to your dear father?" He said, his voice pointed in my direction. 

I swallowed, "Dad?" I started crying harder and dropped my head a little, "Please come get me, I'm scared."

"You know where to pay me, no police," He said, turning off the camera.