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"So, how do you like your espresso?"
It was. . .unorthodox. Me sitting here, in the middle of Lake Como, across from an insane lunatic that was quite literally trying to kill my family to acquire keys for whatever stupid reason, in the skin of my dad's dead best friend with an acclimated smile on his face like we were the best of buddies and not a prisoner and my kidnapper casually dining at a local cafe drinking hot lattes. To anyone else, it might've seemed cute, endearing, hey, that girl and guy are having a date, how sweet.
If only they knew just how screwed up the reality of my situation was. Scary thing was, I couldn't scream for help or do anything because I had no way to get back home. It would just put anyone else in danger. I didn't know how far Dodge's insanity stretched, but I wasn't ready to test those waters any time soon.
At least, not until I know why he's doing all this. The mind games, the lattes, the happy birthday Max whole ordeal.
None of this made sense. Dodge acting all friendly and caring—it was like I had been thrusted into an alternate reality where Dodge behaved like a normal human civilian.
Problem was, this was reality. This wasn't a dream state or even another plane on an another dimension.
To say I was befuddled and terrified at the same time was an understatement.
All of this, it was like some sort of twisted game of chess—and for whatever screwed up reason, I wasn't even on the board.
Despite my hands remaining free and unbound, an uncomfortable itch managed to curl beneath my skin. Like the chains were still there, weighing me down, an invisible string of fear.
It didn't not cross my mind to make a run for it. But Dodge was keen, analyzing my face like I was some piece of art work—it was slightly unsettling. Discomforting. Like everything I was doing had meaning behind it and Dodge had the urge to make a scene of it—a complex examination.
As I reached for the latte, foam wiggling at the top, I didn't realize how much I was shaking until I slowly placed it to my slips. One drawn sip somehow captured Dodge's attention—I gulped it down quickly, afraid that even drinking might cause a surge of questions. Like I was possibly scheming, and the truth was, I was.
A small though curdling smile drew thinly across his lips. Unspoken thoughts traveled across his gaze as he mindlessly took another drink of his latte, enjoying the scenery.
The scenery in which even I couldn't deny was breath taking, but I wasn't focused on pleasantries. Nothing about this breathed pleasant. In fact, I felt suffocated. More suffocated then the cabin.
Laughs drew my gaze to a family seated not to far from us, near the railing that overlooked the slightly chilly faded lake with smoggy clouds overhead and mountains stretching to reach them. They were a tourist family, I could tell. It was a mom and dad and their two kids—just laughing.
