Never Give Up

Chapter One

8PM on April 10th, 2024.

The path was familiar. I knew to step over the larger cracks in the sidewalk. To walk around the metal grate next to the electrical box because when I stepped on it in the past it felt slippery. I spilt my glances between watching my feet and paying attention to my surroundings. I had my keys in my hand. Wolverine style. I didn't always hold them like this when I walked home but especially when it was dark it freaked me out not to. I wanted some way to defend myself. I passed Dominoes and the bar called Pull, then I came to the intersection next to the Gym. I walked past the post office my apartment complex within sight since the bar. And noticed on one of my glances up that the parking lot was empty, as usual, except for a black van, that was running. I assumed it was Amazon delivery van. It still gave me a bad vibe though and I brought my headphones to rest just past my left ear so I could hear better. I remembered my Mom's words.

"Don't walk like a victim, Yvonne. Don't stare at your cell phone and don't wear your headphones on both ears! You can not listen to your music so loud that you get completely distracted." She had said probably at thousand time since I was a kid, especially when we passed girls walking and she didn't think they looked aware enough. Most of the time I agreed. People acted like they could afford to be on their phones or practically dance while walking, as if no one would do anything to them, but you never knew. These were desperate times just a couple weeks ago a guy had been shot at one of the storage unit places by the Safeway.  I knew I wasn't going to be one of those people that wasn't paying attention.

As I passed three quarters of the post office about to step into the part of the sidewalk that doubled as a drive way for the building. The van moved forward from its parking spot in the right corner. And pulled into the driveway. I completely stopped and I motioned for them to pull out. But the driver was giving me a very intense look. And he motioned for me to walk. I felt uncomfortable with this. And I motioned for him to go again. This time he waved a little more irritated for me to go and so I did. Feeling self-conscious and like there several eyes on my back as a I walked. But just as I had passed the van and right before I was about to step on the grass for my apartment complex. Two men bounded out of the right side of the van the door slamming open. I tried to keep walking, picking up my pass to a run, but immediately they grabbed each of my arms and started pulling me to towards the van.

They didn't wear anything to disguise their faces and they looked like ordinary guys. The taller was in jeans and a ACDC t-shirt. The shorter was in sweatpants and a brown t-shirt.

When their hands gripped tightly on my arms. I immediately started thrashing.

"NO! LET ME GO!" I Said as I tried to wiggle out of their hold. I was moving my body side to side violently and my backpack moved with me my laptop hitting the edge of my face.

I pulled as hard as I could toward the apartments knowing if I could just get down the driveway there was a Neighbor's Ring Doorbell that would at least catch their faces.

But even with pulling as hard as I could to walk towards the driveway they didn't budge.

My Mom's words ring in my head. "If someone grabs you it is your chance to throw the biggest fit of your life. Bite, kick, scream, cry, unleash all that anger. Give them hell." She had said.

I don't stop thrashing but now instead of whipping my head side to side with my body. I looked down at sweatpants hand on my left arm. Just by my elbow. He's holding onto me so hard my skin is white and red. The meaty side of his hand, opposite of his thumb is closest to my face. I bend my head down and bite, hard. I force myself to keep biting until I taste blood. He's now trying to pull his hand back but I keep jaw locked on it and then when he is starting to us this other hand to pull that one away from my arm and mouth and I RIP my head back. OMG there is a chunk of human skin in my mouth. Now I can feel vomit coming my throat hot and acidic. I spit out his skin and gag onto the grass.