Reckoning in the Sunshine State

Prologue

"911, what is the address to your emergency?" The woman said on the other line. My hands shook slightly, clutching the phone tightly.

"I-" I tried to speak but there was a lump in my throat.

"911, what is the address to your emergency?" the woman on the phone stated once more and I lowered the volume to the phone while checking behind me. The man on the bed didn't move, his breathing steady.

"Help me," I whisper blinking through tears, my voice slightly raspy.

"Where is the address of your emergency?," the 911 operator asks.

"I'm not sure, pretty sure we had turned on Chester Street. The windows are boarded up, I can't see anything outside." I say and my ears are ringing.

"I've been abducted by my ex-boyfriend," I say in a hushed tone laying down on the floor. I try scooting under the bed.

"What is your name?" 

"Nicole Diaz." I whisper. 

"What does the house look like? What is his name? Does he have a gun? Do you need medical attention?" The operator rapidly fired questions before I could answer. I heard a shift in the bed move from above me. I held my breath and waited.

"Are you still there?" the operator asks.

"How much longer?" I whisper.

"We have an officer on their way, just stay on the phone with me. Do you know what color the house is?" She asks and I try to think back as it was only a few hours since we had gotten here but it was dark and the street light in front of this house was out when I was dragged in.

"No, it was too dark, I- I couldn't see anything."

"Is there a weapon in the house?" she asks.

"Yes, he has a taser." I say and the pain on my chest stings a little from where he had stung me earlier.

"Is there any way you can get out of the building?" They asked me and I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. If I could leave on my own, don't they think I would have done so?

"No, everything is boarded up and I don't know if I can try without waking him, I'm scared." It felt like hours were passing but when I looked at the phone only 3 minutes and 35 seconds had passed from when I had started the call.

"Is there a bathroom in the house or a room you can hide in and lock the door?"

"I don't know, I'm under the bed now. His door is closed and he made it so it would make noise if it was opened."

"So if you told him you had to go to the bathroom, would he do something to you?" She asks. I know she was trying to help and maybe it was the stress I was going through but I really wanted to hang up the call. This wouldn't be the first time officers or the justice system would have let me down.

"Yes, because he had me tied up and I had gotten myself free. How much longer is this going to be?" I plead to the woman. It could be any moment that he realize I'm not in bed next to him

"The officers are on their way now, what's your ex-boyfriends name?" the operator asks.

"His name is Mario Lopez, 5 '11, Hispanic, white male. He charged me with a restraining order after I tried to get one against him last May, then last night he told me he wanted to meet about dropping the charges and then drugged and abducted me. I rushed out.

The bed shifts again and I shut my eyes tight.

"Shit, I think I woke him up," There is more creaking as if he is rolling over on his side.

"Just set the phone down for now." She says and it makes a small tap against the hardwood floor. The room is super silent. I wait until I finally hear his heavy breathing again from him sleeping. Thank God he was a heavy sleeper.

"Are you still there?" The operator asks.

"How much longer?" I ask.

"The officers are there now, can you get out of the house?" She asks and I crawl out from under the bed. I carefully walk towards the door where he has cans tied with a string on the door knob. I turn the knob slowly and I can hear the loud creak of the door. I look back and he still hasn't moved.

"No, the door creaks too much." I can see flashing lights through the cracks of the window. I try to peek my eye through the cracks of the board but the full thing is solid plywood and there is hardly any gap to see out of through the sides.

"Is there a window there?"

"Yes, but it's boarded with plywood. I can't see outside of it at all." My heart is racing and the ringing is getting louder. My knees begin to shake and my vision is turning white, I can hear muffled sounds before next thing I know a hand grabs my shoulder turning me around.

"What did you do?!" A voice screams in my face but I can't see anything. It all goes blank.