Captured

Chapter 5

I close my eyes. I'm probably stuck here forever. I lean against the door and cry. If only I hadn't gone to that party. Why didn't Taylor look out for me?

She just stood there and kept clapping. A part of me feels so frustrated. I kick the chair and it falls down on the wooden floor. I cry even harder. What mess did I put myself in? And for what exactly? Just to be popular? I didn't even like that beer. It tastes so revolting. 

This man is probably going to murder me. He kidnapped me and keeps me locked up like a bird I'm a cage. This is inhumane.
But this is the consequence for following those that do not care about me. I thought Taylor did but I was wrong.

I hear a knock on the door. It's him and he's back again. It must be morning now. I see some yellow light, although barely, peeking through the planked up windows. I'm sitting now against the wall. Tired and exhausted. I have to start accepting my fate.

I stand up and face the door, curling my fists just in case he's going to try do something to me. I might be small and skinny but I'm not weak. He unlocks the door and slowly opens it. The door squeaks as he opens it and then the wooden floors below his feet begin to creek with each footstep he takes.

His frame is large against the light and I start to shiver. So dark. Everything he's wearing is black. He steps slower to where he makes eye contact with me. His hand still on the handle. My heart stops and a tear falls down my face.

Amber eyes. I noticed it before but the realization it was him from the party strikes a nerve.

He's walking closer to me but I don't feel any fear now. I let him walk towards me.

'You saved me, didn't you?'

He looks down and then right back up at me. 'Yes I did.' He sighs now and rubs the back of your head eyeing the room. 'May I come inside?'

'No.'

'Okay. ' He stays in between the door frame and looks at me sadly now. 'I'm really sorry for what I did. You weren't safe there.'

He leans now against the door frame crossing his arms. He's breathing deeply now and looks sort of angry now. 'I just had to get you out there. Who knows what they might have done to you if you stayed longer? Those weren't your friends.' His voice breaks. 'I had to protect you.'

I cross my arms now too. 'Protect me? But you don't even know me. I don't even know you.'

He smiles now. 'I do know you. You're wonderful.' He stands up straight now and takes a step inside the room. I take a step back.

He notices me going back and he stops in his track.

'What is your name?' I say.

'It's Randall.' He says. His voice is deep but calming.

'Okay Randall. Let me out. I can't stay in this room forever. Someone is going to come looking for me and your face is going to be all over headlines.'

He laughs. 'They won't. I told them you're my girlfriend and that you're staying with me for the next month.'

My eyes bulge. No. Way. I grit my teeth. 'Fuck you!' I throw my hands on him and punch him in the face. I hear something crack and blood drips down his nose. He cries out in pain and I exit through the open door. Hell yeah.

As I leave the room with Randall lying on the floor I try to find the front door. I run but slow down a bit as I try to navigate the front door. Where can it be ? Living room? Kitchen? I need to act fast!

I notice bright light through the kitchen and immediately run towards the door and turn the handle. It clicks open. My escape! Yes! 

I head a groan from the back and Randall calls my name. 'Jess don't!'

Don't tell me what to do.The handle turns and I open the door. Fresh air enters my lungs but I'm blinded by the bright light. I start to run but wince in pain. Heat travels up from my feet to my legs and I cry out. My feet is burning!

I stop running for a second and realize where I am. An open desert surrounded by hot gravel and sand. I see mountains in the distance but no form of life. No trees. No roads. Just this house.

'Jess! Please come back!' Randall is at the door now holding a cloth to his nose. I have to run back, my feet is in excruciating pain. Looking back I should have worn shoes but where are they? I just have socks on. Randall probably removed them while I was sleeping. It doesn't matter, I wanted to escape and leave this place. Only thing now left for me to do is go back and find another way to leave. I run back towards the house. From here I can see everything more clearly. It's a single storey house. A simple small brown brick house with a tiled roof. The windows are all covered up with planks. In the middle of absolute nowhere. 

I run back inside on the scorching hot ground and jump inside right next to Randall crushing into him and hitting him.

'Jesus Jessica. Calm down okay?' He wrestles me to the floor and pins me down. I struggle to get loose from him but even with all my strength, I can't. One thing I know is that escaping his grip is near impossible.

I give up struggling, it's pointless. I lay there and just look at him the same I did when I went unconscious at the party. Defeatedly I ask 'Why didn't you tell me it's that hot outside ?'

He grunts. 'I tried to tell you but you were already on your way outside. Look at your feet now it's all red!' He loosens his grip and looks at my feet examining it like a doctor.

'Hey stop that, it's not that bad.' I say.

'I'm just trying to help, okay.' He lays down next to me now and I let him. We both looking up at the ceiling now and panting from all the struggle and the pain. I don't know what I should do now. There's nowhere to go but this house and Randall.