Paint the town blue

Chapter XIX

Charles's POV

I woke up because I felt how much my arms were numb. I wanted to stretch them out, but was surprised to find that I couldn't do it – my hands were tied to something. I myself was sitting on something like a bed or an ottoman bench, but definitely not on the floor - it was too soft for the floor, and warm, given the current weather.

I couldn't see anything, because I had a blindfold over my eyes, so I tried to listen to the sounds, but I couldn't hear anything except the sounds of the forest around me. Am I in the woods? How did I end up here? I tried to twitch my arms, hoping that I'd be able to free my hands, but I couldn't do anything. It's strange, but now I didn't feel any kind of fear, which usually occurs in people in such situations. I felt nothing but a dull pain in the back of my head. Maybe I'm not scared just now, while I'm alone? And when my abductor appears, then will I feel the whole range of emotions at once?

Leaning back against the wall behind me, I began to remember how I could've ended up here. I remember for sure that I was walking home, and I was walking along a road that I knew by heart and could walk the way with my eyes closed. I remember walking down an empty street and that the weather was pretty good. I stopped across the street from the intersection where we used to say goodbye with Max, and I wanted to take a step forward to pass this our meeting place and walk home, but... damn, what happened next? Next...next... next, someone hit me from behind, and I lost consciousness. I remember exactly the sharp pain, and how I collapsed on the sidewalk. But I didn't see who did it. In any case, who needed it? Who the hell did I annoy this time?

I jerked my arms again and heard a metallic clang - apparently my hands were tied with a chain or something like that. But then why don't I feel the cold of metal on my wrists? I jerked my arms again and was surprised to realize that my wrists didn't even hurt. I couldn't manage to free my hands, although I tried several times, but in the end I just seemed to rub the skin a little under the cloth separating my hands from the metal chain. Well, congrats, now it's going to hurt, damn it.

Still not finding the answer to where I am and who dragged me here, I moved my back to the wall and slightly tilted my head back, but immediately exhaled painfully. I immediately remembered the blow to the head, but was it really that strong? I reached out with my hands to the back of my head and somehow even reached out, but instead of hair I felt some kind of fabric. Bandages? Gauze? Was I hit first, and then the kidnapper decided to bandage the wound so carefully? Did I get into some kind of shitty horror movie?! And why am I the only one who is so lucky in life?

While I was thinking about the whole situation I found myself in and trying to figure out at least some kind of plan of action, I heard the sound of the door opening and for the first time in a long time I felt...really scared. Yes, I admit, I was scared, so I tucked my legs and arms up to me, preparing to defend myself if anything happened. Well, or to seem as small as possible, just to blend in with the environment. I'm a wall, I'm a wallpaper, I'm...I'm anything but human.

The footsteps got closer and closer, then the man came close and sat down next to me. Nevertheless, I am sitting on some kind of sofa, or an ottoman, or whatever it is, because when this unknown person sat next to me, the surface of this furniture tilted slightly. It only happens on sofas or beds.

"Oh, you're finally awake?"

I heard a voice and chuckled softly to myself. At first I see him on the street, and now, in such a stressful situation, I hear his voice? The man next to me apparently noticed my reaction and a certain shock, so he reached for my blindfold and untied it quite carefully. A bright light immediately hit my eyes, and I involuntarily squeezed them shut before looking at my captor.