Those 7 years: Missing One Shot Chapter

1

Taylor's POV
It was a crisp October evening, the leaves crunching under my boots as I made my way toward the car. Travis and I had just finished dinner, a quiet night in after a hectic week, and it felt good to be home. Married for three years, we had built a routine that felt easy, comforting. We had no kids yet, which gave us time to enjoy moments like these—dinners that stretched into hours of conversation, our laughter echoing in the house we called ours.

"Don't stay out too late, alright? You know how I get when you're out after dark," Travis teased, his warm hands resting on my waist as he pulled me into a kiss. His lips lingered on mine, his breath soft and familiar.

I smiled, pulling back just enough to look at him. "I'm just running a few errands, babe. I'll be back before you know it."

"Good," he said, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His deep, playful eyes met mine. "You know I worry."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "I'll be fine. You should be more worried about that game next week." I poked his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath his hoodie. Football season was always intense, and I knew how much pressure he was under. But tonight, it was just us, and for a moment, all the noise of the world felt far away.

He chuckled, giving me a final kiss on the forehead before stepping back. "Alright, go knock out those errands. I'll be waiting."

I got into my car, turning the engine on as I waved to him through the windshield. He stood in the driveway, his arms crossed, watching me leave. I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. We had built something solid, something real. Life was good.

The drive was uneventful at first, the streets of Kansas City quiet under the pale glow of streetlights. I kept the radio low, humming along absentmindedly as I mentally ran through my checklist—groceries, dry cleaning, and a quick stop at the pharmacy. Nothing out of the ordinary.

But as I turned down a side street, something felt off. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, that primal instinct kicking in. I shook the feeling off, convincing myself I was being paranoid. It was just an errand run, after all.

I was pulling into the parking lot of the pharmacy when I noticed the black van. It was parked a few spaces down, its windows tinted. There was nothing unusual about it, at least not on the surface, but something about the way it was positioned made my gut twist.

I got out of the car, locking it behind me as I walked toward the entrance. My eyes flicked toward the van again, but nothing moved. I shrugged it off, telling myself to stop overthinking. After all, this wasn't some thriller movie. This was my life. And in my life, things like this didn't happen.

Inside the pharmacy, everything was quiet. The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead as I wandered through the aisles, grabbing the items I needed. It was so mundane, so ordinary. But the uneasy feeling hadn't left me.

As I walked back outside, the cool air hit my face, making me shiver. I glanced around the parking lot again—empty, except for that same black van. The uneasy feeling crept back, stronger this time, but I still tried to brush it off. I was just being paranoid.

That's when it happened.

I barely had time to process it before I felt a hand clamp over my mouth, the rough fabric of a glove pressing against my lips. Panic surged through me as I struggled, my heart hammering in my chest. I kicked and thrashed, trying to scream, but the sound was muffled.

Another set of hands grabbed my arms, yanking me backward. The world spun as I was pulled toward the black van, my feet scraping against the ground. I fought with everything I had, but it was no use. They were stronger, faster. My vision blurred with panic, the terror coursing through my veins like ice.

The van door slid open, and before I could process what was happening, I was shoved inside. The door slammed shut, the sound echoing in the confined space. I tried to scream again, but the gag was already being tied around my mouth, silencing me.

My hands were bound behind me, the rope biting into my wrists. I struggled, my body trembling with fear and adrenaline, but I couldn't break free. My heart pounded in my ears as the van lurched forward, speeding down the dark streets.

I tried to focus, to figure out who these people were, but it was all a blur. My mind raced, piecing together fragments of information—the black van, the gloves, the way they had been waiting for me. This wasn't random. It couldn't be.

Why me?

I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. Travis. I had to think of Travis. He would be looking for me soon. He'd know something was wrong when I didn't come home. He'd find me. He had to.

The van sped through the city, the streets becoming less familiar as we went. I had no idea where they were taking me, no way to fight back. All I could do was hope—hope that Travis would figure it out, hope that I'd see him again.

The fear was suffocating, pressing down on me with every passing second. My body ached from the struggle, my wrists raw from the ropes. But the worst part wasn't the pain. It was the not knowing. The uncertainty of what was coming next.

I had no idea how long we drove. Time seemed to blur together in the darkness. All I could think about was Travis—his face when I left, the kiss he gave me, the way he said he'd be waiting for me when I got home.

Would I ever make it back to him?

Eventually, the van slowed, pulling to a stop. My heart raced as I listened, trying to make sense of the muffled sounds around me. The door slid open, and hands grabbed me again, dragging me out of the van and into the cold night air.

I was blindfolded, my world plunged into darkness as they pulled me forward, rough voices murmuring around me. Fear clawed at my chest, but I fought to stay calm, to keep my wits about me. I had to survive this. I had to get back to Travis.

I felt myself being shoved into a chair, the ropes around my wrists tightening as they secured me. The blindfold stayed on, leaving me in a terrifying void. My breaths came in shallow gasps as I listened to the footsteps around me, my body tense with fear.

And then, silence.

For a moment, I was alone with nothing but my thoughts and the crushing weight of fear.

What did they want with me?

Where was Travis?

And how long before they broke me completely?

I couldn't fall apart now. Not yet. I had to hold on. Travis would find me. He always did.

But this time, I wasn't sure how much time I had left.