Shadow of the Mind

Chapter 3: The Game

The clucking sound of the subway wheels over the rails woke up, Tara from her sleep. The stench of mildew in the air, quickly awaken  her mind, that she was still in the nightmare from which she hopes to have escaped. The room was dark with a dim light from a stair way across the room. The cold metal from the cuffs reminder her she was still captive to the monster who had taken her. Looking around trying desperately to find something anything she could have missed to help her escape. Kicking and squirming her distance was not any further than the mattress had let her to reach. The tears falling down her face of feeling helpless. Wanting to scream but the gag in her mouth just muffled any noise she had attempted. Her mind began to race? Wondering where she was at? The subway means she must be somewhere in Queens or maybe uptown Manhattan? But how was that possible when she was meeting Tyler for coffee, in Middletown. How did she get here? Squirm at her cuffs, feeling something warm run down her wrist. Looking up at them, noticing it was blood from her squirms. I have to stop moving or its going to open my wrist more, she thought to herself. At that moment a red blinking light in the corner of the room caught her. A camera, she tried to get on her knees and started to scream "Help" only for it to be muffled by the gag. Sitting back down on the bed, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, could see a table and sink across the room from her. The goosebumps going down her arm, only brought in to reality of fear of not escaping.

The dust from the ceiling began to fall, and footsteps could be heard above her. The heavy thuds only meant it must be the man who had taken her was back. The door at the top of the steps screeched as it began to open. A burst of bright light filled the stairwell causing her eyes to shut close. She could smell a sweet smell of cologne in the air, that over powered the mildew she once smelled. The footsteps started coming down the steps. A humming sound could be heard, with tapping the nails on the wall. The tap only sent silverers down her back, The feeling of hope was escaping her body with every step made.

"Tara...." A sinister voice filled the room. "Its time for us to play a little game. "As Samuel stepped down to the floor from the last step. Taking a few steps to the middle of the room where he reached out to pull a light switch on. The bright light made Tara pull her legs closer to her body, tucking her head into her chest. "Aww don't be afraid Tara, this will be all over shortly once you play the game." She could hear the voice say to her. lifting her head out of her chest to look for the man to see his face, her fears came more to light. It was the man, Tyler she was suppose to meet for drinks. In anger she tried to lunge forward, screaming "why Tyler?" muffled by her gag. Tears began to fall, but tried to fight them for she was angry.

"ohm, much spirit you have, better than the last one. So, Tara, do you want to play the game or not?" Samuel said with cold icy blue eyes staring at her chained to the pipe. Knowing Tara didn't have a choice she just nodded in agreement, a little hope began to rise in her knowing she was good at board games. "Good, by way I'm not Tyler, you can call me Shadow, for now." Samuel walked over to the table, where he pulled out a glass jar, and set it in the sink. Turning around smiling at her, what game shall we play?" his arms pulling up to his chest like a happy jester would for clapping his hand in excitement. Walking over to a closet across the room, he opens it up to only reveal one game. Tara eyes widen in delight, it was Chess. Her favorite game in school. She tried not to smile, for she was a state chess champion. As Samuel pulled the game to the bedside where Tara was sitting, he said," I hope you don't mind, but I up the stakes in the game. For every piece I take of yours on the board you lose a part of you. And since you were a state champ this game should be fast right?" Fear in her eyes began to darken, how did he know that, she never told Tyler, or Shadow or whoever this man was that in their conversations in the dating app. How could he possibly know that. Samuel smiled his sinister smile, dark laughter "what you don't think I don't know all about your, social media accounts. You were handpicked, my love just for your intelligence. I figured it was time for me to have more of a challenge. "Smiling at her. He set up the chest board for her to see on the small table he set in front of her.