Whispers of Yesterday

Prologue

Viviana D'Angelo was enjoying a rather pleasant day, a welcome change from her recent ones. She sat comfortably on a small bench, savoring her favorite coffee from her favorite cafe. As she took a sip, she sighed contentedly, watching the fall-colored leaves flutter softly to the ground around her. She looked around and watched as little kids built little leaf mounds and jump into them giggling loudly as their mothers talked nearby on a bench. 

She watched the children for a moment, a small smile playing on her lips as she envied their innocence. Finishing her coffee with a quick gulp, she stood up and began walking towards the park entrance, her almost waist-length hair flowing behind her in the wind.

She tossed her now empty cup into the neon green trash can, which was covered in missing posters fluttering lazily in the breeze. With a neutral glance at the posters, she began her long walk back to her apartment. 

She glanced around, almost as if expecting someone to be lurking in the shadows behind her. Something felt off; she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but her gut told her to stay on high alert until she got home. 

The wind blew softly, rustling the various colors of orange, yellow, and green leaves around her feet that padded softly on the sidewalk. She fixed her scarf over her nose and mouth as the wind nipped coldly at her, making her face feel numb.

The wind blew softly, rustling the various colors of orange, yellow, and green leaves around her feet that padded softly on the sidewalk. She fixed her scarf over her nose and mouth as the wind nipped coldly at her face making it feel numb.

Viviana quickened her pace, eager to reach the warmth of her home. The sidewalk was nearly empty, the usual chatter of children and joggers replaced by the whispering wind and the occasional rustle of a squirrel in the trees. She glanced at her watch, noting it was later than she had realized.

As she turned onto the quieter path that led farther away from the hustle and bustle of her small town, she noticed a car slowly driving past. She felt a slight unease but dismissed it, thinking the driver might be lost as that quite truly happens a lot. The car disappeared around the bend, and she continued walking, her thoughts drifting back to the book she had been reading.

A few minutes later, the same car reappeared, pulling up beside her. A man stepped out, his face obscured by a raven black balaclava and dark aviator glasses. "Excuse me, miss, could you help me with directions?" he asked, his deep voice sounding friendly to her ears but it had an edge she couldn't quite place.

Viviana hesitated, but decided to help the man. She warily stepped closer to the car all of her senses on edger from this strange man. "Where do you need directions to sir?," she asks politely.

Before she could react, the man grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the car roughly. She struggled against him trying to break free from his bruising grasp, but his grip was too strong. He forced her into the back seat, slamming the door shut  quickly. 

She instantly reaches for a door handle, only to find there is none to grab. Panic sets in as she frantically looks to the other side of the car, searching for a handle there, but there isn't one either.

Her heart races as she glances into the front of the car. The man in black slides into the driver's seat with a tense posture not even bothering to put his seatbelt on as he speeds off. She feels a surge of fear, realizing the gravity of her situation.

She bangs on the divider in front of her, begging him to let her go, but it's as if he can't hear her desperate cries. He keeps driving out of the city, taking her farther away from her warm, cozy home. She quickly gives up pleading and starts banging on the windows, screaming for help. But the streets seem deserted, and no one hears her cries.

Soon, she starts to feel dizzy. She places her hand on her forehead and curls up in the corner of the back seat, pressing her face between her legs.

Her dizziness worsens as the time goes on and she feels as if she is about to black out. Her eye lids start to feel heavy and her surroundings start to become blurry. Her vision starts to darken and she shakes her head slowly, feeling as if her body was filled with lead. 

She soon succumbs to the darkness, her body going limp in the back seat as she slumps over, losing the battle she fought so hard to win. Tears stream down her face as she realizes the futility of her struggle, her mind clouded with a mix of sorrow and exhaustion. Fear and despair wash over as the darkness takes her into another world.