Kidnapped

Chapter One - Mistake.

It's just past midnight, and I've been staring at the same spot on my bedroom floor for what feels like hours. Down the hall, Frank is still drunk, still yelling at my mom. His voice cuts through the walls, slurred but sharp, and I'm sure the whole building can hear him.

We moved into this apartment two years ago. Frank had one of his brilliant ideas that he was a "city guy" now, not the quiet neighborhood type. I hate him for it. But there's something about the constant hum of life out here that keeps me from feeling completely alone.

Maybe it's just Frank I hate.

I try to tune out the yelling, but every now and then, I hear my name. I must've done something wrong again, but who knows what it is this time. My mom used to defend me, but she's learned better than that by now.

I glance at my clock again. It's the last week of senior year, so tomorrow's classes barely matter, and even if I stay up all night, no one's going to care. I hear a sharp crash from my moms room-something breaking, maybe a remote, maybe a picture frame. Ugh.

Time to get out.

I slide off my bed, slipping into my sandals with barely a sound. The window latch clicks softly as I push it open, the cool night air brushing against my face. I climb out, landing on the grass below without a noise. After closing the window carefully behind me, I pause before stepping onto the sidewalk. The night is warm, the dim light from the buzzing streetlamps and parking lot lights casting long shadows across the apartment complex.

A soft purr of an idling engine catches my attention. There's a car parked just outside my window-Josh's car. He's sitting in the driver's seat with one of his friends, Kyle or Jordan or... someone. They graduated last year. Josh is hot in that annoying, doesn't-even-try way. He's never noticed me before, which is why I freeze when the window rolls down and he gives me that cocky grin.

"Isn't it a little late to be sneaking out?" he asks, voice low and teasing. My cheeks burn, and my heart stutters in my chest.

"I guess so," I mutter, taking a step closer to the car. "Hi," I add awkwardly to his friend. His friend just nods, smiling back.

"Where you off to?" Josh asks, his eyes studying me, making me feel suddenly self-conscious.

I don't really know the answer to that. I glance around, then gesture toward the parking lot with a shrug. "Anywhere but here," I say, forcing a smile.

His friend leans towards the window, holding up a joint. "Wanna hit it?" He asks. I laugh awkwardly, "uh...yeah, no thanks. I'm not that cool" I say as I nod to Josh once more "see ya" I mutter.

I can feel their eyes on me as I walk past the car and it makes me incredibly self conscious, but I stare at the ground and start heading for the exit of the parking lot.

Theres a few people here and there, smoking outside their buildings or scrolling on their phones, but its pretty calm for the most part. As I make my way onto the main street, the occasional car passes by. I slide I hand into the pocket of my shorts and pull out a crumpled $5 bill. Maybe I'll get a water from the gas station down the street.

I look up at the night sky and try to search for any sign of the stars, but they are pretty hard to spot out here because of all the lights and stuff. One of the only real reasons I miss our old house.

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My strides are long and purposefull as I start crossing the parking lot of the gas station. I push through the doors and enter the harshly lit mini-mart, the little bell jingling on the door as I enter. The clerk throws me an uninterested glance and I smile in return, making my way over to the cooler with the waters. Just as I'm closing the refrigerated door, a weird, heavy feeling drops in my stomach. What the...?

I try to push the feeling aside as I start towards the cashier, when the door suddenly flings open, the bell jingling shrilly from the force. My breath catches in my throat and I instinctively duck behind one of the aisles.

Before my brain can process what's happening, a man with a black ski mask slams his fist down on the counter, and I see the glint of metal in his hand - a gun.

I drop to my knees and press my back against the rack of chips, squeezing my eyes shut as I hold my breath.
This cant be happening. Frank is going to kill me.

I can't even understand what the guy is saying, all I know is hes shouting and I can hear the panicked sobs from the cashier as she opens the register. My hearing feels like its going in and out, the adrenaline flooding my veins making the voices sound distant and muffled like some kind of horrible dream.

I can hear the sound of money being shoved into a plastic bag, followed by things clattering to the floor-probably the man leaning over the counter to grab the bag. I feel like I'm going to be sick. A small whimper slips from my lips, completely involuntary, and I slap my hand over my mouth.

For a moment, there's this heavy, sickening silence. Then I hear it-heavy boots pounding closer, each step louder than the last, coming straight for me. My body trembles, my heart hammering so hard it feels like it's trying to escape my chest. The footsteps stop directly in front of me, and on instinct, my eyes fly open.

The man stands there, towering over me, his dark clothes almost glowing under the harsh fluorescent lights. It all happens so fast that I barely have time to react. In an instant, he reaches down, grabbing a fistful of my shirt, yanking me up. "Mmh, yeah," he mutters under his breath. It's barely audible, but I hear it.

Panic floods my system. I try to jerk away, but his grip tightens painfully. With a violent pull, he drags me toward the door, so forceful that my sandals slip off my feet. Instinct takes over-I start to scream, begging for help, but the man jerks me closer, his face inches from mine as he growls through gritted teeth, "Don't fucking do that."

I throw one last, desperate look at the clerk, who's frantically dialing on her phone, but before I can call out again, I'm yanked into the dark parking lot. I want to scream, but my throat feels so dry that nothing comes out. Everything's happening too fast.

I'm thrown into the backseat of a car. The doors slam shut and lock almost instantly. The front door slams too, and the car jerks into reverse. I'm thrown off the seat and hit the floor as the car speeds out of the parking lot. My heart is pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears, and I'm terrified I'm about to pee my pants.

The car is dark-really dark. The windows are tinted so heavily I can barely make out anything, and my head spins so fast it feels like I might faint.

I press myself flat against the floor, my face buried in my shaking hands as I squeeze my eyes shut again, trying to force myself to wake up from this nightmare.

"Wake up" I mutter frantically under my breath, my words so shaky they barely make a sound. A loud sob escapes me, but it's drowned out by the roar of the car speeding down the road. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" I whisper desperately, tears spilling from my eyes as my body trembles.

I bury my face in my hands, curling into a tight ball, my limbs jerking with every sharp turn the car makes. My heart races, my mind a blur of fear, and I feel completely helpless as the car tears through the streets.

Suddenly, the car screeches to a halt, throwing me painfully against the back seat. My breath catches in my throat as I hear the front door creak open, boots hitting the pavement with heavy, deliberate steps as the door slams shut.

And then, silence.