The house on Willow's Edge

Chapter Three

It is now 4:48. I decided to finally call Eugene back to get his address. My phone rang 3 times until he finally picked up. "Hello?" his voice sounded strained, like he was holding something back. "Hey Eugene, this is Clara, from earlier." I then hear a quick change in his voice, it sounded.. almost excited that I had called. "Why hello Clara." despite the fact that I can't see him it's like I could just hear a smirk appear on his face. "So.. why did you call Clara?" "I called back because I realized that you never gave me your address." I start getting this uneasy feeling in my gut. "Oh yes, how could I forget?" he laughs. "My address is 1234 Willow Creek Road Willow Creek, MT 59732" I write that down so I remember. "Thank Eugene, see you soon." He then hangs up without saying anything else. "Strange" I thought to myself.

Right after that called I started walking to his house. I looked up directions on my phone and saw it was only a ten minute walk away. I felt very uneasy about this whole thing but I need a job so I still went despite the fact that part of me wanted to go back home. What's the worst that can happen though? It's just an old man who can't even take care of his own home anymore.

I arrive at his home. I had to walk up this huge hill to get here. His house is so isolated from every other house. It's also a very broken-down home. I start laughing to myself after thinking that because it reminded me a lot of myself, very isolated and broken down. I stop laughing though when I see Eugene wobbling out of his doorway. It's dark inside his house and all the windows are covered with wooden panels. I start to feel sick, I don't know why though. "Hello, you must be Clara." He holds out his hand for me to shake. I shake his hand and say "Yes, hello it's so nice to finally me yo-" suddenly Eugene drags me inside his home. I start screaming, and I can't see anything. "HELP! HELP!" I scream  and I'm not sure why because his home is so isolated nobody would hear me no matter how loud I scream. Eugene starts laughing. "Oh Clara, I can't believe you think somebody is really going to help you' He then proceeds to laugh even louder." I try to fight back but he's very strong for an old man.

 Eugene then slaps me. I don't know what to do so I just cry. Crying does mean weakness in my mind but honestly, I do feel weak in this moment. I am getting beaten by an old man. I'm so weak. I begin to let it all out, I cry in a way I never have. I cry about the fact that I just got kidnapped. I cry over the pain from Eugene slapping me. And I cry over how much I miss Lydia since I've been wanting to let that out for 2 months now. Eugene grabs my face by my jaw and forces me to look at him. He reaches up to his face with his free hand and rips of this old man mask he had been wearing. I physically can't look anymore. I close my eyes and hope that this is all a dream. Eugene, if that even is his name, screams "OPEN YOUR EYES" I don't want him to slap me again so I open them. He then stares at me for awhile. I can tell he is trying to have a starring contest with me and I fear that if I lose it won't be a little "ha-ha! you lose!" It will be much more. It takes everything in me not to blink. But eventually I just can't take it anymore. I blink very quickly. I see the smirk on his face disappear and his expression becomes blank. I start to tremble and cry even more. "I'm sorry Eugene please don't- please- plea-" I then feel a sharp pain in my neck and I pass out.