Ever After «A Law & Order: SVU Fanfic»

Chapter Three: Secrets

Zoe's POV:

Important author's note: paragraphs that are italicized are supposed to be read as if they are in Zoe's mind, they are described as what she's thinking.

I wake up on a small mattress, unchained. Half empty bottles of vodka, rum, and beer sit on the ground beside me. He forced me to drink, and I've got to say, I have a hell of a headache. There's an orange and dingy glow to this warehouse, I probably would be afraid...but because of what just happened to me, a stupid abandoned warehouse doesn't even compare.

I roll my self onto the floor, literally, because I can barely move. My legs ache and my whole body is bruised up, I don't know where to go.

After a few minutes of trying to stand up, I finally get the hang of it. I take each step very cautiously, mostly because I don't want to fall and bust my head open before I get the chance to get out of here, but also because every step I take makes me feel like my body is shattering whole.

I walk over to the dirty windows and wipe them with my hand. When I look through the window, I see that I must be on the top floor, which means I have to take stairs to get out of here. At this point, I'm afraid to go outside because it's pitch black, and my legs won't work how I want them to. I decided to take my tattered and bloody clothes, and put them back on. I'm spending the rest of the night here at this warehouse and when I see the sun come out, that's when I'm going to make my move.

I look back to the pole I was handcuffed to. The video camera is set up, and there's a laptop next to it. Why would he do that? Is this some kind of sick joke?

I open up the laptop and I'm automatically forwarded to the desktop. No password?

Mhm.

When I look back at the video camera, I see that a light on it is now red. Is this being recorded?

I see my own face pop up on the laptop screen, I guess I am being recorded. In front of the camera, I knot my long hair up into a bun because I can't find a hair tie.

I look over at the window on the laptop screen and see at the corner that it says, live.
Now I know people are watching.

"I don't know where I am, and I don't know the man who took me. But what I do know, is that I'm going to try and find my way home. I am going to see the people I love again. Mom, if you're watching this, I love you. You too, Amanda, Fin, Nick, and Carisi."I said trying to stand up straight. Trying not to cry.

"So...my plan is to leave here in the morning. There's a forest, I don't know what's out there, but when the sun comes up, I'll be leaving. I'm going to try and get home...wish me luck."I said, and I closed the laptop quickly.

He really was serious about leaving when he was done? But why the hell would he leave the camera and the laptop? Am I being set up? No wait, maybe he wants to be caught. Maybe he's some sick sort of weirdo that's aware of his problems...I don't know.

When I looked at the time on the laptop, it read 12:27am.

Ok, it's already Tuesday, Zoe. You got this. You can do this. The sun should rise in about six to seven hours. If I try to fall asleep on the mattress, time will fly by, right? I'm exhausted anyways.