The Story I Never Told

As I looked over to my angelic daughter, I realized how we are so alike, yet so very different. We both had beaming ultramarine eyes and luscious gold curls. Being fourteen and she was almost my height, so you could say she was tall. I didn’t realize that I was staring at her until she asked started talking to me.

“Has anything interesting ever happened to you? I know dad met Michael Jackson, but other than that sort of thing.” She had papers out, so I figured this was for an assignment.

“Well Lexi, when I was seventeen, which is a little older than you I was kidnapped.” I detest that word, but I didn’t have another way to say it.

“Mom I’m being serious!” Lexi seemed as if she thought I was lying. I wish I was but unfortunately I wasn’t. 

“So am I! Even ask Aunt Caroline”

“Okay, so what happened mom?” Now she seemed curious.

Her forehead was wrinkling up and now she sat at the edge of her high, wooden oak rocking chair. She even set her papers down on the glass coffee table across from her and focused completely on my words. 

“One day Aunt Caroline called me up and whined that ‘Scarlet it’s my birthday! We have to go to the circus I’ve wanted to go for so long please!’ I couldn’t refuse because she was practically begging me to go.”

“And….?” Lexi was now intrigued. She moved from the rocking chair to the sofa and sat right next to me.  I decided that it was time she knew about what had happened to me several years ago.

“I got all fancied up because you know Aunt Caroline always taking pictures. We got there promptly at 6:00pm, she mentioned that’s when all of the ‘fun’ starts’ I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Every time I think about that night shivers go up my spine. I tried to hold back my tears because from here I realized that nothing gets better.

“We strolled around capturing unforgettable moments and pictures with clowns. God, I wish I never did that! Anyways, it was about 7:30pm, and obviously I got hungry. We went to purchase some popcorn, when the hairs on my neck started to stand up. Someone was behind me, I knew it. I could feel the warm breeze of their breath on my neck. Turning around to see who it was I came to know that it was only the clown we took pictures with, Jadis. Or at least that’s what I think his name was.”

“Oh, Jadis is from ‘The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’!” Lexi exclaimed.

She tends to get off topic a lot, but that’s okay considering the fact that I wanted to stop talking about this anyways. I knew if I discontinued Lexi would only aggravate me enough to carry forward with the story. So I took in one deep breath and exhaled fairly slowly, hoping that I would make it through all of the events without sobbing.

“Yes Lexi, so it was about 10:30pm after we finished playing games and devoured a ton of food. Caroline said she was worn out from all the excitement of being there and that she was ready to go home, as was I. Sauntering to the car, I realized it would take an hour and a half to drive back home, so it would be in my best interest if I went to the bathroom before we left.”

“Mom, I’m guessing this is where it all happens, right?”

“Yes! Now stop interrupting me.” I looked down and noticed that my hands were trembling. I tried to cease the shaking, but my hands just wouldn’t cooperate.

“We can continue the story later. Yes, I want to know, but it doesn’t seem like you’re in the condition to continue the memoir.”

“No no, I’m fine. If I don’t tell you now I will never tell you. Okay, so I trudged to the ladies restroom, and once I got out of the stall I approached the sink. Suddenly I heard a car honking its horn, I wasn’t sure if it was Aunt Caroline so I went over to the window to check. On the opposite side of the window stood Jadis, my heart started to race faster than a cheetah. I turned around to get out of there, as I turned I witnessed Jadis standing right in front of me. I turned back around to realize that what I was looking at wasn’t a window, but a mirror.” I started to whimper at that part at that last part remembering how ludicrous I had been for misapprehending the two.

“He took hold of both my arms with his left hand, also covering my mouth with his right hand, and he dragged me to the other side of the parking lot from where Aunt Caroline had been. I screamed Aunt Caroline’s name, but she was no where in sight. Quickly, he shoved me into the car, and started to drive off. I banged on the windows, and pulled the handle, but nothing seemed to work. I punched him in the face, but all he did was pull my hair and told me to sit still or else he would kill me, slowly and brutally. I was in the car for about five long minutes when the car came to a halt. I looked out the window and saw that I was in an abandoned forest or at least that s what I thought because no one was there. All I could see was oak trees, cedar trees and other trees.”

“So is that why you loathe going camping with us? Because it usually takes place in the forest?” She looked as if she was almost sorry for me.

“Yes that is exactly why! So, he tossed me over his shoulder and threw me into a dark room. I injured my ankle while trying to get up. Suddenly the door slammed shut and I whipped around to see what happened. All I knew was that I was all alone and that Jadis had deserted me. Thankfully, I remembered that I had my cell phone in my pocket. I called Aunt Caroline, it rang for two minutes and then her voicemail started playing. Nervously, I dragged myself across my room to the door; I could smell the fresh paint off the walls it was absolutely nauseating. I started to dial 911, I pressed ‘9’ then I reached for the door handle to make a run for it. I dialed the ‘1’ and as I pressed the last number the door flew open knocking me down.” I blinked hard remembering the misery he had caused in my life. How I had to live with the trauma.

“He grabbed my two hands and put them behind my back, as if I was being arrested. His hands were freezing, and making me jump as he touched my hands and tied them together. I kicked him as hard as I could below the stomach and tried to shove him. Screaming loudly I saw the anger in his eyes. He grabbed me once again and opened a door; the door led to the balcony. My heart was racing faster than it ever has before in my life. I dug my heels into the ground, and he painfully kicked the back of my thigh forcing me to fall forward three steps. He took the ends of the rope and tied me to the railing. My back faced the beautiful trees and the way to freedom, the road.”

All I could see was his distasteful face. Hazel almond shaped eyes, with thick long black hair and an oddly shaped nose. It leaned to the left and was abnormally pointy. He was strongly built with muscles all over his arms. He had a scar on his left cheek and it was shaped like a crescent moon.

“I closed my eyes hoping that this wouldn’t be the way I died. Being thrown off a balcony and land in a dozen oak and cedar trees. Jadis pushed me once more twisting my wrist. I cried and cried for ten minutes and he just stood there Lexi, he stood there and laughed! He then left through the sliding glass doors. He turned the corner so I couldn’t see him and he couldn’t see me. It was time I got out of there, I knew the rope was thin so I used my long nails and pulled on the thread one by one. I freed my right hand first and then my left. I looked to my right, and noticed fire escape ladder. It was probably 12:30am, I couldn’t see a thing. I fell down three steps of the fire escape, but I didn’t care because I was almost gone, I just had to run. That’s its Lexi run! I was being cut by pines and thorns I ran for about five kilometers until I got to the bus station. I had money so I grabbed a bus ticket and went straight home. So that is where my horrifying story ends. I hope you learned a lesson. Be careful whenever you go out with friends.”

The doorbell rang six times; Lexi and I both rushed to get it. I asked her if she was expecting company and she said no. She said she just ordered pizza, and the person who rang the doorbell was probably the pizza man. I went and I opened the door, while she went to go get the money. Slowly, ever so slowly I lifted my head to see Jadis standing there.

“Remember me?”