Altadesnia Preparatory Academy

Chapter 2: A Couple Deaths, and the Man Who Initiated Them

After a long, and uncomfortable car ride, I finally heard the engine stop running, and someone come around to the trunk to fetch me. I stayed in my place, not daring to move. In the movies, you always have to have the element of surprise. So I stayed silent.

"Yeah, yeah whatever." I heard, though it was severely muffled. There was a faint sound of someone on the other end, but I couldn't make out anything they were saying. Suddenly, it was cut off. I listened to the man outside exclaim, "Ma-Ms. Benedetti!"

"You idiotic imbecile! You've already been spotted by several unwanted watchers, and you were supposed to take her straight to the airport" The man heaved himself off the ground.

"Well it's not my fault I didn't get any lunch before I was sent to kidnap her and take her to-"

"Shut up! If she's awake in there, she'll know way more than we want her to. Did you give her the drug?" There was some silence. I realized he probably forgot, given that he didn't assure her right away so that he wouldn't get his butt kicked.

"YOU DIDN'T? SHE COULD BE LISTENING TO US RIGHT NOW!" I shut my eyes, bracing for her to open the trunk. I better pretend to be asleep, knowing I might get into even more trouble if they found out I was eavesdropping.

I kept my eyes shut in a relaxed manner, as if I was asleep, as sunlight penetrated my eyelids. Wow. Where were we? I heard the woman sigh in relief, apparently giving into my act. I was about to sigh in relief myself when another pair of footsteps made their way over to me.

"Are you sure she's not awake, Ms. Benedetti?" I could practically see her nodding her head. The man who asked the question bent forward, his breath on my neck. I shivered at the sudden strange feeling and he stood up.

"She's not asleep. Of course, I really can't imagine who would be asleep after being kidnapped, thrown in a sack, and shoved into the trunk of some random person's car." I heard Ms. Benedetti take a sharp breath in fear. Then I heard a scream.

I heard the scuffling of steps, like someone backing up.

"Oh, Charles. I told you this was your last chance." Then a gunshot rang out. It echoed through somewhere vast. Where was I?

"I apologize you had to listen to that, Erica." I glared straight into his eyes at the sound of my name. Well, at least, I tried to. But I kinda just ended up staring at the black wall bag in front of my face.

"Now, if you don't mind, we must be going. The headmistress will be most disappointed with me if I don't get you there soon." After a few more seconds of silence, I heard the engine start up and we sped away, driving so fast I was throw into the wall. Ow.

I opened my eyes wearily, but saw only black ahead of me. This freaked me out. Where was I?

My head shot up from off my uncomfortable pillow, and I bumped it on the ceiling.

"Mom?" I cried out, but my mouth was covered by some strange material.

Then I remembered what happened. I had been kidnapped, thrown in a car, and taken to wherever I was at the moment. If I had just remembered when I woke up, I wouldn't have had to go through all the trouble of hurting my head.

I groaned out loud, putting a hand to the top of my skull. Why couldn't it all have just been a dream? Why couldn't I have stayed with my friends, not gone to Pretty Princess Prep, and lived the normal life of an average American teenager?

It was probably because the universe hated me. A lot.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, there was a jolt and I was almost launched into the side of the trunk again. But, thankfully, I held my ground and didn't break my arm.

The car turned off and I laid still, not wanting to be left in the car if I squirmed too much. The man came around the back, his footsteps sounding loudly off of the floor, and he calmly opened the trunk. Again, I was hit with sunlight in the face.

"Time to go!" Cried a woman joyfully. I widened my eyes. Was this the headmistress he was talking about?

"Clara, please keep it down." He sighed.

"Oh, never you mind Mr. Stiller. No one's going to care." I heard the faint sound of her swatting his arm.

Then, he picked me up gently, and put me on a soft, warm cushion. Wow. This place must be fancy!

Regrettably, I listened to a lid shut above me. Seriously?! They were putting me in another box?!

Roughly, I was heaved up again, my weight balanced on both sides. I figured that two people were hauling me, since with one person I would be dragging on the ground. Was I at the airport? I better not be shut with all the luggage. I was really hungry, and most people don't take food in their suitcase.

After a while, I was finally set down somewhere. It was probably a seat, because the box wasn't leveled completely flat anymore.

I heard soft voices right above me, talking about when they were going to get there, and a whole bunch of other stuff I couldn't hear. Why did people have to be so smart in real life? They could've just raised their voices so I could hear them? That would make my escape so much easier.

Eventually, I had had enough.

"Hello?!" I called out. It didn't come out as a word so much as a high pitched sound, but I got my point across. Both of my captors stopped whispering.

"What was that?" The woman, Clara, asked.

"That, my dear, was probably our poor Erica. She has been stuck by herself for quite awhile hasn't she?" The lid open, and there wasn't as much sunlight coming through the sack anymore, but it was still pretty bright.

"My, that's a fairly uncomfortable position, isn't it?" I heard Carla say. I rolled my eyes so that they would know I was annoyed. But, of course, they couldn't so me so it was no use rolling my eyes at them.

"I'm going to let you out of the bag now, Erica. If I see that you are trying to escape in anyway, I will put you back into the coffin. Do not try to harm me or my companion in anyway, or the same attempted harm will come to you. Do you understand?" I made a noise of acknowledgement, to show I wouldn't try anything. Though, if I had my way, I would punch him in the face, saw off his feet, and stuff Carla in a closet.

I finally got a clear view of a white wall. Ahh... Fresh air at last.