Taken // h.s

shes a little runaway

Three days.

It was amazing how so many things changed in that short amount of time. My life had turned upside down. No friends. No family. Just Harry and me. Nothing much had happened, though. I hadn't tried to escape any and Harry did his best, as usual, to please my every need. I found myself becoming rather calm and less frightened by the situation. My fears of Harry doing something drastic had faded somewhat. I figured that if he'd tried anything, he would've done it by now.

I spent my hours doing leisurely activity. Things like reading, listening to music, or watching TV. Presently, I was occupying my time reading the genius of F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, in my room. The novel was one of my absolute favorites. With gut wrenching irony and conflict, it was definitely not a book for the faint hearted.

Hours before I had started reading, I had found a room with bookshelves that were packed with books. From hardcover to paperback, or from romances to sci-fi, it was surely in there. I had searched thoroughly, trying to find a book to suit my mood, and The Great Gatsby seemed like the perfect fit.

Just as I was getting to the part where Nick was getting invited to one of Gatsby's pretentious parties, I was startled by the sound of someone's voice. It sounded like singing. Curious, I laid the book down gently, careful not to bed any pages, and began to enter the living room. As I listened closer, I realized the singing was coming from the bathroom. Then, the sound of running water followed.

I came to understand that Harry was the culprit, and he was taking a shower. His voice was astonishingly melodic. Who would've thought that my kidnapper sang so wonderfully? Maybe, if he wasn't so crazy, I would've suggested him to try out for the X-Factor or something.

I smiled at my own thought, followed by a sudden question. What if Harry had left the front door unlocked? After all, he had left earlier this morning to stock up on supplies. I assumed he had just returned, but then thought that he wouldn't have been so careless as to leave the door unlocked.

But what if he had?

I turned to the door and glared at the barricade for a moment. So many things were running through my head, but one in particular kept screaming what I needed myself to do. Try to open the door.

Before following my conscience, I listened to make sure Harry was still in the shower. He still hummed happily. My feet moved without my consent and headed towards the door. It was like something had taken over my body as my hand reached for the doorknob. I froze just as I was about to turn it. As if on cue, the sound of running water ceased.

Do it, Veronica. You don't have much time.

Harry's upbeat tune still flowed through the air. I gulped and squeezed my eyes shut tight. Deciding quickly, I turned the knob. And, it opened.

For a second, I was taken back. Harry had altered his plans. This was my chance to escape. Before running into the daylight, I turned back to the bathroom door. The humming had stopped.

I made a mad dash for my freedom, a burst of heat hitting my bare skin. Thankfully, I wore a loose fitting tank top and shorts that looked like something Ava and Laney would be wearing. Sadly, it was the only type of shorts Harry had stuffed in my closet.

I ran as fast as my legs would move, although I was having a hard time due to my bare feet. And exercise was never something I was good at, but I tried my best. The only thing on my mind right now was to find help. Every being inside me screamed escape. But what if Harry caught up to me? There would definitely be hell to pay.

My bare feet slammed against rough pavement each time I ran another step, sending jolts of pain up my leg. I used an image of Dad and my friends, which was engraved in my mind, for motivation. They were the only things fueling my energy.