The Abduction of Stephanie

Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

“Hold it right there.” Oh No, it’s the police they’ve found me. “Hold it right there or the old bat gets a bullet in the head. Interrupted again. Three times now I’ve tried to kill this bitch. Three times now she doesn’t die. Ray looks up and sees a man holding a gun to his wife’s head, his other hand covering her mouth. Ray can’t believe what is happening. “Where is she?” says the tall man dressed in black sweats and a ski mask. “Where is who?” asks Ray. “Stephanie. Don’t play dumb with me, I know you have her here.”

The masked man takes his hand away from Helen’s mouth “Do as he says” speaks Helen with tears swimming in her eyes. “Please, honey, he is going to kill me.” “I’ll do it Ray. I’ll kill her.” “How do you know my name?” “It’s on your mail. Now take me to Stephanie.” Ray fumbles around, not quite sure what to do. “She’s not here,” says Ray. “Don’t lie to me Ray. Where is she?” “Ray, please…” interrupts Helen. “Follow me,” says” Ray disappointed. It is no surprise to him; he always knew someone would come for him eventually.

Ray leads Helen and the masked man into the VIP Room, the masked man stops in his tracks when he sees all of the torturous objects around him, Ray has led him straight into a trap. Through the flashing red lights the masked man can see a thin pale figure tied to a wheel on the back wall. He recognizes her right away, though she is much thinner than he remembers and her skin has transformed from a pale white to a filthy black, her hair is disheveled and all of her fingernails are broken.

Stephanie mumbles something when she sees the three of them enter the room, but nobody can make out what she is saying. She is thirsty, her body on the brink of dehydration, her vision blurred as she has been hallucinating all day, she is not sure what is real and what is not, but if the people in front of her are real, she knows who is behind the mask.

She can never forget those lips, they are the lips she has kissed a thousand times, she then notices his build, she has been held in those arms before, it’s Billy, he has finally come for her. “ “Billy you came, I knew you would” her voice as soft as a church mouse. Billy removes the ski mask, releases Helen and begins to untie Stephanie. “How did you find me?” asks Ray. “Let’s just say you’re daughter has been acting real strange lately. Billy continues to untie the knots. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” says Ray. “What are you going to do about it?” “This” says Ray taking a gun out of his back pocket and firing at Billy. The bullet lodges itself into Billy’s shoulder and he stammers, trying to get away. Stephanie is freaking out as she sees her boyfriend suffering.

This is the first time Ray has ever shot anyone and he can’t believe how good it feels. I will have to try that again sometime. He chases after Billy, but Billy is able to make it up the stairs and out the door, his right hand covering the wound on his left shoulder. Ray stops after Billy makes it outside, knowing he will get arrested if he chases him through the neighborhood. Ray contemplates what to do next, knowing that Billy has seen his face, it will only be a matter of time before his home is flooded with men in uniform.

Billy tries his best to hold back the pain in his shoulder; at least he didn’t get hit in the throwing arm. He knows he should go to the police but by the time the men in blue arrive Stephanie could be dead. Ray could have already killed her but he has to believe she is still alive, he has to save her himself and in order to do that he must get back inside that house.