The Test

Chapter Four

Layna

    The phone rang twice, before going straight to voicemail. I knew that I shouldn't have expected anything different, but I was hoping that just this once, when I really needed him he would answer.

"This is Derek Jackson, leave your message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

I paused for a minute after the beep, holding my breath and trying to calm my thoughts.

"Derek? Its me. I... I don't know who else to go to. Something really bad is happening, and I'm really scared. I know I asked you to go away, but I need your help, and I know that you're my best option if I want to live. Please call me back."

I hung up the phone, tossing it into the open suitcase on my bed, before continuing with my packing.

Everyone always broke their promises.

***

The hotel we stayed at that night was horrible. It was some hole in the wall, right next to the highways, and a ten-minute drive from the airport. We had no choice as we had booked at the last minute, and that was the only one that had rooms available at such short notice. We got one room, with two double beds, and a bathroom.

The bed was hard, and the pillow was too flat, and it seemed like I couldn't get comfortable in any position. Eventually I gave up trying to sleep, choosing instead to lie on my back and stare at the ceiling. I could see the light of the moon reflected on it, as the curtain on the window was cracked open a bit.

My eyes fluttered shut, and I was just on the verge of sleep when suddenly a large weight landed on my stomach, causing all the air to escape out of me. As I tried to breathe, a hand was put over my mouth to keep me from screaming.

A dream, I thought to myself, but that didn't stop me from trying to escape, and make noise so my parents could hear. They were lying on the bed next to me, why weren't they doing anything?

"Baby," he whispered, "Don't struggle. You aren't going to win."

I froze. I knew that voice. Brian. He was the one who had been doing this? Why?

I tried to scream, even though his hand was in the way, but he just laughed. "You'd be surprised how easy it was to spike their drink. They are out for at least a couple more hours, so no help from them."

His weight shifted for a moment, and then he had something silver, that glinted in the moonlight coming in from the window. A needle.

I struggled harder trying to get away from him, but he held me steady, and stabbed the needle into my arm

I stopped moving. It wasn't a voluntary choice. I couldn't move. My body felt like dead weight, and I couldn't even open my lips to scream. I was paralyzed, unable to fight as he lifted me, and walked right out of the hotel room, and down the stairs to a dark car. It must have been a rental, because it wasn't the car he normally had.

I could only sit there helpless, as Brian threw me into the trunk of his car, closed the lid, and drove away.

I was scared. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, and stuck in the trunk of Brian's car. And worst of all, I didn't know how I was going to escape this.

***

Brian drove for what seemed like hours, before finally turning on to a bumpy road and stopping. By this time I was able to move my fingers and toes but that was it.