Façade

Chapter 20

Daniel's eyes snapped open, and he rose from his pillow. He had taken to sleeping on Emily's side of the bed. The pillow smelled of her, and the thought of her being there comforted him a great deal. He needed to find her. He couldn't live without her, she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She was the one he wanted to mother his children. She was his happily ever after. He knew, if he were to lose her, it would mean saying goodbye to all of that.

That was a thought Daniel Grayson couldn't bare so early in the morning, so he decided a better use of his time might be getting up, going for a run, and taking a long, hot shower to calm himself. He took comfort in a routine, not having time to comtemplate his situation. He put on music to distract himself. He couldn't think about anything else it was so loud. Emily would never have allowed him to play it at such a volume. And with that thought, he was back to square one. The familiar sound of footsteps, welcoming him back from a veritable thought-coma. Boom. Boom. Boom. They greeted him like old friends. What was she doing? Where was she? Not even his 'footstep-friends' could answer this.

Emily's head hurt. The pain throbbed, as she took in her surroundings. She was in what looked like a basement, that had been converted to low-end living space. She was bound to the wall, by what she could only describe as a thin metal chain, which attached her left wrist to the wall. There was but one window, and it was barred. A lock fastened the seal around her wrist, she couldn't get it off. There was a phone directory to her right. She couldn't think why it could possibly be there, she thought, perhaps, it was a cruel joke 'You're going to be here so long, you'll have time to read it through.'

If only she had her phone. She remembered putting a bobby-pin inside the case for just such a situation. She'd also be able to help Nolan, by giving him a signal to track.

Which is just what Nolan had been thinking. He had been enlisted by Daniel to help him look for his wife. He tried to make Daniel see that it was pointless without a signal. Ever the loving and unrelenting husband, however, Daniel wouldn't hear if it. He was certain that he'd find her. He stepped out to the porch, and stared long and hard at the swing. He thought about the hours she used to spend out there, and when he used to join her. They'd talk, or sometimes just share in a comfortable silence. He took a seat and ensconced himself in her world. 'Where are you?'

Aiden walked down the steps, a tray in his hands, on it, he carried a lettuce and ham sandwich, and a tall glass of water. He flung open the door, to reveal Emily, back against the wall, looking up to the ceiling, with an exasperated expression. 'What's wrong?' he questioned, sarcastically. She shot him a malicious look, and he piped down. By the somewhat obstructed view she had of the outside world, she could tell that it was nearing the end of the day. She was hungry, and not in the mood for wordplay with her captor.

The tray was set in front of her, as she eyed it suspiciously, Aiden looked at her,and laughing, said 'Well I didn't drug it, did I?' She apprehensively moved toward the tray. She was eating and, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the shiny, black edge of her phone. Quickly, her mind leapt to the cruel joke of a phonebook that had been left beside her. Using what little strength she had left, she hit Aiden on the head.

Aiden's world went black.

© Sarah Egan 2013 - 2014 This story is subject to copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the author.