The 10th Victim - Volume two - Strangers

Chapter five: - The man in the picture

A nearby vehicle went boom. Yes that’s what happened. I flew away with the impact and fell on the cement floor. The guard who was few steps behind me also flew. I saw as my vision went blurry he dropped unconscious. I had no guts to stand up again. My whole body was numb and powerless. Felt like a small mist in front of my eyes. I tried to clear them using my fingers but that didn’t work at all. Far away I saw a van inflames. Red, orange and yellow flames were spreading all over. I used all my effort to sit on the floor. After a few attempts I managed. All my bones were aching. I crawled to the car near me and use it as support to stand up. Just then I felt something hard falling on my head.

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When I woke up again I felt I was moving. Everything was dark. Probably a back trunk of a car, it was moving like a rocket. The driver was taking the bends without any concern. I was sliding to the opposite directions according to it. What’s going on? David told me to go to the motel. But now I am in a trunk. Did doc change the plans? Cannot be He would’ve told me if he did. All I had to do was to wait. I’ll find out who when the car stops. The body was still feeling numb. And I was sweating, which made me so uncomfortable. I tried to move a muscle then I felt something tight at my wrists, also my ankles. I was tied by some ropes. They were sinking into my skin. The more I struggled, the more pain excruciated. I tried to roll to the other side. But something was pressing against me. It was something big.

I managed to tilt my head as much as possible. It was dark, very dark. There was something slippery behind me. I felt it when I tried to move. Like polythene. I tried to press against it to check what it was by feeling it. It was hard indeed. In a flash I understood that I am not alone.

It was a body bag. Also there was a body in it.

Just then the vehicle stopped. Sweet, the trunk opened in a while. Then I saw a person at my same height standing there. The face was not clear. I started to talk. But he was quick. The dude pasted a piece of duct tape on my mouth instantly. He could’ve realized that I will shout. After that he took a piece of clothe 7 blindfolded me.

“Sorry to do this. But for now you cannot see where I am taking you.”

“mmmmm….mmmmmmm……mmmmmmmmmmm”  well I am not going to translate the words I babbled there.

It was so quiet. Except some creatures making noise here and there, a foul smell came through my nostrils to the brains. Gah, that was awful. It was something like acid. I was walking. I had the feeling that a hand is on my shoulder from behind. He was guiding me, most probably to the gates of hell. I won’t be surprised if I see that due to the incidents I came across.

The smell was fading away. Not like it used to be. I felt a huge relief. We walked for like fifteen minutes and stopped. The blindfold was removed.

“I will remove the tape from your mouth if you do not yell, nod if you agree.” Damn, I was keeping all the words I knew to spit on his face. But I nodded. As he said he took the tape off. Ouch. He was an average person. The hair has been cut short and had a long face. He smiled.

“He will come to you soon. I am going to untie you. If you try to run away, I cannot guarantee your life. Got it?” I nodded my head responding positively to his words. He untied me carefully, then without an expression he left the room.

It looked like an office room but the walls were dirty. Felt like an old abandoned building being modified a bit and used for their purposes. In front there was a desk with some files, a paperweight, some pens, also a closed laptop. Also a picture frame with a stand which was directed to the comfortable chair on the other side of the table. In the room there was a file cabinet and an air conditioning system which gave a cool breeze. I looked at the wrist to check the wounds. They were not serious. Suddenly I felt something vibrating, my phone. I took the phone out of my pocket thinking it was David. It wasn’t. It was Nina. Oh god. What am I going to tell her?

“Hello” I answered it without any suspicion.

“Robert, it’s me Nina, are you still at the Madrid?” Madrid? What is she talking about? I am in Madrid?.

“I…er…” anyone would go speechless now you know.

“Don’t worry I got your voice mail that you are going there for a week. Sorry dear, I wasn’t at home. I just wanted to check whether you came early.” Wow. When did I send that voice mail to her? More and more confusion, be careful with the words Robert.

“It will take a while, Nina. Sorry I couldn’t call. I’ll make it up to you.” I had to.

“I understand, sweetie. I just came home, there has been a vehicle exploded at the car park. They say the gas tank exploded for no reason.” Holy crap, her apartment.

“Nina, where are you now?” I asked immediately.

“I am at my apartment now. Don’t worry I’m completely fine. It’s a bit cold.” As she smiled I checked my watch it was one o clock in the night. I was at Nina’s around eight forty five. So Nina did not see the body. Somehow her apartment had been arranged back to normal. She had no clue about what happened.

“What took you so long to get home?” that was my business. OK?

“I was at Tracy’s. She dropped me home.” She said. Good.

“Robert shall I call you later? I’m so sleepy. I just wanted to check whether you are ok. Once you get back let’s make plans for a long holiday shall we? I miss you so much.” Honestly, I missed her too. I decided somehow to get out of this ruckus and go to her ASAP.

“Yeah, I am also fed up. We must do that. Take care. Nina. I’ll call you soon, Love you”

“Love you too. Robert. See you soon” The line went dead. I put the phone on the table. Thinking how to tell Nina what had happened to me. Few minutes I looked around to see whether there is anything interesting. Then suddenly the picture on the table caught my eye. Without any hesitation I took it to take a glance. The glance turned into an astonishing stare.

It was James Ridger, the Cyclops killer, with my dad.

Continued to chaptersix :-  The house of madness.