Control

Chapter 11

Ella

I had no idea how to respond to him. He seriously sounded crazy and I was so unbelievably confused as to why he was forcing me to do this when he could easily find someone willing to do whatever he wanted. He was handsome and rich enough, I am sure that girls throw themselves at him all day, every day.

Instead of responding, I closed my eyes to calm my breathing and pictured myself running, with one of my own favorite tunes in my head. For a few moments, I felt as though I had escaped reality and peace re-entered my soul. I felt him adjust and could feel his breath on my face as he hovered above me. He must have thought I had fallen asleep, as he slowly and quietly laid back down, pulling me tighter into his chest, I heard him sigh.

After about another twenty minutes, that felt like eternity, I heard some soft snores emitting from him and I felt tension melt away from me as if a wave crashed over me and washed away my stress. I didn't realize how shallow I was breathing, not wanting to interrupt the peace I had created for myself. More carefully than I have ever tried anything in my entire life, I lifted his arm off of me and rolled myself off the bed. 

Not even sparing a glance back at his sleeping form, I quietly made my way to the bedroom door, only to find it locked. Attempting not to panic, I frantically searched for the key, before I recalled seeing him place it in his pocket. I couldn't help the glare that emitted from my face as I looked at my captor sleeping peacefully on the bed. I carefully approached him, internally debating how best to proceed in retrieving the key to my freedom. Literally.

As I reached into his front pocket, I sent up a silent prayer that it was in this one, and not the one covered by his body as he slept on his right side. My shaky hand inched its way into his pocket and I had to practice extreme self-control to not let out a squeal of delight and relief when I felt the cool metal of the key. I pulled it out and returned to my task at hand: escape. Ensuring I could make a successful getaway, I decided to lock him inside the room. 

I turned to close the door and lock it behind me when I heard him mumble and saw him shift, his arms reaching in front of him, as if looking for something. I couldn't help myself and froze in fright, hoping he wouldn't wake up fully. My hope was in vain and I gasped in terror as he shot up and looked at me in surprise and fury. We stared at each other for a moment, me the deer, he the headlights, before I registered the danger and without hesitating slammed the door closed and locked it- amazed my hands were up to the task. Simultaneously, I caught a glimpse of him leaping off the bed towards the door.

Running towards the front of the apartment, I heard him pounding on the door as he shouted, "Unlock the door NOW and I might go easy on you. I mean it, baby girl! Or you better PRAY I never get out of here or you're going to..." the remainder of his rant was cut off by my slam of the front door of the apartment and I continued running towards my freedom. I threw the key to his bedroom door in the bushes as I took off at a full-on sprint, placing as much distance as I could between myself and my kidnapper. My blackmailer. My torturer. My captor. My nightmare.

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About ten minutes had passed and I slowed to a jog as I considered my options. Should I head to the police? Should I call him on his potential bluff and demand to be let go of this insane verbal contract and hope that he doesn't really have as much pull as he claims? Should I move? Perhaps I should don on a new disguise- afterall I'm used to that, and was fairly good until I let Ali convince me out of it. Oh, how I wished I could take back that night!

I decided I would not let this creep drive me from my dream and the only affordable place around. Instead of heading back to my apartment, I jogged to the police station. I passed by there on my way to campus each day, so I knew exactly where it was located. I refused to believe that some young punk could really hold so much sway, that even the authorities could be bullied by him. And I was certain I was now the victim of much more than bullying. He literally kidnapped me! Never in a million years, would I have guessed that this would be my life right now.

I turned the corner that lead to the Police Station when I was abruptly cut off by a car, swerving onto the sidewalk, narrowly missing hitting me. Stunned by what just happened, I processed all too slowly, how the car looked so familiar. He exited the driver's door, not caring to turn off the car or even close the door as he rounded the car and bolted for me. 

My body wasn't working. There was a part of my brain screaming at it to run, but the greater part of my brain could not process what was happening. How did he escape? How could he know I would be heading here instead of to my apartment? Instead of trying to run from him, I stood there stupidly trying to figure out how he made it out. As he finally reached me, his touch ignited my flight or fight instinct yet again, and I inhaled a huge amount of air, intent in expelling it in the loudest scream my tiny frame could muster.

Too late. His hand quickly covered my mouth as his other arm encircled my body, pinning my arms against my body. My thrashing attempts seemed to have no impact on him, as he bent his head to my ear and whispered with deadly wrath, "you are in for a world of hurt, baby girl."

I was so dead...