Trapped

Chapter 16-Emi

I still couldn't wrap my head around it. Will and Jake were best friends? Now how am I going to get Jake to help me get out of here, I thought. Will was too busy gloating about the investment deal he made with some billionaire named Marty. He offered to take me out again for dinner, but I refused, making up and excuse that I felt sick. I was too upset to eat or drink or dress up or do anything. Will didn't seem too bothered by my refusal so he went to bed early.

It was 11:00. I lie awake in bed, staring at the ceiling above us. The beautiful crown molding work done glimmered from the moonlight coming from the window.

3:20 am. I was still awake, thinking about the incidents from the past day. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, and I think I fell into an uneasy drift.

6:34 am. I woke up, and rubbed my eyes. I couldn't sleep anymore so I hopped out of bed. I went to the window and looked out to Jake's house. I sighed and went downstairs to tend the garden again.

I grabbed my gloves and headed out the door. The air smelled of pine trees and the birds were chirping inside. I grabbed a small shovel from the side of the yard and went over to the flower bed. I began to pull out the last of the weeds and dead flowers when I heard someone say,

"Hey, Emi." It was Jake, bright and early again in a pair of jeans and a baseball tee.

"Hi, again." I said nonchalantly.

"So..is this our new thing now?" He asked coyly.

"Excuse me?" I asked. The way I asked made him jump a little.

"I mean, this is the second day in a row we're meeting here at 6 in the morning. So maybe this can be a routine we share together."

"That would be the case if you were following me on purpose."

"What? No, I told you I'm an early bird. Why don't you just accept that we have something in common?"

"Whatever. I have work to do." I said coldly before I began to walk off. But suddenly, he grabbed my wrist from behind and held me back. I spun around and looked at him with a questioning look in my eye.

"Emi, you didn't answer my question from yesterday." He said as he still held onto my hand.

"What question?" I asked forgetting that he was still holding on.

"Are you happy with Will?"

I suddenly straightened up and said "Yes I'm okay," as I loosened my hand from his grip.

"I didn't ask if you were okay, I asked if you were happy."

I looked into his eyes, filled with concern and generosity, and I couldn't help but look away. I wanted to tell him everything. I wanted to blurt out everything and for him to take me into his arms and take me away from here. But he wouldn't believe me, I thought. Who would? But yet, I began to see a glimmer of hope when I looked at Jake. Maybe I can confide in him at least, I thought. I tucked my hair behind my ear and took a deep breath. It's worth a try I thought.

"I-I'm not exactly happy being with Will." I started.

"Why, what did he do?"

"Nothing- well actually he did a lot but, what I'm trying to say is that I'm not actually Wills wife."

"Then what..?"

"Will, he.. I really don't know how to say this. I never even thought this day would come." I said startled at how to get the words out of my mouth.

"Emi, you can trust me, please tell me what's wrong."

My eyes welled with tears as I unwillingly began to burst out crying. I couldn't help myself. My shoulders caved in as I covered my mouth and began to cry uncontrollably.

Jake took me by the arms and hugged me, enclosing my body with his arms as I cried on his shoulder. He put his hand on my head and began to pat it down, trying to calm me. I reached my arms and put them around his back, holding him tighter. I cried until I felt like I had no more tears left. When I stopped, I let go of him and moved back.

"I'm so sorry, I couldn't help myself." I said wiping the last of the tears from my face.

"Emi, what's wrong?"

"Will and I didn't meet in college and fall in love. He kidnapped me from Bradford and brought me here. I've been living here ever since with him, trying to find some way to escape, but just haven't." I confessed.

"Kidnapped?! Will??" Asked Jake, clearly bewildered by my accusation. He took a step back. This would've clearly hit him hard.

"He beat, drugged, tortured me into being subdued and playing his wife for everyone we know here, and after these many years I finally gave up."

Jake stood starting into space, not looking at my face. He was still shocked from the news.

"Emi-I, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry, I didn't know.."

"Just please, please help me get out of here." I said wildly. "I can't take it anymore I'm going to go crazy!"

He grabbed my shoulders and tried to calm me
down.

"Okay, okay I promise we'll get through this. Just stay calm ok. I'll think of something."

"What are you going to do?" I asked him.

"You're going to fake your own disappearance." He said.

"What?"

"Emi just trust me okay? Just follow my lead, and do what I say. And promise me you'll be careful and stay calm. Just a little bit longer okay?" He quietly told me about what he had in mind.

"Ok." I said after he went over the details.

He held onto my hand tight and squeezed it, giving me reassurance. I smiled at him and went back inside the house.