Trapped

Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End

As Anastasia was walking back to her and Eric's apartment after class one afternoon she could feel the hair on her neck standing up, her heart fluttering faster than usual. Something was wrong. Something had been wrong for weeks now. She quickly turned behind her, scanning her surroundings, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Her paranoia was starting to wear on her nerves. Seeing Julian standing in the middle of a crowd then disappearing the next moment. Seeing shadows duck into hallways or behind walls as she passed. And most recently, the constant feeling of being followed without ever seeing anyone. Anastasia didn't think her goosebumps had gone away in at least a week. She heard a rustling noise behind her,

"Who's there?!" she demanded. It was still plenty light outside but she knew she was fairly alone right now. Most people would be back in their dorms or off campus by now. The empty college said nothing back to her. She cursed herself then, the building jogging her memory and reminding her that she had left her book in the classroom. She turned back hoping that the professor was still there.

"It sucks that everyone split into different majors" Anastasia pouted, stomping back down the main road. She missed having people to walk with her to and from classes, and always having spare textbooks between them.

The building was empty despite class getting out less than ten minutes ago. She still felt the presence following her, always behind her, but she knew that if she were to turn around she'd see nothing. So she kept her eyes forward, determined to reach her destination.

She had told Eric about Julian's release, which pretty much ended their date night. Ever since then Eric had been more agitated, and their group of friends were starting to catch onto it.

"Trouble in paradise?" Barbara would ask.

Anastasia's ears perked up when she heard actual footsteps behind her. She knew someone was there, she spun around and saw for a split second a tall man with black hair and ocean blue eyes before a bag was shoved over her head and she felt herself being dragged sideways. She screamed, but it came out squeaky and horse. She tried again only to have a hand come down over her mouth and silence her.

Dazed and confused, she began to realized she had been letting herself get dragged across the hallway. She started to struggle. She shoved her weight one direction and then the other, though it didn't do much more than simply slow down her attacker. She went limp, refusing to carry her weight. The attacker lost his grip for a moment and she took her chance at running, but she felt her triumph vanish almost immediately as he caught her arm and wrestled it behind her back.

Anastasia was scared out of her mind, but adrenaline was coursing through her. With her free hand she spun around and slapped him hard across the face. She was surprised when she made contact as she was swinging blind, and was surprised again at the red stinging pain in her hand. The man growled, snatching up her other hand and holding them both bound behind her back.

"Stop fighting" He whispered angrily in her ear. All doubt was gone from her mind. Her attacker was Julian. All their running and hiding had been pointless, he had found her regardless.

She heard a door open and felt herself shoved inside. The sound of a bolt turning came next, and then the bag was lifted off her head. She looked around, Julian had taken them to an empty classroom at the very end of the building and locked the door behind him, and Anastasia watched as he tucked the keys safely into his pocket.

She stumbled back as far as she could until her back touched the opposite wall. The man in front of her was definitely Julian, but he was different. He was bigger, and his eyes were much wilder. His smile was no longer charming, it was terrifying. He was looking her up and down like a mouse he had caught and was deciding whether to play with or eat. She definitely felt like a mouse right now.