Red Sweater Tom

Bang, Bang

The man is by the table again, looking over his weapons of torture. You are still trying to wiggle out of the rope around your arms and legs.

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He keeps humming some tune you don't recognize and he has a smile on his face. ~what is wrong with this guy?! He isn't really going to kill me, right?~

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By now you've realized where you are. It's an old abandoned theatre that Tom has taken you to before. He preformed here many years ago, it's where he got his "big break" so to speak. You've connected the dots and know that this place is equally significant to this man as it is to Tom.

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The man starts walking away, holding two knives in his hands.

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"No, please don't hurt me," you say to him, fearing it's already time.

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"Relax, sweetheart, I need to get a few things first," he says then walks behind you, his footsteps disappearing as he gets farther away.

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When you think you're in the clear, you start REALLY trying to free yourself. "HELP!! CAN SOMEONE HELP ME?!?" You yell just the one time, knowing it's pointless.

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Suddenly you hear something. You stop wiggling and listen. You hear something at the back of the theatre. ~it's sounds like something is slamming against...oh my god! The door!!!~ "HELP! PLEASE HELP!!" You yell, realizing someone is slamming themselves against the door to get in.

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It finally bursts open and you instantly feel more safe.

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Tom runs up the isle towards the stage. He pauses before climbing up onto the stage to see if anyone is there. He looks at you and puts his finger to his mouth telling you to keep quiet. You nod. He climbs up on stage and runs towards you.

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"Tom," you whisper, "a knife, get a knife from the table, to cut me free," you say nodding towards the table.

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He rushes over and examines the tools on the table, then grabs a knife. As he is turning to walk towards you, he says, "good God, what was he going to DO to you?"

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"Well, now that you're here, I guess you'll be able to see for yourself, Thomas," the man says, stepping up behind you. Suddenly you feel him grab you and hold his arm close to your neck. You feel cold metal pressed against your neck.

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The look on Tom's face is pure rage. "Why are you doing this to her? She has done nothing!"

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"Oh, Tom, do you even know who I am?" The man says, sounding amused.

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"Yes, I do..." Tom says to him, the rage falls off his face and turns into guilt. "I know exactly who you are..."

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"I am the man you ruined! You stole my future from me!" The man yells, you feel the blade of the knife press slightly harder into your skin.

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"It was an accident, I didn't do it on purpose!" Tom yells back.

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Now you pipe in, "what'd you do Tom? What is he talking about?"

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The man talks before Tom can. "He stole my future. He stole my role. I was supposed to be the lead that night! I was supposed to be the person they picked for that big movie role! It would have been my big break if it weren't for you!"

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"It wasn't on purpose! I'm so sorry!" Tom says to him.

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"You left that bag there on purpose. You wanted me to fall down those stairs. You wanted me to get hurt so I couldn't play the lead! You were the back up. You wanted to be in the lime light!" The man yells.

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"I admit, it was stupid of me to leave my bag so close to the stairs, but I promise I didn't do it intentionally, I promise..." Tom says honestly.

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"LIAR!! I was in a coma... When I fell and hit my head, I fell into a coma! I couldn't preform, but I didn't even wake up for two whole years! TWO YEARS! When I woke up, I couldn't get a role in any play! I couldn't get anything! I could have been in your shoes right now! I could be the big movie star with the pretty girl and the fame!" The man pushes the blade even harder against your skin. You wince when you feel it break your skin a little.

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"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for any of that to happen, I'm so so sorry," Tom says sincerely to the man. "Just please don't hurt her, please."

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"I don't think you understand, Tom," the man says in a regular voice. "You stole my future from me... You took away my life... And now I want to return the favor. You already have it all. There's only one thing I can take away from you..." He says, he pulls the knife away from your neck slightly and moves the hair out of your face.

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You look up at Tom and see his hand on the table, clutching something.

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The man leans his face down next to your ear, "and I'm ready to take your future from you, Tom," he says in a regular voice. He quickly stands back up and moves his hand with the knife towards your neck.

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Suddenly, you hear an extremely loud noise that makes your ears ring.

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You close your eyes and duck, instinctively, not knowing what to do.

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~end part 22~

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