Trajectory: Unknown

Chapter 4- Shadowy Figures

Mary had moved from her couch to the kitchen. Standing at the counter with a cup of water in her hand, she gazed over at her phone, which still lie on the couch. Perhaps the entire event was a misunderstanding, but it shook Mary up. Caused her to be paranoid. 

A shrill ring emanated from her phone, begging her to come back. It played on a continuous loop, haunting Mary. Anyone could be calling, friend or foe. The sharp noise taunted her until she could resist no more. Placing her glass down, Mary marched to the couch. The ringing ceased, she was too late. 

With a sigh of relief, Mary strode back to the counter, ready to finish her refreshing beverage. The phone rung once more, causing an unamused Mary to once again take her place on the couch. She grasped the cellular device, feeling its cold slender body press against her hand, and soon her ear. She had answered.

"Hello?" Mary whispered into the phone.

"2184 Cliff Street. 30 Minutes." the gruff voice from earlier made its way into Mary's ears. She pulled the phone from her face, raising a curious eyebrow. The call ended.

Whoever she had originally called now had her number. A knot formed in Mary's stomach as she stood to retrieve her purse. Everything was telling her to ignore the call, but her legs still took her out the door, down the stairs, and to her car.

It had begun to get chilly outside again, something she hoped would not happen. Mary was never too fond of the cold. Getting in her car, she started her engine. The old, rusty automobile shook, violently hacking as smoke seeped out the hood. The check engine light blinked, struggling to come on fully. 

Had anyone else seen this, they might have gone to get the car fixed, or freaked out at the very least. Mary simply patted the dashboard, as if it was the back of a dear friend, and she put the car into drive.

The numbers 2184 repeated in her head as she sought out the desired address. Why she was going there, or what horrid things lie in wait for her, she did not know. Her foot pressed further down on the pedal and she sped up, after all she was under a time limit.

Pulling up at an old warehouse, Mary stopped the car. It was surrounded by a barbed wire fence, but it clearly was not secure. Holes were cut in the metal, here and there, allowing any passerby to enter. The building itself was made of a deep red brick, the front door, rotting wood. Grass grew sporadically throughout the grounds, a majority of it however was a light brown dirt. 

Upon looking at the building, Mary was unsure if she truly wanted to enter. She opened her door, allowing a burst of icy wind to embrace her body. Mary scowled, stepping out from her vehicle. 

The scene was ominous, and the howling of the wind simply enhanced it. Her feet shuffled through the dirt as she found a gap in the fence big enough for her to step through. A siren wailed in the background as it passed her street. 

She approached the door, stretching her arm out to force it open. Dust flew at her in every direction as the squeaky hinges swung the large wooden door open. The building was dark, not a single light was present to ease her worry, instead she strode into a darkened, musty warehouse. Alone.

A shattered window could be made out at the other end. Trembling, she continued to walk, knowing that every step she took could be her last. A door to her left was slightly ajar. Pausing in her steps, Mary contemplating entering. 

As quietly as possible, she pushed the door open. The room was slightly darker than the hallway she had just walked through, and a shadowy figure sat in the center. Mary gasped, now was the time for her to leave.

The door she had entered moments ago, slammed shut and Mary began to panic. She knew entering the building was a horrid idea, and now she was stuck. So there she stood, her body half way between the door and the figure in the middle of the room. To approach either was surely suicide. 

Her body was paralyzed as her mind rolled through dozens of escape plans. A muffled voice echoed the room, but it wasn't coming from Mary. She squinted at the silhouette, attempting to make out who or what it was. She took a step closer, and the moaning from the creature increased.

Mary's breathing became labored, as she tried to decide what to do next. If she ran towards the door, whatever had caused it to close moments ago could still be on the other side. If she approached the figure, still seated in the middle of the room, a number or unthinkable things could occur. Mary gulped, her choices were not ideal.

She inched toward the figure, and although she didn't believe in any divine beings, she began to silently pray. She was only an inch or two from the figure when she stopped. It was a man, he was seated on a metal chair, and ropes were tangled around him. His head hung low as he began to sob. Mary could see a strip of tape covering not just his mouth, but practically the entire lower half of his face. 

"Wh- Who?" Mary stuttered, her eyes searching the man from head to toe for a hint as to who he was. The man didn't reply, he simply continued to groan, his body clearly in pain. Mary reached out, hesitating before placing a gentle hand upon his shoulder. 

The man shuttered, hissing. Mary pulled her hand back quickly, her heart dropping in empathy. 

"Let me help you," Mary pleaded. She didn't know how, but if she could, Mary would help.

A clicking sound came from the other side of the door, and Mary turned her head, looking back. Another shadowy figure entered the room, this one large, and definitely standing. The tied up man began to scream, his voice garbled and muffled due to the tape. 

Mary could hear footsteps as the large figure neared her position. The seated figure looked up at her, his eyes pleading with her to leave. She recognized his glistening light brown eyes, which were now slightly fogged by tears. It was Phineas. 

Mary was slightly relieved, and she reached her hand down to unmask him, ripping the silvery tape from his lips.

"Mary!" Phineas screamed, his voice piercing the silence.

She felt a long metal object strike the back of her legs, causing her to collapse in extreme agony. Her vision became distorted as her mouth opened, vocalizing her excruciation. Her face pressed up against the cold tile floor as her hands searched for something, anything, to help her. 

The shadowy figure hovered over Mary's limp body, scrutinizing her. A deep monstrous laugh echoed the room as the abhorrent figure circled around her. Phineas was yelling something in the background, but Mary could not hear. A loud ringing sound dwelt within her ears, accompanying her overall suffering. 

The large figure raised a slender metal object, no doubt the same object used to incapacitate Mary moments earlier. She closed her eyes, as she could already see the events that were about to unfold.

Mary counted to three silently, taking a deep breath after every number. Shortly after three, the metal object made contact, clobbering  her skull. She took a sharp breath in, before all reality disappeared. 

The armed man exited the room, leaving a helpless Phineas looking on to the limp, lifeless body of the woman. He closed his eyes, praying aloud, begging God for assistance. Nothing but a miracle could get him out now.