Chasing Demons

Chapter Nine

Nathan woke up, not knowing where he was. Wherever it is, it's super uncomfortable, he knew that much for sure.

As he moved his head around, he realized he was on a mattress, an incredibly thin one, but at least there was something.

Nathan looked around and took in his surroundings, then it all came flooding back to him.

A man wearing a blue shirt with sweat stains and blue jeans approached him on the sidewalk when he was on his way home from school. He said he was new to the town and asked for directions to a local coffee shop.

"Hey kid!" shouted the man as he got out of his van.

Nathan turned around.

"I just moved here a few days ago. Everyone's telling me that the In & Out Espresso Bar has the finest coffee in town, but I can't seem to find it anywhere."

Nathan hesitated for a moment, but the man appeared to be non-threatening. He pointed ahead. "It's a couple of streets down once you reach 51st Street turn left, and it should be on the corner."

"Thanks," said the man.

Nathan turned his back towards the man and started to walk away when the man grabbed him from behind, put a cloth over his mouth and nose and then hurled him into the van.

. . .

The room was cold and dark. Nathan attempted to walk around the room, but the metal chains on his ankles didn't let him get that far. He could only reach a small bucket in the corner and a chair that sat next to it.

Nathan pulled on the chains and shouted, "GET ME OUT OF HERE! IS ANYONE THERE? PLEASE, SOMEBODY, HELP ME!" It was only now that he realized how incredibly dehydrated he was.

Nathan heard footsteps as a dim light flickered on. He clustered in the corner as he started to breathe heavily.

The man opened the latch of the trap door and walked down the stairs. He bolted it behind him.

"Please let me go!" Nathan begged, "I won't tell anyone! I promise!"

The man grinned as he walked towards Nathan.

Fear flashed across Nathan's face. "Please don't hurt me," he cried, tears now running down his cheeks.

The man snickered. "You better not give me any trouble," He went to touch Nathan.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Nathan hollered as he kicked the man in the groin.

The man laughed. "You shouldn't have done that," he said as he took off his belt and whipped Nathan.

Nathan started to cry even more.

The man whipped him harder. Then he pulled out a pocket knife from his back pocket and started to cut off Nathan's clothes.

"Please don't!" Nathan pleaded.

The man tore off Nathan's shirt and pants then he pinned him down on his back and got on top of him. He started to kiss him on his neck and ran his cold hands down Nathan's bare body.

Nathan tried to thrust the man off him, but the man was too strong. "Please stop!" he cried.

The man ran his hand down past Nathan's abdomen and into his boxers.

"Please!"

Eventually, Nathan gave up on fighting and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. He pondered how worried his parents must be.

When the man was done, he walked up the stairs, locked the door behind him and switched off the light. Leaving Nathan there alone in nothing but darkness.

Nathan lay crying in the corner curled up in a ball, shaking uncontrollably. He reached over and pulled the tattered piece of cloth that used to be a shirt over himself. It wasn't much, but at least he wasn't as cold.