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Chapter 4. The Stranger In The Night

A few days pass and it is late in the morning I awake to find Ethan not here.

"Babe!" I hear him call and I follow the voice. I find him in the bathroom, fixing his hair. I look at him, how handsome he looks. His black hair slicked back, wearing a black tie, white shirt and black jeans.

"Wow," I say, "just wow!"

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," he snaps and I stare back in shock. "I'm sorry babe, I'm just...stressed. "Ethan sighs, he is extremely stressed, he got a promotion and now he has to go on a business trip.

"Have you seen my cuff links?" He asks and I go back to the bedroom, get them and go and help him put them on. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I'm sorry, I can't you know I'm not feeling well," I reply.

"I know, it's just you make me less stressed," he says. "Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?" I laugh.

"I'm sure I can last a few days without you," I say and I kiss him and hug him. "Thank you for being so protective, but I can handle myself I'll be fine I promise. Besides Cathy's coming over tonight."

"If anything happens!" He says but I stop him.

"I have my brother on speed dial...relax," I say and he sighs with relief. Which was a small lie I didn't have him on speed dial but I had to get Ethan to stop worrying. He's always been a worrier, it's annoying but cute.

"Okay," he says and wraps his arms around my waist and I wrap mine around his neck. He looks at me up and down, "I just have one more problem."

"What's that?" I ask.

"I just don't think I'll be able to let you go!" He says and he picks me up and spins me around I laugh.

"You think it's easy for me? I'm going to be lonely," I say and laugh, Ethan does a cute sad face, smiles and bops me on the nose.

"I'm going to miss you," he says sadly and I give him a bear hug. My arms wrapping around his waist, his wrapping around mine, my head snuggles under his chin and he kisses my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too I'm going to miss you too," I say and we kiss one more time before he goes out of the bathroom, through the hallway and out the front door. I hear his car beep as he drives off. I stand in the doorway watching him leave.

**************

"What do you mean you won't be hear till another hour?" I cry to Cathy on the phone.

"I'm sorry, traffics terrible," she replies.

"Ugh I'm hungry and bored!" I complain, "hurry up!" I hear her laugh and I roll my eyes.

"Yes, ma'am, don't worry I'll be there soon, I promise," she says.

"Fine," I sigh and I hear her laughing again. "But I'm choosing the movie!" Now it was her time to roll her eyes.

"Fine," she says, "that's fair. Anyway, I'm going to go. Toronto traffic's driving me nuts. I'll see you soon bye kisses." I laugh.

"Okay, I'll see you soon, bye, kisses," I reply and hang up. At the moment I am sitting on the couch and scrolling through Netflix. When I hear the same tap on the window as I did earlier a few days ago. I shake it off as nothing and keep scrolling through. All of a sudden, the lights start flickering and then go out. I stand up and try the light switch, which won't work. All the lights are out.... just my luck. I walk over to the window to see that others lights are fine and I'm in confusion. Then out of the corner of my eye I think I see a shadow of a person who then ducks behind the bushes.

It's a bit creepy but my logical side kicks in and tells me not to worry. I get out my phone and use it as a torch. Knowing I have to go outside to where the breaker is. In fear, I slowly get up and walk out the front door and make my way over to the breaker. I get to it and start turning it on only to realise it's been cut. Then I feel a gloved hand over my mouth and another grab my waist.

Next thing I know I am pushed to the ground and beaten by someone with a bat. I struggle, kicking, screaming and punching. Then nothing....

**************

I slowly open my eyes, to awake to nothing but blackness. I don't know how long I've been unconscious for all I know is that I can't move that much for I am in an enclosed space. My head is throbbing, my back is aching and I have pins and needles all up my legs. I lick my lips and taste blood. I try to remember what had happened but nothing, I feel weak, hungry and tired. All I want to do is sleep some more. But I have to focus, I have to find a way out of here before I die. I look around, but I can't see anything, only a small hole to breathe.

I then hear the sound of traffic and I hit my head...speed bump, I think, I must be in a car. Meaning if I yell loud enough people could hear me.

"HELP!" I scream, "HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE! I'M IN THE BACK OF THIS CAR! I'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED! HELP ME PLEASE!" I reach for my phone in my back pocket, yes! I think. I scroll through my contacts to find my brother.

SOS, I've been taken. Please help, I don't know where I am, I am in a trunk. I am injured, help me please! This is not a joke!

The car slows down until it reaches a complete stop, I hear them step out of the car and hear footsteps coming towards me.

The boot of the car door opens and a tall shadowed figure appears. They are wearing a mask covering their face and holding a dirty, old rag. They cover my face with the rag and once again everything went black.

**************

I wake up, sitting on a dirty, old, mouldy mattress. The room is dimly lit by a light hanging from a ceiling, there are no windows and the room is constructed of old rotting wood. I am cold, helpless and scared. I am not tied up anymore, I check for my phone in my pocket but it is nowhere to be found. The creep must have taken it.  "HELPPPPPPP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I scream as loud as I can. The door swings open and for a second, I am hopeful.

The figure, dressed in all black with a mask comes through the door. I crept back to the wall in fear. The figure walked closer to me I couldn't tell whether it was a man or a woman.

"Please, you don't want to do this, I'm a nobody, I don't have that much money nor do my parents. So, what do you want? Money? Information? Cause I'm a nobody, if you let me leave, I won't tell anybody!" I say, trying to contain courage in my voice. The person just looks at me, saying nothing. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!" I scream while sobbing. They say nothing but this time, they point at me.

My whole-body freezes in fear. Is this how I was going to die?