Alone

Untitled Part

Alone.

That was all she wanted.

Just five minutes.

The store was eerily quiet. Which was just fine with her.

Her daughter decided to tell her at the last minute before bedtime about the cupcakes that she needed for the school bake sale tomorrow, so leisurely strolling through each long isle could have easily been a vacation in the Caribbean at that moment. She loved her kids. More than anything. But sometimes it was all just to much. She needed a break.

The store she had picked was one of those big you can buy it all here places. You could go in, buy a new wardrobe, a set of tires, and a weeks worth of groceries all at the same time. The cake mixes and frostings were near the back of the store. She knew that from all of her previous trips here. The last isle before the frozen food section began. Once there she spent what seemed like an eternity looking for the specific cake mix her daughter told her she needed.

Excuse me? a voice said, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked over to see a man staring at her, a different brownie mix in each hand.

Yes? she asked.

I'm sorry, i was just wondering if you could help me? Do you know which one of these are better? Im knew to the whole baking thing. he said smiling nervously.

He was handsome. Over six feet tall easily. Muscular, but not to big like all those guys she sees at the gym. It was a modest build, paired with dark hair and a set of dark eyes. When he smiled she noticed a dimple on his left cheek.

Um yeah. This one's better she said pointing to the box in his right hand.

Thanks. he said, setting the other box down and turning around to walk back down the aisle and towards the register. He felt familiar to her in some way. Like she had seen him before, but couldn't place him. Shaking off the feeling as being sleep deprived she grabbed what she needed and headed for the register herself. The prospect of laying in her bed and finally getting some sleep sounded better and better.

She paid for her items and headed out to her car. She parked under a big streetlight in the middle of the parking lot. Whenever she went out alone after dark she did. She loaded her bags into the trunk and pushed the cart back to the cart return, turning around she slammed into a very hard chest.

Ow. Oh excuse me. she said. Looking up into the same dark eyes she had seen earlier in the baking isle. The way he looked at her now though sent a chill down her spine, and when she went to side step around him he matched her movements. It was then that she realized she was far away from the bright light her car was parked under. The cart return near the other side of the lot was dark. With a large awning over top to keep out the rain, and apparently any light as well.

Did you need something? she asked. Trying to keep her voice from shaking. His only response was to cock his head to the side and smile. Even without the lights of the parking lot she could just barely make out his dimple on his left cheek.

Kim he said, and her blood ran cold at the sound of her name. Who the hell was this guy? How did he know her? She made an attempt to step around him again. Intent on getting the hell out of there as fast as she could. He stopped her when he matched her movements again, stepping in front of her only this time he grabbed her arm as well.

What are you doing? Let me go! she yelled. Panic had officially set in. his hand had an iron grip around her bicep. She struggled, trying to shake him off and opened her mouth to let out a scream when his other hand came down over her mouth and she felt a pinch in the side of her neck. Her body immediately went limp and relaxed, but her mind was still racing. All she could think about was her kids, her husband, and how she would probably never see them again. That was her last thought before slowly drifting off into unconsciousness.

She remembered bits and pieces of the next few hours. She remembered being in a car. Driving somewhere, but no matter how hard she tried to lift her head to look out the window, she couldn't. She knew she was in the backseat of a car, laying down. The car seemed newer, with dark leather seats. The smell of cigarettes overpowering any other smell there was left. She could hear soft music playing, but couldn't make out what it was either, but could hear the man in the front seat quietly humming to it. The sound filled her with terror. This man, whoever he was, had just kidnapped her in a grocery store parking lot and didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Her body felt like sludge. Whatever he gave her still hadn't fully worn off yet. Her mind was clearing, but the rest of her stayed in a state of heavy numbness.

How did he know her name?

He had said her name with almost a fondness. Like he had been waiting to say it for so long. She started to feel tears well up in her eyes and pushed them back. He wouldn't see her cry. She could get through this. She WOULD get through this. First she needed to stay calm. She pushed back the thought of her babies. Laying comfortable in their beds where she left them and tried to stay in the present. She tries to move her body, any part she could but the action took everything out of her. Like there were weights attached to her limbs and exhaustion soon took over. Sleep threatened from behind her eyes, and she tried so hard to fight it. She needed to stay awake. She needed to fight. But before she knew it darkness overcame her. Swallowing her up in a sea of unwanted slumber.