ILL-FATED JOURNEY™

Chapter 14

"Whoever this is I'm calling the police...?"

"No Mom don't do that, it really is me." I tried to assure her.

"Don't play with me, little girl..." My mom threatened.

So, to save time I said. "You remember the time me and Malika fought over the iPod charger, she claimed she left it at my house and tried to take mine for hers then Mrs. Rogers found it in her jacket when she was doing laundry but by that time me and 'Lika weren't speaking to each other because she called me a charger thief..." I paused in my storytelling "Mom...Mom are you there?"

"Yes, baby... I'm here." She replied with tears in her voice. Then we were both crying and sniffing. "Where are you baby? Momma coming to get you!"

"Russia Mom, St, Petersburg now."

"Russia? St Petersburg? How did you get there?" She questioned.

"It's a very long story and it starts with a jerk name Brian..."

"The police already arrested him, but he died before he made it to trial."

"Brian's dead?"

"Brian wasn't his real name, the police think he was working for some body snatchers, they steal people for smuggling, body parts, and prostitution..." Her voice died when she finished her list.

"Nothing like that happened to me Mom," I assured her.

"So, what did they take you for?"

"Initially it was for the last one, but my buyer died unexpectedly, and let's just say I have a new owner now."

"Owner? Like a slave?" She whispered with a tremble in her voice.

"No...not exactly..." I began but before I could find the words to explain my current predicament

My mother exclaimed " Oh God, my baby!" as she came to her own conclusions.

"He's not like that Mom! He recently married me in fact." I told her to calm her down.

"He? Who's he?" I could practically see her eyes narrowing at me.

"I'll explain him when I get home." I evaded.

"You're coming home?" She trilled.

"Yes, Mama. I'm coming home." I couldn't keep the smile from my face.

"Tell me exactly where you are..." She began sounding more sure of herself.

"Listen to me, Mom because I'm going to need your help. I need you to buy a return ticket to New York for me from the airport in St. Petersburg for the 3 am flight. Do you understand, and I'll pick it up at the counter?"

"Why can't your new husband bring you?" She questioned, no doubt those brown eyes were now slits. 

"Because my new husband is also my jailer." I hissed. "He hasn't raped me, but he's made threats, hits me, and keeps me locked up. I had to con the chauffer into buying this phone. He's not home right now but there's no telling when he'd be back so I need to do this tonight!"

"Understood baby, I'll order the ticket right after I call the police..."

"No!" I almost shouted then lower my voice and ordered: "Do not call the police!"

"Why not?" She questioned.

"The people that took me used no masks. You know what that means?" I said letting the sentence hang, but she understood and confirmed this when she said.

"I got you, Baby."

"Good." My relief was palpable. "I got to go get ready. I've missed you, Mom.