Mean Girls Missing

29

July 18

6:56 pm

Samantha

"Samantha! Shut your eye or I'm going to stab you in it."

I laughed. Every time Steph approached me with the eyeliner I twitched. Her wrist draped over the rest of my face. If I could wing my own eyeliner, I definitely would. But my hands were too shaky to keep the pen steady so I'd get black smears all over my eyelid.

"Okay," Steph smiled. "It's not that even but you can't keep still."

I shrugged. "It'll work. Thanks."

Paired with ruby red lipstick, I smoothed my hair into a high ponytail and flaunted in the mirror. I mean, it wasn't awful. The outfit was cute enough. I just wished I could wear it for me and not to impress him.

The last four minutes were spent on the couch, elbows on my knees, waiting for that signature jingle to let me know my obsessed captor had arrived. I smelled the tangerine body wash on my skin still.

It had become unbearably hot in the dungeon once summer spiked. Steph and I didn't have a fan to cool us down. There was no heat or air conditioning in the unit. We took cold showers, munched on ice, and laid out complaining about the humidity. I had to remember to ask Arnie to find a fan for us so we wouldn't die of heat stroke.

"Give me a hug," I mumbled to Steph. I stood and pulled her in for a tight bear hug. "I didn't want him to see this."

She nodded. "You'll be okay. You got this, Sam." Steph leaned away and smiled. "Go kick ass."

I smiled back. "I can do it."

Like clockwork, the hatch doors swung open. Steph scurried into the back. I stayed right in my position, waiting for the shoes to be connected to the rest of his body. My knees wobbled in anticipation.

Arnie had jeans on. It was boiling hot outside and he was wearing pants. What a freak. His black wife beater tank squeezed his giant belly. Chest hair poured out from the neckline. I cringed internally.

"Samantha," Arnie smiled as bright as the sun. "I have missed you, princess."

He kissed me.

"It sure has been a while since we saw you," I said as I forced a grin.

"Speaking of 'we,' where is Stephanie?" He glanced around the room. "Stephanie?"

I heard the pitter-patter of her feet on the cement. She stuck her head around the doorway. "Hi, Arnie."

"I missed you, my darling. Don't worry. I promise we will get alone time soon." Arnie offered me his hand. "Shall we?"

He unlocked the private room and set his hand on my back while I walked through the door. It made my skin crawl. Arnie took a seat on the bed. Much to my dismay, I followed suit.

Please, God. Don't let him do anything to me.

"I just want to talk to you, Samantha. Would you like to talk?" Arnie questioned.

Thank you, God. You work miracles.

"That would be fantastic!" At least my enthusiasm was real.

"Samantha, tell me about your fears."

"My fears?"

"What are you scared of?"

Creepy question. "Clowns. Bugs. Just the usual stuff."

Arnie nodded. "Very good. Do you want children?"