FLASH

I regret it now; not paying attention, dismissing the texts:

<3 u u r pretty Miss u :) But I let it go until it was too late; when I noticed the red Ford focus almost everywhere I went. There's irony for you. I tried to see him, tried to get the plates. But he would flash his lights as a farewell and speed off. If I had been more careful, I wouldn't have ended up there; in that horrible place on that terrifying night. I smelled musty wood and hot dust. The floor below me was cool and smooth. Every muscle in my body burned. One eye was swollen shut and sore under a blindfold. A grungy rag filled my mouth and ground dryly at the corners of my lips. Zip ties bit at my wrists and ankles. I moved gingerly and tried to find a wall. I bumped into something solid, heavy. Exhausted I tried to relax and figure out how long I'd been out and gone. The last thing I remembered was talking with Kelly, making a lunch date. My stomach announced we had not made it and that it was upset at this. I had to stop and get dry cleaning and pick up milk...Oh I hoped it wasn't spoiled. I pushed again against the furniture I'd found, pushing and rubbing my head to pull the blinder off. Catching a rough edge, my hair ripped in clumps and the monster raked my face and scalp, but the blindfold gave some. I squinted and discovered I was in an attic. Long forgotten rain trails left moldy streaks along the slanted roof. Clumps of reds and oranges from the sunset plucked through a small window covered in cobwebs and neglect. A bureau loomed dark and solid above me, its edges warped and jagged with angry popping nails. I heard footsteps and humming. My gut wrenched as I quickly scootched my head along the corner to recover my eyes. A nail tore at my cheek. I lay my new wound on the floor in hopes of hiding the fresh blood. Holding my breath to stifle the cry, I collapsed on the floor and froze. The hatch shouted at his tug, sticking its tongue of a ladder out allowing him to enter. "Hey there." he whispered shyly poking his head into view. "Wake yet?" I counted beats to my breath to keep them low and even. This caused incredible pressure in my head, making my heart thump so hard, I was convinced he could see it bumping along the floor. He waited and watched. "Maybe later Jeannie. When you're hungry." his voice was frail and disappointed. Instantly my mouth became a waterfall, my belly churning almost twisting to sit up and beg in response to the promise of food. The door smacked shut. I was alone again. I inch-wormed back to the bureau and removed my blindfold once more. Then, sitting up I began to feel along the edges for one of those hateful nails. Hooking my wrists on one, I began to pull. The pain scurried up my arms burrowing deep into my bones. I pulled some more realizing my hands were filling with blood. I smelled copper and gagged. Tears spilled down my cheeks and jealously I killed them by wiping them on the shoulders of my shirt. How dare they escape before me. I yanked again, feeling the dresser teeter forward against my neck and shoulders. I dug my feet into the floor and pushed to steady it. There was a quick pop as the pressure released around my hands. I brought them around and kissed them. My long lost hands; puffy and trembling. "I love you fingers." I said gently wiping them along my shirt. I undid the blindfold and gag, beginning to inspect my gouges. They were deep and crimson. Slowly; thread by thread, I shredded the cloth (so as not to make tearing noises). I bandaged the gashes in my skin, tying them with my teeth. I sat silently and listened for him. Nothing. Near me, I rummaged a box, finding old school books, supplies and a metal edged ruler. I sawed the zips around my ankles freeing myself completely. This excitement was compounded by a familiar shape at the edge of the doorway; my gym bag. My PHONE! I cupped my mouth to stifle the giddy yelp that swelled in my chest. I began to creep toward it. Sweat drenched my underarms and hair, stinging the newly naked patches. Tooth by tooth I unzipped my bag just enough to get my broken hand inside. Hungrily my fingers snapped up my phone. I hoarded it greedily and retreated to the shelter of my dark corner and protector, the dresser. I quickly silenced the ring tones. "9-1-1" I chanted hopefully, my breath reduced to a pant. "911. What's your emergency?" I was dumbfounded. I didn't know where to begin...What IS my emergency? "Help me. I'm trapped. I've been kidnapped..." "You're what? Slow down." "Kidnapped." "Where?" "I don't know." "Are you hurt?" "Yes." "What's your name?" "Jeannie" "Okay, Jeannie. Where are you?" "I TOLD you! I DON'T KNOW!" Hysteria stole my voice completely. I whimpered into the speaker. "Can you see anything?" "No." "Do you know who did this?" "No." "Can you talk?" I could tell she was straining to hear me. "No." I hissed. "All right. Leave your phone on. We'll have to trace your signal." The waiting began. I heard her speaking in rushed tones and clicking on the keyboard vehemently. "We've got you. We have an area." I heard her call dispatch and give the information. "Hang on. We're coming." I smiled in the dark. I did not kill the tears that escaped now. We were all going to go home. I was safe. I lost it all. In a moment, my blood chilled in my veins, my head swirled unable to grip the reality of what was happening. I vomited. The walkie went off beneath me with the call to investigate. He answered calmly and professionally. "Copy that. Unit is ten minutes away from that area. Will call on arrival." There was an heavy click as he turned of the tattletale. His voice rose in outraged bursts. "DAMMIT JEANNIE! DAMMIT! You've ruined EVERYTHING!" He growled and rushed down the hall toward my prison. My bladder let go and I screamed for the first time. I scurried around the back side of the bureau and began to shove. "Help me Goddammit!" I shouted to no one and pushing harder. My wrists broke open and the bleeding caused me to slip, slamming my shoulder in to the hulking furniture. "Oh I'll help you Jeannie" he spat and tore at the ladder. He dashed up the rungs like lightening. I heaved once more. "C'mon C'MON! You sonofabitch!" I begged. It teetered and lunged toward him, cracking him squarely on the demented skull. He crumpled to the floor motionless. The dresser had packed itself protectively in the entrance way. I peeked at him for some time before slithering carefully down the steps and around his body. I headed for the door, pulling everything I could find into the hall: chairs, end tables, lamps, trash cans...all of it. I spied his keys and snatched them. My fingers fumbled with the locks, too shaky and tired to get it on the first try. My arms felt crammed with angry bees. I huffed and tugged childishly. He stirred and it was then I was sorry I hadn't smashed his head. I yanked the door and stepped gawking into the night. There was no light; not from passing cars or streetlamps. Trees; old and tall glared silently, refusing to even hint at the right direction. I chose to sneak around the back of the house instead of taking the direct line to the drive. I looked like a limping wallaby as I rounded the last corner and hovered in the car's shadow. I watched his silhouette stumbling in the foyer; getting caught up in the mess I'd made. I opened the door and got in, locking it a thousand times. He fired his gun and yelled for me. "Jeannie! You can't DO this!" another shot. I jammed the entire set of keys into the steering column. He sauntered out on to the porch. "Let's go you asshole COME ON!" I shouted and smacked the dash. Metal slid and there was the click. I gasped as if I'd been propositioned by the Pope himself. I turned the key. He squared up and raised the gun. "Do it Jeannie." He yelled at me, the smile dripping from his lips caused me to liquefy inside. I did it. I flashed the lights in my own farewell and nearly tore the gearshift from the column. The car shimmied, gobbling up the driveway between us. He fired at the windshield. I screamed, ducking down and turning the wheel. There was a muffled crackling as the car smashed the tree, the air bag filling his Focus with smoke and the smell of warm burlap. Glass spidered, showering my hair and face. The engine sputtered and moaned until I turned it off. I sobbed into my emergency pillow begging this nightmare to be over. He was gone. I opened the door almost stepping on his hand laying in a widening, dark pool. I jumped over it and made my way inside for the final 911 call. This was hard to write. I struggled a great deal with it but am pleased with the finished product.
Thanks for being patient. You're so good to me like that... ;)