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A loud explosion echoes through the van, like a bomb going off. My heart races and I yelp out loud.
Are we under attack?
Did someone shoot at us?
“Fucking dick.” The driver says with no emotion in his voice.
The van doesn’t speed up or slow down.
Did I imagine all of this?
I inhale deeply, filling my lungs to the max before letting the breath out through my mouth.
“Nice to see you awake. Did I scare you back there?” The driver cackles, like the villain he is.
I clamp my mouth shut. There’s no way in hell I’m answering him.
He continues. “Ah, you’ll be alright. We will be at the house in just a minute. Don’t fight me or else I’ll have to shoot you, too.”
I gulp.
Did he shoot his partner because he said he would run away? He’s unhinged and psychotic.
The vehicle slows down and stops before the driver turns off the van. “I’m coming around back to get you. Remember, one false move and you’re dead. Do you understand?”
My voice cracks as I speak. “I understand.”
He opens the back door and freezes as he stares at me.
Is he trying to gauge my flight or fight response? I already told him I understood his instructions.
“I’m not going to fight or try to run away.” I whisper.
He grunts in response.
“I promise to go peacefully. You have my word.”
Sure, he might not know me, but when I give someone my word, I mean it.
He hesitates for a few moments before pulling out his gun and climbing into the back with me. With the gun pressed into my chest, he reaches into his back pocket and digs out the key to the padlock.
“Don’t move.”
His hand shakes as he inserts the key and unlocks the lock.
My chest heaves, pushing the gun harder against my skin. I stay still and allow him to unwrap the chains from the side railing and pull me out of the van.
He removes the gun from my chest, only to shove it into my back and push me towards the doubled wooden front door.
He leads me down a long hallway to a bare dark room with an old twin mattress shoved in the corner. Even from here, I can smell the pungent odor.
“Get in there, sit on the mattress, and wait for the boss to arrive.”
I glance around the windowless room.
There’s no escaping.
I reluctantly plod over to the mattress with blood and piss stains, choking down the bile that threatens to make an appearance.