Kitty opened her eyes with a small gasp. She felt hot, soaked in sweat, even if she was only in her underwear and a T-shirt that was three sizes too big. She lifted her head to look around.
Where am I?
She was lying on a metal bed in a dimly lit room. The only source of light was a flickering fluorescent bulb, dangling from the ceiling. Next to the bed was a rusted metal table, and there was a single wooden chair in the corner. Her head throbbed from the aftereffects of the stun gun, and she could feel the bruises on her neck where Officer Damian had restrained her.
Why would he do this to me? Why? I thought he loved me?
She tried to move her arms and legs, but they were strapped tightly to the corners of the metal bed with nylon cable ties. Panic set in as she realized that she was a prisoner. Her mind raced with questions, but all she could muster was a feeble whimper.
“Help.”
Kitty fought her restraints, trying to free herself from the metal bed. Her wrists and ankles ached from the tight bindings, and she could feel the nylon digging into her skin. She wriggled desperately, but it was no use.
“Mom? Mommy?”
She said the words but knew there was no mom there. She was all alone. No windows she could look out of and see where she was. Just those dark black walls surrounding her. They were covered with some material that she remembered she had seen before. One time when she was invited into a radio studio, where her friend Julia’s mother worked. They had the same foamy materials on the walls. To stop the sound, the mother had told her when she asked. As she looked at it, heart throbbing in her small chest, she knew exactly what that meant.
No one can hear me.
Anxiety spread in Kitty’s heart as she realized that escape was impossible. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face. Where was she? How did she get here? What would happen to her next?
The questions swirled around in her mind like a never-ending loop, filling her with fear and dread.
She cried out for help, even though deep down she knew it was futile.
“Mommy!” Kitty screamed, desperation deep in her voice. But there was no answer. No one could hear her cries for help.
Kitty lay motionless on the dirty mattress, feeling so helpless, so lost and so, so scared. She had been taken from the safety of home and put into a nightmare she could not get away from. What was going to happen to her? Would she ever see her mom again? Her only hope was to pray for some sort of miracle, but even that felt like clutching at straws. All seemed lost and Kitty’s heart sank deeper into despair with each passing moment.
Please help me. Please someone help me.
A door creaked open, and for just a second, she thought her prayers had been answered. She lifted her head and stared toward it as a figure emerged from the shadows. His piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. The sight of him terrified her, and she lost all hope.
As the figure walked closer, she tried to pull herself up, but her restraints kept her firmly in place. Her heart raced as he drew nearer, and she could feel his breath on her skin. He didn’t say a word but simply stood there staring at her, his eyes cold and unforgiving.
She tried to speak, to beg for mercy, but no words came out of her mouth. He seemed to sense her fear and smiled cruelly, knowing that he had complete control over her.
She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She knew that she was trapped, at the mercy of this cold and heartless man.
But then, as he stepped into the light, she saw a glimmer of kindness in his eyes. He approached her slowly, his footsteps quiet against the cold concrete floor. She could feel her heart racing, but she forced herself to remain still.
“Are you all right?” he asked softly, his voice gentle as he sat on the edge of the bed beside her. She hesitated before nodding slowly. He reached out and touched her cheek, and she flinched at his touch. But then, something about the warmth of his hand made her relax.
“It’s all right,” he whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you. You can trust me. We are family, remember?”
She looked up at him, searching for any signs of anger, but found none. Slowly, she began to relax.
He touched her hair. “As long as you are a good girl, and do as I tell you, then there is no problem.”
She was small, but she was no dummy, and she had a will as strong as steel. Her green eyes were full of suspicion as she looked up at the imposing figure in front of her. He towered over her, tall and broad, but there was a gentleness in his voice that didn’t fit with his intimidating stature.
He touched her nose with a finger, and she flinched slightly, but he only smiled showing off his white teeth. She used to love seeing him smile. Now it filled her with fear.
“Can we agree to that?”
Slowly, she began to relax. He seemed sincere, and she wanted to trust him. She really wanted to.
“Okay,” she said finally, her voice barely a whisper. She was so thirsty and wanted to ask for some water. And food. She was starving. She would do anything for something to eat.
He smiled again and winked at her.
“That’s my girl.”
Kitty stared at Officer Damian, heart still racing rapidly in her chest, yet feeling oddly comforted. He then smiled and lifted up a bag of McDonald’s.
“I hope you’re hungry. I brought food.”
THIRTY-FOURBILLIE ANN
I called Charlene and left a bunch of messages while driving back to the station. Of course, she wasn’t answering. She was skipping school, probably up to no good with her friends.
This was so not what I needed right now.
And it was unlike her. That was the part that concerned me. She was the good one. She usually always took care of her schoolwork and chores. She always got good grades and never skipped. I left one more message, telling her to call me back NOW. Then I hung up and called her father. It was the first time I had spoken to him since he’d betrayed me and outed me to my mother. I really wasn’t ready to speak to him, as I was still furious, but this was important.
“Joe? Do you know where Charlene is?”
I could hear the noise of construction in the background. He was still at work. He sounded distant. “She’s in school, no?”
