The Kidnaping

Written by Paetton Jackson

Warning: Story contains violent content and kidnapping

I saw the same person everywhere I went. I go to the mall, there he is. I go to a party, there he is. One time I swore I could see him outside of my window, at night under the streetlight, looking in from afar. I saw this man in my dreams. Who was this guy following me and what does he want?

I went over to my boyfriend, Aaron’s, house and told him everything going on. I thought he would think I am crazy which he slightly did.

“Babe, maybe you’re just paranoid about something, there is no way that someone is looking through your window or following you.” Aaron explained which a chuckle.

“Aaron, I am not trying to be funny this is serious. I went to the mall yesterday and every store I went in, he followed me!” He stared at me with worried some in his eyes.

"Okay, do you know why he is so fixated to you?” Aaron said calmly.

“I do not know really. He looks like a guy I go to college with. One night my friends and I went to a party, and I believe he was there. He talked and flirted with me, and I explained to him that I had a boyfriend. After that he seemed pissed and followed me home and ever since then, he is all I ever see.” I started feeling a pressure in my chest because I could feel myself having a panic attack.

“Abby, calm down it’s okay just breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.” I felt my heartbeat finally slow down and my breathing get under control.

“I am just really scared.”

***

The next morning, I headed back to the mall to go to work. I worked in a clothing store with some of my close friends. I parked in the parking garage and got out of my car and locked it. I started heading toward the mall until I felt something or someone following me. I felt a shiver down my spine and started walking faster. The next thing I know, I felt arms wrap around me.

“You scream or make any noise, and I’ll kill you!” Said the man. I felt a huge lump in my throat, but I couldn‘t clear it. I just felt frozen. I turned around and it was the man that has been following me.

The man dragged me to his car and put me in his trunk. That is all that I remember before my head got hit by something and I passed out.

***

I woke up on a cold concrete ground, with a chain around my ankle. I looked around and the room was dark and cold. It smelled like mold and mouse feces. “Where the hell am I?” I whispered to myself. I could not help but noticed a lot of different items in the room, storage wise. I could tell this was a basement. I got that panic feeling again as if my panic attack was coming back. The heavy pressure on my chest, my head throbbing, and I could not breathe. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. It was him.

“What do you want from me? Why can’t you leave me alone?” I yelled.

He just stood there with an evil grin on his face. He walked closer to me and pushed my hair behind my ear and just stared at me for a second. His stare just made me feel cold. He set a tray of food down that had a piece of stale bread and a glass of water. I pushed the tray away from me and started screaming in hopes someone would hear me.

The man grabbed me by the throat and said, “You can scream all you want, no one will hear you.”

He went back upstairs as I pushed myself up against the wall and sobbed. I looked up and noticed there was only one small window at the top of the wall. There were bars covering it, but it was still slightly pushed opened letting a soft cool breeze in this gross basement. I tried going to where the window was but forgot about the chains that wouldn’t let go more than a few feet.

“Shit.” I winced in pain. I looked around and saw a small metal rod that was small enough to fit between my ankle and the chain. It was sitting on the ground next to a pile of old clothes. I started rubbing against the chain with the metal rod, which felt like hours. Every second was crucial because I did not know when this man would return. Every noise had me jump even if it was a mouse just running around scavenging for food. I rubbed that rod against the chains faster and harder, until it finally came off.

I ran to the other side of the room and got on top of a chair to peek through the window. There was not soul out there. As I was looking, I could hear footsteps coming down the steps. I ran in a panic to get back to where the chains were. I tried putting it around my ankle again to make it look like I did nothing to it. I tossed the rod on the pile of clothes, so it did not make a loud noise. He came downstairs and looked at me as he put a bowl down in front of me. It was wet dog food. I could tell because of the smell, it was the same kind I gave my dogs at home.

“You refused my offer for real food so now you get this. Don’t expect anything more from here on out.” He spoke.

The man looked down and noticed the chain was broken. I’ve never seen someone so angry in my life. The next thing I knew, I was trying to back away from this man as he hit me over the head with something hard and kicked me in my ribs until I passed out.

***

I woke up in the same position and heard a car engine. I noticed the man leaving the house and going somewhere because I could see his tall figure through the window from where I was.

“This is my chance.” I said to myself. I started screaming as loud as I could.

“HELP! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME???” I screamed until my throat couldn’t take it anymore.

I slid down the wall sobbing. Praying that someone could hear me. I put my knees against my chest with my head laying on them as I cried. My body hurt everywhere from getting abused by this man. My lungs burned from screaming and my throat ached. I screamed loud one more time until I collapsed again from exhaustion.

***

My body was feeling exhausted. I could hear a car engine in the distance. My heart dropped thinking it was the man and I was preparing myself for the next round of torture. I thought I could hear sirens, but I thought I was hallucinating from lack of food and water. I looked up from the position I was in because maybe I wasn’t hallucinating. There it was. Red and blue flashing lights outside of the window. My prayers have been answered. I saw the officers come down the steps and ask me if I am alright. I was so relieved to get out of here. I could not take the smell or anything anymore. I had no energy to talk or move. EMT’s came downstairs and put me on a stretcher.

As they were carrying me out of the house, I saw him. The man getting arrested. He looked pissed in the back of the car and all I could do was feel relived and just smile. I waved at him slightly laughing because I won. Finally, I am saved and can get back home to my parents and Aaron.

***

I woke up in the hospital room. I must have fallen asleep from being exhausted. I saw Aaron standing there with flowers, smiling.

“Hi love.” He said warmly.

I smiled back knowing I was completely safe now.

“Everything is okay now; nothing will ever happen to you again.”

I saw an IV in my arm giving me the nutrients I lost with my time there. The nurse described to me about how I had four broke ribs and a fractured foot. She told me everything was going to be okay and that was just the worst part of my injuries. I fell back asleep. Finally feeling safe.

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Paetton Jackson (she/her) is the author of The Kidnapping. She is a creative writing major from Columbus Ohio. In her free time she enjoys dancing and hanging with friends.