Abducted: by Julianna Rowe

 ABDUCTED:     Property of Julianna Rowe

     She was taken hostage at gunpoint by two men near a convenience store. Blindfolded and taken to an underground location not far outside the city. There were two of them, a man and I was the other person who was going to be used for insurance leverage with the FBI as getaway pawns.  The blindfolds were removed, and we were left in an empty room with one window. I immediately went to the window, only to see heavy vines blocking the view of a brick wall opposite the vine.   Just then, the lock on the door clicked and opened.  A shorter man with a bandana hiding his face entered with a tray of food.  Actually, decent food.  Two plates filled with hamburgers, french fries, and apple pie. Another basket of fruit, soft drinks, napkins, and seasonings.  I said out loud to the other prisoner.

“What is going on here?”  

But no one spoke. Food was the last thing on my mind.  Instead, I went back to the window and tried to open it.  It had been painted shut.  Where were we?  I recalled riding in an elevator, but did we go up or down?  There was obviously a  brick building very close and what was with the thick vines. They looked like the vines in the children’s book “Jack and the Beanstalk.” But that couldn't be.

Our captors had left utensils with our meal.  I grabbed a bite of food, took the dull knife to the window, and began loosening the years of dried paint holding us prisoner.  I knew they would be returning soon for our dishes, so I continued vigorously pursuing our escape to where I had no idea.  If I got the window open, would I climb up or down? There wouldn’t be much time for decision-making. I might as well have been climbing into the abyss but at least it was freedom from what appeared to be imminent death. I never was one to settle or go out without a fight.

When I finally got the window loosened all the way around and began to lift the heavy wood it groaned as though pain were surging thru it.  Like it was feeling the same opportunity I hoped to sense once I got it moving enough, but once again, it was stuck.  I ran back to the food tray and grabbed the squeeze bottle of catsup, squirted it onto each side of the window frame, and jiggled it to release the liquid into the side sliding crevices, and BINGO!  It opened as it released one final groan feeling its own personal freedom while allowing mine. I turned to my friend and said, “Come on!”  To which he just stood there frozen.

I slithered out, looked down to see darkness, looked up and saw light, and began climbing.  I was not in the best physical condition, but it didn’t matter.  I was putting one foot in front of another and when there wasn’t a vine in ladder formation, I grabbed and pulled myself up until I found one. This truly did appear to be a Jack Beanstalk.  I could only hope the ending would be as good as the well-known old book. That is when my wandering mind was thrown back to its pitiful dangerous senses by hearing a man’s gruff angry voice shouting for the others that I had escaped.  I could feel the vibration of the presence of another human on my thick vine to freedom. Fear was in great pursuit of me. I went faster and faster until I was gasping for air. Stress gripped my throat like I was being strangled, and my lungs were responding in pain but I could see the light from above coming closer.  Maybe it was heaven, and I was dying?  Would I die getting away from anyone holding me against my will for their own benefit? I had lived through difficult life situations and come out of them before and would again, even at my own death. Behind me only the crackling of the vines and the harsh heavy deep grunts of a killer in pursuit of me.  Why me? What was the purpose, or was I simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? It didn’t matter at that point. 

My mind came back to reality when I jumped off the vine and hit a real city cement sidewalk. No one was in sight and I was still gasping for the breath of life I needed to continue. There were buildings all around that looked somewhat familiar, but there was no time to ponder it, only run, but I couldn’t run. I saw two buildings with a small alley between where I scurried to, stood, catching my breath for a few seconds, and then onto and through the alley to a street with more activity.  I asked a passerby if I could use their cell phone as I had been abducted.  I must have frightened them because they were gone in a flash.  I asked the next person I saw and they handed me their phone.  I called my cell phone number, hoping for an answer from someone I knew. I believe I was delirious or I would have dialed 9 1 1. And then I heard a voice on the other end answering my phone.  It was my abductor telling me there was no escape, they had put trackers on my phone and everyone on my contact list.   If I tried to reach out to anyone, I would be found. I handed the phone back to the stranger and began running.  I had no money, no vehicle, no contacts.  At this point, I knew where I was and continued toward my home. 

I woke up. That was a scary dream!