by Nicki Rae
“I will, Diane. I promise. I’m going to go over to my house and see if for some reason she may be over there. If we still haven’t found her then I will go and check her apartment. Can you call Ms. Barnes and let her know that I will be coming and I will need her to let me in?”
“Of course. Please Logan, please find my baby.”
My throat catches, I can’t stand to hear her cry.
Again, I assure her, “I promise I will not stop until I find her.”
I hear her sobs before she says, “Ok, please call me as soon as you know something.”
“I will, promise.”
*Emily*
I try to open my eyes but they won’t. I can faintly hear a television but I cannot make out what is playing. I am so tired, I drift back to sleep.
I finally find the hair tie that I am looking for to get this hair off my neck. It has been the hottest Fourth of July that I have ever been alive to witness.
“Babe, hurry you’re going to miss the fireworks.”
“Logan, there is absolutely no possible way I can miss fireworks.”
I laugh at him as I make my way back to him and sit between his outstretched legs on our blanket. Almost the moment my butt hits the ground the fireworks start booming.
“See? I told you that you almost missed them.”
I laugh. I hear the ooh’s and ahh’s from everyone around us. We have had an amazing day. Our families all met at the park in town. We cooked out, played softball, and now are relaxing. I feel Logan kiss the back of my neck.
“It’s a shame all these people are around.” Logan whispers in my ear.
“You know these fireworks have been the same since we were five, if you want to leave, I’m sure we won’t miss anything.”
“I think it’s more fun to sneak with everyone around.” He says as he nips at my ear.
My eyes flutter open. I have to take a minute to remember where I am. After scanning the room, I have no idea where I am. I try to move my arms but they seem to be attached to cement because they won’t move. Just that simple of movement has exhausted me. I drift to sleep again.
I go to try to get up thinking that I must have drank to the point of black out again and that is why my body feels so sluggish but my hands are tied together. What the hell? I move my legs; they are tied together, also. I have no idea where I am. I try to remember how I got here, but the last thing I remember is walking my mom out the parking lot of the hospital.
Logan.
He must be worried sick about me. I never even got to say anything to him, when I arrived at the hospital because he was in with his dad. I briefly look around the room, to try and find a way out. There is a door about ten feet from the bed that I am laying on. If I can just get myself up off this bed, I can try to get out. What are you thinking, Emily? Whoever put you in here probably didn’t conveniently leave the door unlocked. Doesn’t matter, I have to try.
I take a deep breath to calm myself. I move my bound hands to the side of me to try to push myself up. After a couple of attempts and a few tears, I finally am able to push myself up. Once I get myself into a sitting position, I have to close my eyes because my head hurts so badly. I fall back down on the pillow; frustrated because nothing I try is working, I just lie there. I am so tired. I just drift back to sleep.
Chapter 23
*Logan*
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO FIND MY GIRLFRIEND?” I yell at the officer that keeps telling me to calm down, in the same breath that he just told me that they are still looking for her.
Emily has been missing for five hours. I am scared to death. Five hours is more than enough time for someone to have kidnapped her and had their way with her. I can’t even think of what else they may do to her. I am pacing around the living room of Diane’s house.
“Logan, you have to calm down. They are doing everything they can to find her.”
“They are not working fast enough.” I yell.
I walk over to Diane and kneel in front her. I feel like an ass for just yelling at her. I wasn’t exactly yelling at her I am just so fucking frustrated with the situation, I can’t see straight. Diane called her friend that lives by Emily; she isn’t there. Aside from ripping apart every house in the damn town, I don’t know what else to do. Diane finally filed a missing persons report but these jug heads are not working fast enough for my taste.
“I am so sorry, Diane. I didn’t mean to yell at you. I am just so scared.” She hugs me.
“I am scared too, Logan. But they can’t help us if we are being uncooperative.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm myself.
“I know, I’m sorry.”
Officer Evans walks over to Diane and me.
“I need both of you to call anyone you think Emily may have got in the car with. She may have changed her mind about coming back in the hospital is someone she knew came and wanted her to go with them.”
Does this guy think she is a dumbass?
“Emily didn’t just leave the hospital with some random person without telling someone. She has been gone for hours, for fucks sake. Don’t you think we have called every person that we know, to try and find her?”
“Mr. Moore, please. I am just trying to think through every angle. In these situations, it’s been my experience that people are not usually rational. Now, have you been to her apartment in Muncie?” I look to Diane and she starts talking.
“A friend of mine lives in the same apartments as Emily. She has a key to her place. Even though Emily’s car is still there, I had her go check her apartment to make sure she wasn’t there.”
He writes this down in his notepad.
“What is the neighbor’s name, Ms. Jenkins?”
“Jana Barnes. She is a professor at Ball State.”
Again, Officer Evans is writing in his pad.
“Can you think of anyone who may be upset with Emily?
“I have only been back in town a few months but I can’t think of anyone,”
“I can’t think of anyone, either. Everyone loves Emily.” Diane adds.
“How about you, Mr. Moore?”
“Come again?” I say.
Officer Evans looks up at me from his notepad.
“Has anyone been upset with you and may want to get back at you through Emily?”
I hadn’t thought of that.
“Not that I am aware of, no.” I shake my head.
“Where is her father, Ms. Jenkins?”
I look over at Diane and she looks almost nervous.
“I can assure you that he isn’t an issue, Officer.” I can see the nervousness blooming in Diane as she tries to deter the conversation from Emily’s father.
I am going to have to ask her to go into detail after the cop leaves. Emily’s father has always been a subject that we didn’t touch. Even when Emily was crying about him, she would never go into detail. I have tried several times to get her to open up to me about him but she wouldn’t. All I know is that he left when Emily was young.
“You are sure about that? Sometimes a disgruntled parent comes back?”
She shakes her head with determination, “No, I am certain that is not the case.”
Officer Evans closes his notepad and stands up. He shakes both of our hands.
“I will get back to the station and get this info to the officers. You have already given her picture to one of the other officers, correct?”
“Yes, I have,” Diane says.
“Ok, please let me know if either of you think of anything pertinent. Anything you think of can be helpful, so please, call about anything. I will be in touch.”
He hands Diane and me his card and walks out the front door.
I sit on the couch with my head in my hands. I can’t believe this is happening.
All of a sudden, the front door flies open
“Mom!” Celeste calls as she runs in the living room.
Rebecca and Aunt Kathy follow behind.
They are all crying
and holding each other. They start talking about what is going on. I have to get out of here.
“I am going to head over to my house; will you guys be ok?”
Diane’s bloodshot eyes pierce through me.
I was supposed to be the one to take care of her little girl and I failed. I cannot look at her anymore. I am sure I am matching her tear for tear.
“Will you be ok, Logan?” she reciprocates.
“Yes, I just need some air.” She nods.
“Communication, Logan. If ANYTHING happens, you need to call me, immediately.”
I know she is right but I can’t promise that if I find out what is going on that I will be able to take the time to call her.
I get up and give her a hug. I am almost to the door when Rebecca stops me.
“We will find her Logan, I know we will. And this is not your fault.” She is staring sternly at me. I know she is just trying to make me feel better but the only thing that will make that happen now is if I find Emily.
“Thank you for that, Bec.” I hug her and leave.
There is only one place that I can think to go in a time like this. I drive to my house, pull up in the drive, and get out; I don’t even think I close my truck door. I start walking through the woods to our spot. If I can come up with some kind of idea as to where Emily is or she is going to send me some kind of message through the divine power, I will get it here.
“Emily it’s 3 am, is everything ok?” I ask her, worried.
“Please, Logan can you just meet me?”
“Of course, babe. Are you ok to drive?” I ask her.
I can tell by her voice that she is or has been crying.
“Yes, I am ok. I will see you in a few minutes. I Love You.” Is all she says before she hangs up.
I get up and put on some warmer clothes. It’s the middle of spring but the nights are not as warm. I find the blanket we always use and start to walk out of the house. I begin to walk through the woods as my mind races for reasons as to why Emily wants to meet me in the middle of the night. If I hadn’t heard her somber tone, I might be excited.
I am lying on the blanket with my arm over my eyes, wishing I had brought a second blanket, when Emily lies down next to me. She lays her head on my shoulder. I look down at her and she doesn’t even look at me when she says, “I’m sorry for calling you in the middle of the night. I had a nightmare and it scared the shit out of me; I needed someone to hold me.”
“Don’t ever apologize for calling me, babe.” I kiss the top of her head.
“Can I ask what your nightmare was about?”
She shakes her head. I want to push her to talk but I don’t think that will do any good. So, I just talk to her, as if nothing happened, hoping that will calm her.
“So, it’s going to be a long day at school tomorrow.”
I glance down at her and her head moves up and down, agreeing, but she says nothing. I try to think of something that will pull her out of her sadness. I don’t know what she dreamed about but it must have been rough, if she isn’t talking.
“Mom and Dad are going on a cruise in a few weeks. You know what that means?”
At this, she looks up at me with a smile; there she is. She still doesn’t talk but at least she has stopped shaking. I start to tell her about their cruise when she cuts in, “It was about my dad, Logan.” I close my eyes, I had thought as much.
We never really talk about her dad but I have concluded that he is no good. She continues, “He came back to the house and was going to kill us. Mom told us to leave the house to call the police but I couldn’t leave her there, alone . . .”
She is starting to cry and shake again, so I stop her.
“Hey,” I say to her. “Calm down, I am here. I won’t let anyone harm you or your family, I promise!”
I get to the clearing and drop to my knees; tears are streaming down my face and look up to the night sky.
FUCK! I scream.
I promised her I would keep her safe and I couldn’t even do that. What a shitty excuse for a human being I am. And as I am sitting there feeling sorry for myself, I think of something. I am instantly on my feet running toward my car.
*Emily*
I have been lying here for what seems like hours. No one has come in the room but I can hear them out there, the bastards. I have been trying to keep still so I am able to build strength to get up off this bed, once I hear no movement from the other room.
I think back to try to figure out why I am even in this situation. I haven’t given anyone reason to hate me enough to want to fucking kidnap me. I guess kidnappers are psychotic so there is no reasoning needed.
One of the voices I hear is familiar to me for some reason but I cannot place him. I concentrate and listen closer. I give up because my head is just too foggy.
I scan the room; I don’t see anything in the immediate area that I can use to cut my bounds. I struggle to sit up, again. It is a little easier this time, but my head still feels as though it is splitting in two. Oh how I need Logan right this moment. I don’t care what he did in the past, I need him. I always have. That is why it hurt so badly. As much as I want to pity myself right now, I need to focus on getting myself out of here.
I scoot myself to edge of the bed and am able to haul my bound legs over the side. I take a deep breath to redirect my focus from my head and stand. I have to stop for a minute to steady myself. I look for my destination. With my legs tied together, I am going to have to make this trip worth it
I look to the window and note that it is pretty far from the bed. I take another deep breath and start to move. As I begin to move my feet, I realize that I am not moving as fast as I would like to be so I start to get agitated. As quiet as I am trying to be, my bound legs are thumping a little louder than I would like. I stop to listen, I don’t hear anything but the TV; maybe they left. Or, fell asleep. Either way, I need to keep going. I continue and as I get closer to the window, I get excited at my progress and start to move faster than I should and I lose my balance. I start to fall and am somehow able to gain my balance back by putting my shoulder up against the wall. I am still for a couple moments to steady myself, yet again. I start to move again, this time, making sure I pace myself so I don’t fall. After what seems like hours (although, I’m sure it has only been a few seconds), and a whole hell of a lot of effort I make it to the window.
What now?
I look around and see a table that has an old glass coaster set. I should have thought this through before making it all the way over here. Now, I have to make my way back to the table and get them.
And then what, Emily? Are you going to break the window and jump out? Your hands and legs are tied together. Are you nuts? You will die. I have to try; I can’t just sit here and let them do whatever they plan to do to me. A shutter runs through me as I think about what they could possibly want with me, whoever it is.
I am able to walk or hobble whatever you want to call it, to the table. I turn so I can try to pick up the coasters.
”Emily, dear. Are you ready?”
I hear the guy’s voice that I don’t recognize as he starts to unlock the door.
SHIT!
He opens the door and I am standing there frozen in my spot. I guess I believe that if I am still he won’t see me. My heart is pounding; I don’t know what to do exactly. I can’t go anywhere fast so I just stand there.
He looks at the empty bed and then looks around the room.
He gets a sleazy smile on his face when he spots me standing across the room.
“Where you goin’, darlin’?”
I try to think back, but I don’t know who this guy is. He starts toward me and I try to move away at the same time, but it is pointless, I can move an inch a minute.
He grabs me by the arms and pulls me into his chest. He kisses my lips and I think I’m going to vomit. He can’t be much older than me, and he isn’t all that bad looking but he smells of stale cigarettes and alcohol. Then there is the fact
that he has kidnapped me, so I really just want to kick him in the balls. I don’t know who this guy is but he completely repulses me. What happens next surprises even me.
He pulls back from kissing me and I bit his neck. Not sure what I thought was going to happen, but he does stumble back a little.
I start to hobble around him.
“BITCH!”
He back hands me across my face. I stumble momentarily, the pain in my head returning with a vengeance. My vision goes a little blurry but I fight through it. I have to get out of here; or at least try. I start to move again but he grabs me. This time he picks me up and slams me on the bed and I think I’m going to black out because of the pain in my head.
I am amazed at my resilience, as I stay conscious.
He takes my bound hands and attaches them to the headboard. He unbuttons his pants and I start to panic. I am thrashing my hands and legs while tears are pouring down my eyes.
This can’t be happening.
“You want to bite me you little whore, let me show you what happens to little girls that are bad.”
He starts to take his pants off.
“You know, Emily, I have wanted a piece of that ass forever. Logan is one lucky man.”
I am momentarily dumbfounded. He obviously knows me, or of me. Who the fuck is he?
“Ho-how do you know me?”
“Shh. No more talking.”
He climbs on top of me and kisses my neck. My stomach immediately nauseates. I begin thrashing around. This doesn’t stop him; he continues his descent of my body with his mouth. He reaches the top of my shorts and looks up to me with a sadistic smile as he unbuttons them. I scream for help.
I feel his hand across my face once again. I wish it would just knock me out. I don’t want to be conscious while he continues his assault on my body.
I feel his anger, further, as he rips my shorts off. He kisses just above my panty line and I feel the bile rising in my throat. He slips his fingers under them and they begin moving in circles, messaging between my legs. I feel the tears fall down my cheeks.
“You are so sweet, baby.”
“I hate you!”
His eyes meet mine and he smiles, right before his face disappears between my legs. I feel his mouth on me. I try to think of something to get him away from me. I forcefully move my left knee into the side of his head and it bounces off of my other knee. He looks up to me with anger in his face.