by MJ Bockarie
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME
MJ BOCKARIE
Couronne Publishing
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
Copyright © 2016 by MJ Bockarie.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
Couronne Publishing
[email protected]
www.couronnepublishing.com
Cover design by Vanessa Mendozi
Images used under license Shutterstock.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Stockholm Syndrome -1st edition
ISBN 978-1-988497-00-6
To my folks, for always encouraging me to continue writing. And for not getting upset when you told me to take a break and I didn’t listen.
To Osamede and Uncle Mubarak, for never giving up on me and making one of my wildest dreams become a reality.
To Mr. Moore, for always believing in me when no one else did. And for showing me that writing is more than just typing words.
To my classmates and favourite cousins, for being the inspiration for most of my stories, and putting up with me for as long as you have.
“Introduce a little anarchy,
Upset the established order,
And everything becomes…chaos."
— The Joker
PROLOGUE
My parents had a really fucked up relationship.
My mum was forty and my father, seventy. You'd think after they'd been married for twenty years, he would treat her with respect, but no. He pushed her around the house like a damn mule and expected her to cook and clean every single hour of the day. It was like she lived to serve him.
I have told her to stop taking his shit and stand up for herself, but she just would not listen. She was afraid of what he might to do her and us. Truth be told, I was afraid of what he might do to us, too. The last time I tried standing up for her, I ended up with a black eye and twelve stitches.
I hated the disrespect, but what could I do? We've kept our mouths shut for years and so far, we haven’t been beaten up so I suppose we intended to stay that way. If that's how we needed to be to survive, then I guess I'll just have to suck it up and deal with it.
"Mariana," my mother shook me slightly, "come help your brother with the dishes."
I switched off the television and stood up. "Okay, when's dad coming home?"
I shouldn't have been calling my dad 'dad'. I should've been calling him grandpa. The guy's fifty-two years older than me, for Christ sakes!
"Soon," she glanced at the door nervously, "and I'm not even close to finishing dinner."
I huffed.
"Justin! Come help Wyatt do the dishes!"
My oldest brother, Justin, rushed down to the living room. "He hasn't finished them yet?"
"There's a lot," I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, "I'm sorry, I know you have an exam but Ma needs help with dinner and Paul's sick."
"It's okay," he replied with a soft smile, "let's get going. We're wasting precious time."
I nodded and the three of us headed into the kitchen. Justin began helping Wyatt with the dishes and I started chopping up vegetables for the soup.
"Your birthday's next week," Ma smiled, "I can't believe my little baby girl's turning nineteen!"
"Didn't think you'd make it this far," Wyatt turned around and winked at me.
"I'm holding a knife," I informed him, "so watch what you say."
Wyatt rolled his eyes and turned back to the dishes. He and Justin soon finished and came to join my mother and I in the cooking.
A few minutes later, Justin glanced out the window and gasped. "Shit, he's home!"
Wyatt and I frantically set the table and dished out the soup. While the three of them finished, I bolted up the stairs and into Paul's room.
"Paul!" I hissed and shook him awake. "Dad's home!"
"Already?" He jolted up. "Did Ma finish dinner?"
I sighed. "It isn't five stars, but it's decent enough."
"Crap," he muttered and ran a hand through his dark locks. We all looked like our mother with dark brown hair and bright bluish-green eyes. There were the matching dimples and little crow’s feet around our eyes whenever we smiled. I loved it.
We both jogged downstairs just as our father walked in through the door.
"Hi, honey," my mother greeted him with a kiss, "how was work?"
"Busy," he replied, "all my employees are just morons. I could hire the people on the streets and they'd do a better job. Anyways, why are my children just standing there? Come say hello!"
The four of us cautiously walked over to him and gave him hugs. "Hey, Dad."
"Hello, how are you all?" He asked, straightening out his suit. This man was seventy and still working. We tried to get him to retire five years ago, so Ma could start working but he refused.
"Alright," I shrugged, "but Paul isn't feeling the greatest."
"I have a fever," Paul explained with a weak smile, "I think I'll live, though."
"Of course you will," he patted Paul on the head like a dog and sighed, "well, let's start dinner, shall we?"
We all walked over to the dining table and sat down. We all stayed quiet as Dad tried the soup. I grabbed Wyatt's hand. If Dad didn't like dinner, we were all screwed.
He nodded and looked up, smiling. "I love this. What is it?"
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Ma smiled in relief and began to explain what was in the soup. I could sleep peacefully tonight.
***
"Mari," Paul coughed, "could you get me some water?"
After dinner, Justin, Paul, Wyatt, and I decided to spend some time together since we’d been apart lately and we had agreed to crash in Paul's room so he'd be comfortable.
I reached over and felt his forehead. "You're burning up. I'm going to run to the drugstore and get you some pills."
"It's late," Wyatt stated sternly, "you can't go by yourself."
I rolled my eyes and put on one of his sweaters. "Nonsense. I've gone out later than this. I'll be back before you know it. Love you guys."
I kissed them goodbye and tiptoed down the stairs quietly, trying not to distract my parents, who were watching television in the living room. Slipping on my shoes and opening the door, I walked outside and begin my journey.
My brothers' health is one of the most important things to me. I'd do anything for them whenever they were sick. I couldn't afford to lose any of them.
I finally reached the drug store and walked in, waving at the clerk. "Hi, Joey."
"Hey, Mari," he grinned at me, "it's been a while. How've you been?"
"Good," I smiled back, "just here to get some MEDs for Paul. He isn't feeling too well."
"Aw, give him my regards." Joey nodded. I gave him a thumbs-up and began looking for what I usually get for Paul.
I heard the little bell on the door ring and Joey greeted whoever walked in. The next six words that came out of the stranger's mouth scared the living shit out of me and would drastically change my life forever.
"If anybody's here, come up front."
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I froze. I met Joey's eyes over one of the aisle shelves and they said, "Don't move."
I held my breath and crouched. I crawled to the very last aisle and put my back up against the wall. The random man began walking up and down the aisles. My heart was racing immensely. When he reached the one I was in, he grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up to the counter. "I gave a fucking order, bitch."
Joey sent me a sympathetic look. "Leave her alone. Please, she needs to get home to her family."
"Does it look like I fucking care?" The stranger asked, waving his gun around. "She's coming with me."
I scoffed. "The hell I am."
"What'd you just say?" He grabbed a hold of my neck. "Repeat it again, I dare you."
I clenched my jaw and stared him straight in the eye. "I'm not coming with you."
His ocean blue eyes were cold and emotionless as he glared angrily at me. He dropped me and I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. The stranger asked Joey for all the money in the cash register.
"There isn't much in here." Joey stuttered as he opened it and gave the man all he had. I looked up at him, Joey's brown eyes were wide with fear.
The stranger groaned and stuffed the money in his pocket. I felt him tug on my hair as he yanked me up from the ground. "You're coming with me, sweetheart."
"Fuck off," I hissed angrily. Joey's eyes widened in shock.
"Mari," he whispered.
The stranger didn't wait for me to say anything else. He pulled me out of the store without a second thought. I watched as Joey quickly picked up the phone and dialed 911, but the mystery guy turned around and shot him.
"Joey!" I hollered, which earned me a slap.
"Shut the fuck up," he threw me in the trunk of his truck and slammed the door closed.
My first reaction was to panic. It was dark in the trunk and I couldn’t even see my hand. I began to scream, banging on the roof of the trunk. The trunk was wrenched open shortly after I started screaming and I resorted to begging.
“Please, please don’t do this. Just let me go and I won’t tell anyone.”
He gave me a hard stare and started to shut it again.
“Please!” I screamed, “I just want to go home.”
“You’d better shut up if you want to live to see that family of yours, “he said before slamming the lid shut again. I lay huddled up in a ball and cried silently, gripping the bottle of MEDs that my brother should've had by now.
one
“Wake up, sunshine" I felt my hair being yanked on and my body being dragged out of the trunk. I opened one eye and am almost blinded by the harsh rays of the morning sun, or afternoon sun. I wasn't really sure.
I quickly got on my feet and stood in front of my kidnapper. The same icy blue eyes from last night stared at me, eyeing my body up and down. I shifted uncomfortably, but kept my mouth shut. My cheek still stung from the slap he gave me yesterday.
I’m not going to lie; he was pretty attractive. With his messy brown hair and bright eyes, why would he need to kidnap a girl in order to you know, get one? His looks were all he needed.
He roughly grabbed my arm and led me towards the huge mansion I was just taking notice of. In his haste he nearly ran me into one of the huge white pillars by the door, but luckily I slightly pushed him aside so I could avoid it. A part of me was scared of his reaction to me shoving him.
"Smart," he mumbled as we walk inside. Everything was squeaky clean, and white. There was only a splash of color in the living room and kitchen.
He suddenly walked away, leaving me standing in the doorway. I turned around and looked outside, the wind blowing the trees around, people walking their dogs, kids playing in their front yards.
Did no one notice this random dude pull me out of a trunk?
I stood at the door for a few moments contemplating running out, someone would definitely help me out. Just as I was about to take off, I remembered what he’d said to me before shutting the trunk for the last time yesterday. I closed the door and sighed. If I were to try and leave, I wouldn't be returned to my family alive, probably in separate body parts. There had to be some sort of catch if I were to walk out of the house. As much as I wanted to run away and never look back, dying wasn't a chance I wanted to take.
I heard footsteps approach me and immediately turned around, seeing my kidnapper and two other guys.
"Mari," the tallest of the three smiled sweetly at me. My stomach twisted in disgust.
I was shocked. "H-How do you know my name?"
My kidnapper scoffed. "The guy at the convenience store said it."
"Right," I whispered, remembering Joey whispers my name after I had cussed the mystery guy out.
"What's that short for?" The tall one asked. His shaggy blond hair and emerald green eyes give him a gentler impression than he was leading on.
"Mariana," I replied quietly.
"Speak up!" My kidnapper growled.
"Alec!" The tallest one grabbed 'Alec' by the collar. "Don't yell at her! Don't you see the kind of state you put her in with your little stunt last night?"
"You wanted her," Alec whispered menacingly, "so now you got her."
"Why do you want me?" I asked. I wanted to bite my tongue. Talking wasn't an option at the moment.
"Take her upstairs, Andy," the tallest one referred to the boy who hadn't spoken yet. Andy nodded and held out his hand towards me.
"I won't hurt you," Andy assured me quietly, a kind smile on his face. Either he's genuinely trying to be nice or he's a really good actor.
Alec growled at me – which low key weirded me out – and I let out a squeak, running over to Andy and standing close beside him. Andy glared at Alec before putting a hand on my mid-back and leading me up the spiral staircase.
"I'm sorry about my brother," Andy sighed, "he's not a people person."
"Obviously," I muttered, and then it dawned up-on me... they weren't locking me in a basement or whatever. I have my own room?
I slightly moved away from Andy, not liking the feeling of his hands on me. He was a part of this, too. He was my kidnapper, too.
He looked slightly disappointed, but his eyes showed understanding. We finally reached the fourth floor and walked down a long hallway. I stayed a few feet behind him.
"Here we are," he opened a beige door and revealed a room with a black and white theme. There's a bed, a dresser, a desk, a window seat, a mirror, a door that hopefully leads to a bathroom, and a closet.
"Alec wanted you up here so you couldn't escape from the window," Andy explained.
I turned and faced him. "Why am I here? What's so special about me?"
Andy smiled sympathetically. "I didn't and don't like the way Alec approached this at all, and neither does Austin, but you'll find out soon why you're here."
"What about my family?" I asked, tearing up. I could just imagine how distraught my mother would be right now, and how my brothers are probably out of their minds. My father? Well, only God knew what the man was thinking.
"They'll be okay, I promise." Andy nodded. "Austin and I will make sure nothing happens to them."
"And Alec?" I cried.
He sighed. "It's going to take more than Austin and myself to contain that boy."
If that boy hurt my family, I swear to God, I would kill him. I would kill Alec if he laid a finger on them. My family was more important to me than jail.
"Get some rest," Andy motioned over to the bed, "I'm sure it wasn't comfortable sleeping in that trunk."
I shook my head and walked over to it, lying down. Why were they being so nice, and why was I falling for it? I didn't like this at all.
"Sleep tight, Mariana." Andy smiled before closing the door. I kicked off my shoes and laid on my side, burying myself deep into the mattress. The warm sun shone through the window, lighting up the room.
Something wasn't right here. Why would kidnappers be nice? Well, except for one. It was obvious Alec didn't want anything to do with me because of the t
ough time I gave him yesterday, and for more reasons that were unknown to me at the moment, but what about Andy and Austin? Are they acting just to gain my trust?
I sighed. I wanted to know why I was here. Why me? What was so special about me that they had to take me away from my life? I had literally just graduated high school, and I was about to start my life, but now that's all been ripped away.
I let out a frustrated grunt and sat up. There was no way I could "get some rest" in a place I wasn't familiar with.
Just as I was swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, the door opened and Austin walked in.