Chapter 18

Amanda Pov.
Beach volleyball was just what I needed. A distraction from everything going on in my life right now. From the fact that my best friend has a crush on me. I don't know how to feel about this. Karla is right. I'm sure that being a couple with your best friend who already knows everything about you is beautiful. But the fact that you can lose him for good if you break up must also be taken into account. Would you go on the road knowing this?
Covered in sand from head to toe, I get home and see the lights out. Ron was supposed to stay with me tonight. He's probably sleeping already.
I walk into the house and head straight for the guest room that Ron uses when he stays with me. I stick my head out the door but see no one.
I turn on the light and see the empty room.
Has he not stayed at my place or has he not arrived from work yet?
I pull my phone out of my overalls pocket and call Ron.
Go straight to voicemail.
Strange...He always makes sure his phone is charged.
Maybe he didn't realize his phone was drained.
I go to my bedroom and after getting rid of my clothes, I go straight into the shower.
The hot water relaxes my muscles and I yawn tiredly. Playing beach volleyball was a good idea, but the fact that I'm exhausted now...I'm not excited about it at all.
After I'm clean all over, I turn off the shower and dry off with a towel, finally changing into my pajamas. I leave the bathroom and go to the kitchen to prepare something quick to eat. I look at the clock on the wall that says it's almost twelve o'clock and start to worry that Ron hasn't come home yet.
I eat my sandwich quickly, unable to shake the nagging thought that maybe something has happened to Ron.
Since I can't reach him on the phone, I should go to his auto shop and look for him.
I hope nothing happened to him.
I take my keys and, ignoring the fact that I'm already in my pajamas, I leave the house and wave at the first taxi I see.
-Good evening. Please take me to St.Louis. I tell the driver, and he starts the car.
We walk in silence for a few minutes, lost in my own thoughts, until I notice through the window that we are not taking St. Louis, but we turn left, on a road I don't know.
-Excuse me, but I think you took the wrong route. I tell the driver, and he lights a cigarette looking at me through the mirror.
-I doubt it, miss.
His voice is hoarse and heavy from the cigarettes, and he seems to be tripping over me.
- But, I saw that...
-You didn't see anything, miss. Sit there quietly and wait to reach your destination. It's not much longer.
Oh my God…Am I kidnapped? Is this happening to me now? I've seen on TV that young girls have been disappearing lately, but I didn't think I'd be one of them.
I go to open the door to jump out of the car, but the driver is faster than me and locks all the doors, robbing me of any chance to escape. I want to take my phone out of my pocket, but I remember I left it on the kitchen counter.
I can't have something like this happen to me. Has the universe decided to play a bad joke on me?
The car stops in front of an abandoned factory and the driver gets out and comes to open the door for me.
- I'm not leaving here. I say trying not to stutter and the driver chuckles throwing the rest of his cigarette on the floor then kicking it.
- Miss, I have all the time in the world to wait for you. Sooner or later, you will still go down. They all do, in the end.
This man is telling me there are other girls who have gone through this experience?
I turn my head away from him and hear him sigh.
-As you wish, miss. I was gentle with you. He tells me and pulls his phone out of his pocket calling someone. I'm outside...She doesn't want to come down...Ok.
In less than ten seconds, the factory door opens and two gorilla-sized men come towards us.
-What happens? I ask feeling the fear start to set in.
The two men manage to pull me out without too much trouble by the looks of it, and I struggle in their arms trying to get away. All I manage to do is tire myself and injure myself, and my escape attempts are futile. Especially since we have already entered the factory and the door is closing behind us. I'm forced into a chair by one of the men who pulled me in and I try to act fearless.
If I get sold who the hell knows where? Maybe I will be a slave, even if slavery is forbidden. You have no idea what corner of the world is still buying slaves. Or maybe it's even worse... Maybe we ran into organ traffickers.
Oh gosh…
-Can someone tell me what's going on? I ask the two gorillas and they just look at each other.
-You'll find out in less than five minutes. The Lord will arrive immediately. One of them answers, and everything I say scares me even more.
-Who is this "Lord"?
- You will find out everything in...
-Less than five minutes. I understood from the first.
-If you cooperate, tonight you will sleep in your bed and remember it only as a bad dream.
- Collaborate on what?
- You will find out everything in...
- Okay. I'm waiting.
Oh God…How do I manage to only run into problems? I could be in my bed right now if I wasn't so worried about Ron. I'm trying to keep my wits about me because I trust that Ron is fine, and when he goes home and doesn't find me, he's going to call the police. They'll find me in less than an hour. All I have to do is be patient.