Lara's POV.
I never planned for the day to turn out like this. I never planned for my life to turn out like this. Not that I had low expectations, but on the contrary, I'd always picture myself doing the impossible, living the unimaginable.
But here I am, tied up in the back of a moving van.
I tried to keep my mind calm and try to process everything that was happening. I tried to feel every tiny movement in my surroundings. I tried to register the voices I'm hearing. I tried to even memorize the number of bends we've taken. But it all summed up to nothing. I guess I wanted to be the hero in some of the action movies I had seen with my dad.
The truth was… this was reality and I'm scared as fuck. Every blood cell in my body was screaming freight. I was tired of yelling. I knew that it wasn't going to help anyway, but I just wished that maybe… just maybe someone might hear me, but it was all in vain.
I had given up trying to escape. What scared me more was the unknown. What do they want from me? What would they do to me? Where are they taking me to? Has Alex noticed that I'm gone? Is he gonna try finding me? __ I needed answers to all those questions, but I knew that only time can answer it all.
"It's quiet back there, check on her!"
I heard one of the men order. I had a black sack over my head, so I couldn't see anything. I could hear the footsteps of probably the second guy approaching. I tried to lay still as best as I could. Well, with my hands sellotaped behind my back, I couldn't move that much even if I wanted to anyway. My shoulder joints were hurting too from the twist, so I had to keep still so as not to cause a sprain.
I felt a leg kick me lightly on my side. I didn't flinch.
"Maybe she has passed out or something."
I heard him report.
" Make sure she's breathing. We need her alive."
The other voice said. I guess that was the driver. He was probably in charge of the operation.
Well, the good news I got from the short exchange of words is that 'they needed me alive.' Not that it changed the situation in any way, but at least I knew they weren't going to mutilate me. But why did they kidnap me if they did not want me dead?
I felt the other guy place his palm on my chest, probably to get a pulse.
"I think she's breathing just fine."
I heard him say. I heard him walk away from me. The sound of his boots on the metal floor of the van alone was so creepy. I could really feel my heart beating uncontrollably.
I lay on the cold metal floor silently, listening to my own heartbeat and counting the seconds as time went by. At one point in time, I lost track of my counting, but I imagined any figure and continued my Chrono.
My heart leapt when the van slowed down to a stop. I knew this was it__this was the moment of truth.
I heard the door slide open and I was pulled out of the van, not too roughly like I imagined but rougher than anyone had ever been to me before. I obeyed silently.
When my feet touched the ground, even though my canvas, I could tell that we weren't on tar, the surface wasn't smooth either to be tiled or cemented but was soft, not muddy but I guess just probably a dirt road or track or garage or park or whatever, I couldn't quite pin my finger on, but I knew I was standing on dirt. And I asked myself for the first time. "How did you get here Lara?"
I remember walking out of the cinema hall and taking the hallway towards the bathroom. I heard approaching footsteps behind and when I turned it was one of the employees… or so I thought because he was dressed in the staff's attire.
"Can I help you, ma'am?" He asked when I turned.
"Ah. No! I'm heading to the restroom." I replied.
"Do you want me to escort you?" He asked politely.
"You don't have to worry yourself, I can find my way," I replied. "Thank you by the way," I added.
I did not see a name tag as was the case with the others, but I waved it off. It wasn't a big deal to me.
I hurried off, hoping to relieve myself and get back before the movie commerced. It took me no time to pee. There I was standing by the sink, enjoying the water running down my hands.
I could bet my butt off that I heard one of the cubicle doors open while I was in one of the toilets too. When I walked out and noticed that all the compartments were empty… well I couldn't see any legs protruding below the three-quarter doors, so I concluded that I was the only one present in the room at that time. Perhaps the person__who whoever it was, was leaving instead.
I closed my eyes, enjoying the moment. Despite my eyes being closed, I could still feel a shadow pass by me. I felt a strong presence behind me. I wasn't scared, because I knew that I'll hear footsteps if anyone walks in or around, but I didn't.
When I finally decided to go meet Alex, I opened my eyes and there he was, the same guy I spoke to moments earlier. I stopped trying to dry my hands. I held his gaze through the mirror. A billion thoughts swept through my brain. But it all boiled down to the fact that I was in danger. I thought of what to do so as to handle the situation wisely.
Scream for help? Nah! not an option. I don't remember meeting anyone except him in the hallway, so the chances of anyone hearing me were insignificant.
Call for Alex? Nah! Impossible cos I left my bag with him and in it was my phone.
Pepper spray him? Nah! I don't even have one, except in my imagination.
"Hey." I tried to sound calm as I swallowed a huge lump of saliva to dampen my dry throat out of nervousness. "I thought this was the lady's room. The sign at the door said so." I added, trying to strike a conversation.
He did not say a word. It was getting more and more creepy.
"Can I help you?" I asked.
"Yes!" He replied in what almost sounded like a whisper. And then I saw the white cloth in his hand. I knew what was coming and I knew it was inevitable.
How I wish I had superpowers, of any kind.