Stolen Secrets

Stolen Secrets- Chapter 8

~Natalie~

“So here is the deal,” Scary Man said as he paced in front of me. But it was nowhere close to being nervous pacing. It was like he was stalking his prey. “You are going to call your Daddy. Then you are going to tell him that he has to be at the Starbucks round the corner from his office at ten Sunday morning. If you wants you home in one piece that is all he has to do.”

“No, I’m not doing it,” I said looking down at the phone in my hand like it was about to chomp my hand off or something.

“Excuse me? What was that?” Scary Man asked coming closer to me. I backed up, but by back hit the wall. His sticky warm breath was right in my face. “Don’t say no to me. That is a lesson you need to learn.” He extracted his knife once again and ran the point down my cheek. Not enough to cut me, but enough to send shivers down my spine.

“Stop, please,” I begged. But I knew it was futile.

“No I don’t think I will,” he said thoughtfully. “Make the call,” he ordered.

I gulped. He was either going to run me through with his pet blade, or use that blade on my father. “No, don’t make me do this,” I said squeezing my eyes shut so the tears threatening to run down my cheeks didn’t.

“It’s quite simple,” Scary Man said tracing patterns on my check with the point of the knife. “Make the call, and you go free. Don’t,” the blade slipped to under my chin. “and you’ll stay and play with me.”

I didn’t move at all. I didn’t even allow myself to consider what he was offering. I was staying. Dad was going to be safe. People needed him more than they needed me.

“You’re going to play with me? Good.” Scary Man moved his knife so that his hand was right under my chin. I heard the soft whisper as he sliced through my shirt cleanly and easily.

My eyes flew open and I looked down at myself. My shirt was cut clean through and hung in like a vest, leaving most of my stomach and chest exposed. At least I was wearing a bra, but I doubted it would put up a fight against Scary Man’s blade.

“Mmm, yes, I could have some fun.” Scary Man licked his lips as he gazed down on my newly exposed skin.

I shivered in disgust. Shawn had always had the same look on his face when we were alone. But right now, Scary Man was threatening me, and the Minions were behind him, observing.

“I call him,” I whispered. I didn’t want to say it louder because I was embarrassed of myself for giving up dad up so easily.

“Good girl,” Scary Man said like I was a dog. The blade now rested on my shoulder.

I took one last deep breath and dialed my dad’s number with shaky fingers.

The phone rang and then it went to voicemail. I didn’t know when I would get this chance again so I took full use of it.

“There’s this scary guy and he wants to kill- AHH!” Scary Man pierced my skin with the knife and my phone clattered to the floor.

“Nice try girlie, but that aint going to happen.” Scary Man smiled evilly. He stepped back away from me and I crumpled over clutching my shoulder as blood gushed out. “You will learn to listen to me.”

Scary Man pulled back his fist and rammed it into my stomach.  I distantly heard the Minions snicker and then a door opening. Scary Man let out a laugh and he too left the room.

Don’t come after me Daddy, please, I mentally begged.

With one hand holding my stomach, and the other over my shoulder, I slid down the wall until I was sitting and cried all the tears that I had denied myself since they had taken me from school.