Stockholm

7

I awoke abruptly by Joel roughly grabbing my shoulders and shaking me, "Charley, get up. Now." He grumbled as I wiped the sleep from my eye, I recoiled from his actions and scooted against the headboard. "Let's go." He growled grabbing my wrist and pulling me from the bed, I quickly found my footing and followed. My fears grew stronger as we walked further and further from my room.

"Are you still mad at me? I'm sorry, Joel I'm sorry," I started to whine as he yanked me down the stairs. As I finished a string of apologies he whipped around and started to speak to me in a low tone.

"Charley, I have been holding off for so long, I've put my habits at bay for you, but I can't, I-I I just can't any longer I have to do things that you might not like and I cannot trust you here alone." Joel grabbed a black bag from the kitchen counter and I felt my hopes of survival fall. "Please just shut the fuck up and listen to me." He swiftly pulled the bag over my head, I stayed put and kept my stoic face on, unable to cry nor allow myself to feel desperate. He was taking me to a second location. It had already been around a week and now a second location, I knew my chances of being found were now close to zero. I heard Joel unlock the door, then grab my wrist, and drag me to the driveway. The car door opened and he pushed me head down into the car, I sat as directed and he buckled me then slammed the door.

Habits.. What kidnapping more people? I couldn't fathom the habits Joel had adopted from his crazy family, most of which I have been fortunate enough not to meet. The driver's door opened and Joel started the car. I leaned my head on the window, I couldn't see anything through the hood but I tried to make it feel like when my mom and John would go on long drives down to the lake. How the car would swerve through the mountains that secluded us, the same mountains I'm probably lost in currently. It was only a 30 minute drive when Joel abruptly stopped the car and killed the engine. We sat in silence only for a second.

"Charley?"

"Yes?" I replied lazily through the hood trying to keep it out of my mouth.

"I'm sorry for what you are going to experience these next couple days. I understand you are used to such a higher quality of life but I have such convictions that hold me back. You have gotten so far since you first arrived in my care," He says it like I just flew into his arms. "I hope that this does not prevent any more improvement from you."

I nodded my head in reply and let him drag me out of the car, I followed his step into some harder ground, metal, I suppose. He walked only a bit further before some jangling went on, and he placed cool metal cuffs around my wrist. "Joel?" I questioned, scared of what was going to happen. The hood was tugged off of me and I squinted trying to see my location. I was in what seemed to be a blue shipping container, around my wrists were shackles that were smelted to the floor. The door had been closed and a small lamp lit the area with dimness. "Joel, please don't leave me here." I started to beg.

"Stop." I felt the tears coming on, the fear, the abandonment. "I will be back in a day's time, I just have to do this."

"Please take me with you, I can come with you, I'll be good, I promise. I promise Joel I'll follow you forever, and you won't have to worry. But please, please don't leave me here." Joel started to walk towards the exit, I followed him grabbing at his shirt in an effort to keep him here. "Joel please don't leave me here, take me back to the house and I can wait there. Please Joel I'm good, I'm a good girl" I started to choke on my tears, my hands were yanked backwards as I met the end of my line.

"Joel!" I began to scream for him as he silently shut the door. I wanted him to come back, come back for me. I want him to be here for me, I didn't want to be alone. I slumped against the cold rusted wall of the shipping container and waited. He left me nothing, no warm clothes, no food, was he leaving me to die? I closed my eyes, as they were tired from straining and waited, jumping at every sound I heard.