AFTER YOU SAVED ME // ZESSA

Chapter 18: Final Day of Freedom

"You okay, Tessa?" Zed says from somewhere close by, shocking me awake.

"Zed!" I yell out, looking around the same blue bedroom I have visited for almost a year now.

I am back in his bed. Not being kidnapped.

Concern flashes across his face and he is immediately at my side. Shaking the long hair out of his eyes and placing his hand on mine, he whispers, "what's wrong baby?"

Still unsure I am truly awake, I peer around the room, breathing frantically, waiting for Dan to pop out of the walls. But he is not there. It is just me and Zed in here, all alone in what appears to be the middle of the night.

Relief washes over me, and I instantly let out a choked sob, throwing myself into Zed's arms.

"Zed, I had the worst nightmare. I was shopping with Anna for the babies and Dan was there. I tried to get away but he followed me and he got me and – " I am practically hysterical by the time Zed places a gentle finger over my mouth.

"Tessa, Tessa. Shh... Please calm down baby, I'm right here. It was just a dream," he says, holding me tighter as I tuck my head into the crook of his neck to muffle my tears.

"It was horrible," I whisper, allowing the soothing sensation of his hand running up and down my back to calm me.

"Sounds horrible," he empathizes, kissing my temples through the heap of sweaty hair on my face. "Why would you even be shopping for baby clothes," he asks softly.

Pulling back confused, I look into his eyes unsure of what he means. "What?" I ask delicately.

"Why would you be looking for baby clothes with Anna?" he says, smiling oddly.

"Because I am pregnant... with twins...?" I say back, baffled by the odd smile still plastered on his smooth face.

"No, you aren't," he says, his smile growing bigger.

"Yes, I am –" I reply, pointing at my stomach. But my stomach is not there, not my pregnant with twins stomach at least.

Completely freaked out at its sudden absence, I lurch back and feel my body jolt.

I no longer feel the warmth of Zed's bed beneath me, instead replaced by the sensation of cold, hard concrete.

I feel a heavy sickness hanging over my body, like I have the flu or just got hit by a truck, and I struggle to open my eyes.

"You talk in your sleep," a menacing voice says.

My eyes instantly snap open. So I was dreaming...

I see dark, musty gray walls of concrete surrounding me, only the sound of distant dripping water filling my ears. A single, uncovered lightbulb above me illuminates the eerie room. The smell of mildew fills my nostrils, causing me to gag slightly, as I finally focus on the shadowy figure in the corner.

In mere seconds, the flood of memories comes rushing back.

I was out shopping for the babies. Instinctively, my hand moves to my abdomen, where my pregnant belly is still very much there.

With Anna. Squinting, I see the figure move closer. This is not Anna.

"What, what are you doing?" I ask, trying to get away from them, doing a sort of crab walk as I try to slide my body out of their path.

"Well, I am getting what's mine," says the voice I know all too well, walking into the light.

Dan stands over me, his eyes crazed, and hands clenched into fists, though his sinister smile never falters.

I feel the adrenaline pumping through my body, causing me to shake slightly as I am overcome with the urge to run.

Looking behind him, I see only a dirt wall and a single door – with no handle.

"Looking for this?" he says, pulling a small key from his pocket. "It's the only way out. Had the door fitted myself. It is meant for safe rooms to keep people out – but does a wonderful job at locking people in," he says, crouching down to my side.

I smell the cigarettes on his breath as he reaches out to touch me, and I turn away instantly, barely able to stomach the close contact.

"Look at me!" he screams, causing me to jump. I slowly turn to him, taking my time as my instincts scream for me do anything but look at that disturbing face.

When my gaze meets his, I see he is no longer smiling, instead a sheet of red fills his face, as his features become hard and eyes practically black.

"Those," he says, pointing to my belly, "are mine."

Realizing he means the babies, a feeling of extreme protectiveness I have never experienced floods my every cell.

"They will never be yours," I say through gritted teeth, shielding my stomach with both hands now.

A loud, hard smack connects with the side of my face, and I nearly see stars as my head whips to the side.

I let out a yell as my cheek sears with pain, holding my hand up to protect myself from another blow.

"I don't want to hurt you Tessa, but if you keep PISSING ME OFF," he screams, inches from my face, grabbing a handful of my hair at the scalp, "then I will have to," he says a bit more calmly, throwing my head back roughly into the wall behind me.

"Okay, okay," I cry out, my hands trembling as I try my best to shield myself from Dan's attacks. "I'm... I'm sorry. Please just let me go Dan. Please. I – I want to go home," I plead through broken sobs.

"You aren't going anywhere until those babies are delivered," he says, standing from his crouched position and walking towards the door.

"You can't just keep me here," I cry, looking at the dark floor, trying to think of any other way out.

"Oh, I can," he says, as I hear him turn back towards me, "because I have this."

Willing myself to look up, I see something bright light up in his hands.

He has my phone.

"I texted your precious Zed that would be staying at Anna's tonight, claiming you wanted to enjoy your last day of freedom, as you so call it," he smirks, placing the phone in his pocket.

"How did you know that?" I ask through silent tears, as he turns to leave.

I want to lunge at him. Fight tooth and nail to get to the one device that could save me from this hell. But it is like my body will not listen to my brain. My limbs are nearly numb, still under the influence of whatever drug he must have given me.

"Anna will know I am missing!" I shout at him, a small smile spreading across my face. She probably already called Zed, worried about me disappearing from the food court. She will save me from this.

"Oh really?" Dan says, his sinister smile returning in full force as he places the key in the door, opening it with a hard pull.

"Yes," I say nervously, my smile faltering.

"That's funny, how is she going to do that when she's in the next room over locked up just like you?" he says, closing the door behind him, taking any hope of me escaping with him.