I felt my airway close as he wrapped his rough, dirty hands around my neck. Panic fled through my veins. I knew there were crazy ass people out there, but you never expect it to happen to you until it does. My eyes closed as I fell unconscious. Pitch black. Silence. Was this it for me? Is this really all I had in store for my life? It can't be. I grew groggier and my vision blurred. I slowly open my eyes to see the blurred lights of cars passing in the night. The last thing I remember is getting gas after my work shifts and out of nowhere a man starts strangling me. “ She's perfect… She's perfect… you're the one I've been waiting for” the man whispers to himself as I slowly lost consciousness and my body grew limp in his big bulky arms. 

I've never been in a situation like this before, but I know more than the average person would think. My dad has taught me a lot about what to do in certain situations. I stay calm and pretend as if I'm still asleep from all the drugs he shoved in my veins. I look up to see the clock at 3:00 am. How have I been here for an hour? I had no idea where we were going. 

“Where are we going? What are you doing? Let me out!” I raised my voice, but I was canceled out as he raised the music to max volume making my eardrums burst.

 There was no point in fighting, the doors were locked, and he had tint darker than the legal percent. All I can think of is how the hell I'm going to get out, and if this was the last time anyone would ever see me again. I think about all the people who love and care about me. I didn't get to say goodbye. For f*ckssake I was getting gas. From my knowledge, this never goes well. My eyes grew tired and I drifted away for a couple of minutes till we started riding over bumps and bushes. I looked out the window and we were surrounded by trees and paths, I had no idea these woods were even over here. I tried to get a good look at his face, but he was wearing a black mask that covered his nose and mouth. His dark hoodie covered his head, but the one thing that stood out was his crystal blue eyes that reflected in the rearview mirror. I sat across the backseat helpless, and in pain.
“Where are we? What are you doing? Please” I cried.

“Shut up,” he said. 

“Please just tell me- “ He cut me off,  “ Shut the f*ck up or I will kill you right now” He yelled gripping the sides of his head. 

I sat back down in peace and kept quiet until he told me it was okay. The car stopped and he ordered me to get out while gripping my hands together. 

“Please you're hurting me, I promise I'll behave” a tear rolled down my face. He only loosened his grip a little bit, but it still hurt. I felt my wrists turn blue and then purple. We shuffled across the patchy ground, to a cellar that hid behind a tree stump. I couldn't stop crying, but I knew I needed to be strong if I wanted to find any way out. We entered the cellar to a ladder that led about 10 feet down. That's when I felt that hope disappear from my soul. I was done for, no one is gonna find me out here. Im only 18 years old, I still have a whole life ahead of me. I want to get married, I want to have kids, but it's all being taken from me. 

We entered down the ladder, and the smell was worse than anything I'd ever smelt before. Rotting meat hung from the ceilings, and the boxes dating back to the 1970s, it's 2023, how long has he lived down here? I thought to myself as I looked for any clues on the wall that might indicate where the hell I am. He shoves me into the corner, handcuffing me to a large pipe. I sit on what seems to be a bed, I start crying as I observe the stains on this bed and I scream.

“How many people have you brought here? Are you sick?” I said in a rage. 

“Did I say you could speak?” he came over and slapped me across the face. My head hit the wall and I passed out. 

I woke up to a dog bowl in front of me. “Eat Up” 

“ I don't want to eat this b-” I tried to say until he cut me off. 

He came over and shoved the food down my throat. It was a mix of some type of gross turkey and gravy with moldy vegetables. I swallowed in pain, but I needed to comply so he wouldn't hurt me. 

It's been around 24 hours already, and I feel my body slowly giving up. I need to get out. So I made a plan, I needed to get his keys that were hooked to his pants. This wasn't going to be easy. Whoever took me is huge and very strong, so I needed to outsmart the giant with crystal blue eyes. His face was still covered which is a good thing because if he wanted to kill me, he would have shown me his face by now. I held on to the little hope I had. I hoped that maybe somebody was coming for me and that they would figure out who took me. The day went on sitting in this corner, peeing on myself and having to throw up next to me. I can't keep anything down, I'm getting sick, and weak. He's draining me, and going to do God knows what to me post-mortem. 

Handcuffed to the wall was the first issue I needed to resolve. I needed to figure out a way to get out of these so I can take his keys and run. My plan was to go while he was sleeping and quietly remove them from his belt. I'm praying he's a deep sleeper cause if he's not I'm screwed. My dad always taught me how to get myself out of certain situations, but ever since his passing, I feel a part of me blocked that happy feeling out. I felt the best way to get out was by sliding my hands through. I'm a pretty scrawny girl so I knew this would be easier for me, I just needed to start at the right time or it won't work. I only had so little energy left before giving up on myself, but I was able to slip a hand out using my spit to wet between my hand and the handcuff. It feels very sore and bruised but my adrenaline kept me going. As I got one out it was easier to get the other one. My body was barely strong enough to walk, but it was either flight or fight, and I know my dad wouldn't want me to give up. At this point, I'm tip-toeing around trying to find an object to defend myself in case things turn for the worse. I spot a wooden bat lying on the floor and I picked it up and made my way over to the big man. His breathing was so loud, and he didn't seem as scary when he was asleep. I look down to see his keys hanging off his belt loop. I close my eyes and wish for the best. This is it, either I'm getting out, or I'm stuck here forever. 

I'm sick of the constant beating and torturing. I physically can't handle it anymore. My breath is shaky, but I hold it so I don't make a sound. I reach out to his pocket and carefully unclip the keys from his belt. His snores fill the room's silence. Once I had the keys in my hand I needed to run as fast as I could and climb my way up to the door. Halfway up the stairs, I start to hear grunting noises. I jingle the keys trying to find the right key. 

“Where the hell do you think you're going!” He yelled as he ran towards me. 

I got the right key and turned it and threw the door open. The light blinded me, but my feet picked me up, and ran as fast as my tiny body could take me. He was right behind me chasing me through the woods. I dropped the bat screaming for help, but I didn't hear anything. The next thing I know I feel my whole body shake, he tackled me to the ground and started beating on my face and my body. 

“FBI SHOW ME YOUR HANDS NOW” I felt a slight relief in my body. They found me.

He turned around and tightened his arm around my neck with a knife to it. 

“Please help me!” I cried out in tears. 

“ NO NO NO- YOU'RE RUINING MY PLANS” he yelled out in frustration. 

“Ted, we can help you just drop the knife” the FBI pleaded. 

“ NO NO NO, SHE'S MINE FOREVER” he raised the knife aiming for my throat, and that's when I heard shots fired. 

There his big limp body laid as the blood escaped his body, I ran away and cried in the arms of the agents who helped me. “Is it over?” I thought as if I was dreaming, “This doesn't feel real, It couldn't have been that easy right?”  I say to myself again. I had lost too much blood, and in that moment I opened my eyes to see the same run-down bloody walls.