Part 7
“Wake up, Theresa.” Even that soft voice sends an explosion
through my head.
I shiver as I return to consciousness. My eyes open but see
nothing. They close and open again. Still they reveal only darkness. A soft
keening sound reaches my ears. I quickly realize that the noise reverberates
from my own throat. I inhale sharply, holding my breath until the fear fades to
a dull ache in the corner of my mind.
“Wake up.” The voice whispers again.
I recognize the voice and my own voice catches in my throat.
“Larry?”
“I thought I had this figured out, but it took me most of
the day to find you.”
“You’re dead.” I whisper.
“Unless you want to join me, hush up. Let’s get you free.”
“I already tried.” As my eyes open again, they focus on a
pale blue glow.
Larry leans in to peer into my eyes. The peculiar light
plays along my wrist as his hand passes through my bindings. He shrugs and
offers me an embarrassed smile.
“Too bad it can’t be that easy.” His brow knits as he
concentrates on my bonds.
“It almost looks like you could slide your hand out of
there.”
“I tried…”
“More than one way?” He interrupts.
“There’s only one way.” I demonstrate by pressing my palm
flat against the arm of the chair and pulling my hand back until the rope
catches under my thumb.
“Slide your thumb in.”
“But I…” I stop protesting as I tuck in my thumb and see the
rope sliding further over my hand.
“Come on.” He whispers encouragingly.
I contort my hand until my thumb folds into the center of my
palm. I press my wrist as close to the sturdy arm of the chair and gently slide
it back. The rope catches on the protruding bone of my wrist. I pull harder and
my hand slides into the loop of coarse fiber. The rope tears at the skin of my
hand, but with a couple sharp tugs, my hand pulls free. I gasp in surprise,
flexing my free hand to get the blood flowing. I loosen the knot holding my
other hand with sluggish fingers. As I pull my hand loose, I revel in the
moment of freedom.
“Untie your feet.” Larry encourages anxiously.
“I’m going to be disappointed when I wake up.” I mumble as I
lean over to free my ankles.
The knots resist my swollen fingers at first, but I finally
manage to release my ankles. I bite back an exclamation of pain as internal
acupuncture spreads along my feet and ankles.
“Move. You have to get out of here.” Larry reaches out to
help me, but his hands pass through me and leave a faint chill in my bones.
With Larry’s voice to bolster me, I stumble toward the large
metal door. I grab the handle and pause, afraid to turn it. It turns under my
hand and I stumble out onto a deserted street. Empty warehouses loom under the
pale glow of a few working streetlights. I shuffle toward a payphone. My heart
sinks as I lift the receiver to find that the line has been severed. I drop it
back into the cradle.
“What do I do now?” I turn to Larry for ideas but find only
an empty street.
Questioning my sanity, I stumble toward the nearest cross
street. I look around the corner and see another empty avenue. I keep walking.
I cross street after street until I find one with another living human being.
Clad in a tight leather skirt and a thin strip of sequined fabric that barely
passes for a shirt, she scans the street with a bored expression.
As she notices me, bright, red lips purses. Large eyes framed
by thick black liner look me over curiously. I step toward her, feeling my
strength fading. As my knees begin to falter, she steps forward to catch me.
She shakes her head. “I’m gonna regret this. Your man did a
number on you, baby.”
“I need to…police.” I mumble.
She runs her hands along my pockets. “I hope you have money.
I’ll call you a cab, but I ain’t paying for it.”
“Thank you.” I mumble as she gently lowers me to the ground.
My consciousness fades in and out, capturing small moments
of time. She slides my wallet back into my pocket. She speaks softly to someone
as they lift me into a bright yellow cab.
“This is all I have, baby. Take her to the hospital. That
extra twenty should help you forget I was involved.” She leans in to whisper in
my ear. “You forget me, too. You hear?”
I know. It's only Tuesday, but waiting a whole week just doesn't make sense when I already have this section ready. Now I shall go back to working hard for your amusement.
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