Pulled (29 page)

“
Home.”
Home
? What is he talking about? It’s only when we turn onto the highway that I know where he's taking me. We're going to his folks, just like he wanted.

When he pulls into their drive, I’m relieved. His parents will be able to talk some sense into him. But when we pull into the garage, it's empty. They're not here.

“
My parents are in Florida
for two weeks, in case you’re wondering.” He stops the car and kills the engine. “Get out.”

He grabs my arm and leads me into the house, opens the door and tells me to sit on the couch. He disappears into the attached kitchen where he can easily keep a watchful eye on me. I scan the room quickly looking for any evidence of Etash before Seth comes back in with a butcher knife and a roll of duck tape. Seeing the knife, my heart starts to race.

He rips off a large strip of the tape with the knife then orders me to hold out my hands, and proceeds to bind them together.

“
Get up.” He pulls me off the couch and drags me over to the stairwell, rips off another length of tape and anchors me to the banister.

“
Now stay,” he smiles. Although I can’t see him, I can hear the all-too-familiar sound of his belt coming off. I’m going to be punished, hard.

The first slash comes before I’m ready for it, and the pain drops me to my knees. I scream out in agony, and he laughs.

“
Scream all you want. No one will hear you out here.” And I know he’s right. The closest thing to his house is the hospital and that's at least a mile away. I try to steel myself into silence because I know he’s getting off on my pain. I bite down on my lip as the belt comes down again, and this time I don't scream.

“
Playing hard to get are you? Well, let's see how you like this.” The next lash brings a new kind of pain. He has flipped the belt and is now using the belt buckle end down, and the pain of the hard, cold metal against my back unleashes a primitive wail of agony from my lips.

“
That's more like it,” he chuckles.

Before I can catch my breath, he hits me again and I feel my costume start to rip apart, along with some skin. He strikes again. Warm blood starts to trickle down my back and I wonder frantically, if he can do this to me, someone he claims to love, what has he done to Etash.

“
Where is he,” I manage to wail in between beatings.

Another lash, harder this time. More skin peels off.

“
Not here,” he says.

He throws the belt down at my feet, then goes upstairs, satisfied for the moment. My body hangs limp off the banister. I don't have the strength even to try to pull myself free of the tape.

When he comes down the stairs again he’s carrying two duffel bags and a bottle of vodka. He throws the bags by the door then rummages around in one of them producing a bottle of pills. Even though I can't read the label, I know that it's my missing prescription bottle.

He tips my head back and pours in the contents of the bottle of pills into my mouth.
How many were there?
I try to shove them out with my tongue but he grabs my jaw and holds it open. With his other hand he grabs the vodka, and with his teeth unscrews the cap.

“
Drink,” he orders, then tips the liquid down my throat. Choking and gagging, I feel some of the pills slip down my throat. He only stops drowning me with the vodka when he's seen I've taken them.

“
Now, we wait,” he says, putting his feet up.

“
Wait for what?” I cough.

“
For you to lose consciousness,” he smiles. “Can’t have you knowing where we’re going, now can I?”

“
What are you talking about?” If I was scared before, I’m absolutely petrified now.

Something in his face shifts. He gets up from the couch and cradles my tear-streaked face. “Naya,” he whispers, “do you not have any idea how much I love you? How far I will go to protect you from
him?
” He kisses the top of my head, and I can do nothing to stop him. “I know he’s got you brainwashed into thinking you love him. But I know you better than anyone else in the world. I know what you need. And what you need right now is time alone with me.”

He has lost his mind.

“
You're kidnapping me!”

His eyes turn hard. “I’m protecting you. And our love.” He pulls me to him and kisses me. I try to resist, but he’s so strong, and I am so weak. My body is shutting down; giving up. He pulls away and is purring with delight at the lack of fight in me.

“
Guess this cocktail works faster than the first one. Need to make a note of that.”

I struggle to get out two words: “What cocktail?”

Giving me a knowing smile he says, “Normally, I only give you one of your magic pills. It takes you about an hour before you black out and we can have some fun.”

Asshole.

“
But this time,” he continues, “I gave you a double dose and added some of my mom’s opiates, just for good measure. And look, it’s working already!” He’s beaming at his discovery, but I’m terrified. Terrified by what he’s going to do to me once I’ve blacked out. Terrified of where he’s taking me. But mostly terrified that I’ll never see Etash again.

Etash

When I wake up, it’s dark and my face is killing me. I can feel that my mouth, wrists and ankles have been bound together with duct tape and I curse.

“
Naya!” I mumble through the tape. No one will ever hear me. Seeing a small crack of light, I inch my way toward the door, knocking down a mop as I squirm. With my bound feet I start pounding against the door, hoping against hope, that someone will find me.

Chapter 19

Etash

With each second that ticks by I grow more and more desperate. In the darkness I search for anything I can use to cut this damn tape off. There's nothing on the floor, but maybe on a shelf. I push against the door and worm my body upright. Feeling along the wall with my hands bound behind my back I find a light switch. For a moment I'm blinded by the overhead light. Instantly, I try the door. But it won't budge. There is something blocking it from the outside.

I need to get this tape off. Turning around, I assess my options. There's an assortment of hammers and screwdrivers, and as luck would have it, some wire cutters. Since my hands are behind my back, it takes an eternity to work the dull blades through the tape. Once I'm free I rip the tape from my face and feet.

Pushing with all my might against the door, I manage to open it a bit to see what's blocking my escape. A soda machine.
He moved a soda machine in front of the janitor's closet.

Well, at least I know what I'm up against now. It takes a few running charges, but eventually I'm able to move the door open enough to squeeze though.

The hallway is dark, but I recognize where I am. I'm still in the theatre, in the basement.

Scrambling up the stairs I run back to the theatre, but it's deserted.
How long was I in there?

Spinning around in the hall, I notice Elizabeth's light is still on. When I barge in, she’s on the phone.

“
Never mind, he’s here.” She hangs up. “Etash, where have you been? You missed the show!”

She's about to read me the riot act, but then her face takes me in. “Oh my God! What happened to you?”

I don’t answer her. “Where’s Naya,” I pant. She looks at me, confused.

“
She's not with you?”

A guttural scream escapes me and I sink to my knees.

“
Call the police,” I yell. “He’s taken her.”

“
Who?”

“
Naya! Her ex-boyfriend. He kidnapped her!” She hesitates for a minute until she sees the look on my face.

“
Where did he take her?” she asks, picking up the phone again. There is only one place I can think of. The place he'd wanted to take her the night he showed up at my apartment. 'Home.' I push Elizabeth
aside and start hammering away on her keyboard. I log back onto facebook click on Seth's profile page. He still uses his folks' address.
Got ya.

“
Send them here,” I say, tossing the phone at her. “He’s holding her there.” I can feel it. Without looking back, I run out the door.

“
Wait! Where are you going?” Elizabeth
yells after me.

“
I'm going to find her!”

Shaking, I run to my car, trying desperately to steady my hands enough to turn the key. I’m coming, Naya. I’m coming.

Naya

Still heavily sedated, I open my eyes, but I can't feel a thing. Even breathing seems to be a struggle.

“
You don’t look so hot,” Seth chuckles. He gets off the couch and looks in my eyes. “Guess it’s okay to lay you down now. You’re not going anywhere.”

He pulls the knife out and saws away at the tape until I collapse to the floor. I thump to the ground, limp, but I don’t feel anything.

“
Let’s get you cleaned up. Can’t have you bleeding all over my parents' house.” He starts removing my leotard and I’m utterly defenseless to stop him. He must pick up on my fear because he strokes my face. “Don’t worry, love. I’m just going to get you changed up so we can leave.”

He props me up on the coffee table then leaves again, coming back a few minutes later with dressings for my back. He takes great care cleaning my wounds, as though his mending me will somehow make up for it all.

When he’s satisfied with his repair job, he gets out a Florida
State
sweatshirt of his, and pulls it over me. He then pulls some sweat pants over my legs.

“
There. You’re perfect.” He kisses my cheek and my head falls backwards, limp. With my neck exposed, he starts kissing it, slowly pulling himself on top of me. He starts moaning in my ear. I beg for unconsciousness to take over.

“
Get off of her!” Etash shouts from somewhere behind Seth.

Seth's lips are still against my ear but I feel them curve slowly into a smile. He pulls back and looks at me before his eyes go dead.

Summoning all the strength I have, I squeak out one word: “Run!”

Etash

The sight of her in his arms makes my stomach lurch. But the image of her once he’s climbed off her is devastating. Her face is covered in tears and her body is limp. He's drugged her.

As Seth stands up I notice a belt on the floor, stained red with her blood; I lose it. An ancient rage consumes me and I charge him. Although I’m only half his size I’m able to knock him to the floor with the speed of my attack and I start wailing on him. Punch after punch, cursing profanities and spitting venom.

Eventually his brute strength manages to knock me off him, his right hook just missing my nose. As I dodge his next punch, I knock over a small table lamp. It comes crashing to the floor, and it gives me an idea.

Swiftly, I jump over the shattered glass, then retrieve the base of the lamp and come at him swinging. He manages to duck down and miss my first attempt, but I clobber him with the second swing, crashing it firmly against his skull.

I watch with satisfaction as he sinks to the ground. I stand over him breathing heavily, more than ready to hit him again, but he doesn’t move.

Naya whimpers softly behind me and I drop the lamp and rush to her side. Grabbing her hand, I notice her fingers are cold. Pressing my ear to her chest, I can make out a heartbeat, but it’s dangerously weak.