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eaking it.
The lab technician shows us how it works and for the next hour, we’re shown every possible way it can be used. The overload of information causes my head to spin. After sitting through this, I’m really glad I agreed to go out.
Once we’ve played around with it for a bit, we’re finally dismissed. As we exit the building, someone calls out the name of the bar we are meeting at, which happens to be one of my local haunts. I smile as I get in my car and head over to Public House. Driving through the parking lot behind the bar a few times, I finally find a spot. The bar is in the middle of town and I forgot how fast the lots fill up, especially during recital season with a theater right next door.
Before getting out of the car, I shoot Chase a text. We haven’t spoken or texted since our fight last night, and while I’m reluctant to be the first to reach out, I also don’t want to hide anything from him.
LIv: Going out with some friends from work. Text you later.
I hit send, not expecting an answer, and get out of the car. As I approach the door, a chill runs down my spine and I shudder. I look around before shaking it off and entering the bar. I walk toward the bar and when Kris, one of the guys from the meeting, spots me, he waves me over. “Hey, Liv, whatcha drinking?”
“Umm, I’m not sure yet,” I lie.
“Let me know when you do. Your first drink is on me.”
“Thanks, Kris, but I’ve got this.”
“I insist,” he answers with a smile.
“Okay, thanks. I guess I’ll have a glass of pinot grigio.”
“Hey, can I get a glass of pinot grigio over here!” he yells down the bar. A subtle nod from the bartender and a few minutes later, the drink is in my hand.
“Thanks, Kris.”
“Hey, no problem. Consider it a thanks for helping me out with that new GPS today.” I chuckle. He had absolutely no idea what to do with the mini-computer. Lucky for him, I had to use something very similar when I was doing my grad work.
“That, I can do,” I say, smiling, and lift my glass to air toast him.
The large size of the bar allows everyone to move around freely and chit chat with different groups. I start my way at one end of the bar and two drinks later, I’m at the other end. It’s so nice to see so many people I work with, but never really had a chance to meet.
I order another glass of wine and find a couple girls from the office, Christina and Michelle. Sitting down, I start chatting with them about our latest project. As we’re talking, my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number, but hoping it’s Chase, I answer. “Hello?” I say, and plug my other ear, trying to hear. The bar is so loud, I say, “Hold on, I can’t hear anything.” I turn to the girls. “Can one of you make sure the bartender doesn’t take my glass? I’ll be right back.”
“Sure, Liv,” Christina answers.
“Thanks,” I mutter as I head toward the back door. Once outside, I say, “Sorry, couldn’t hear you. Who is this?” I wait, but there is no response, not even background noise or static. “Hello, anyone there?” Again, dead air. Standing in the back of the restaurant, the hair on my arms stands on end. I look around frantically, but there’s no one out here but me. Not taking any chances, I hurry back into the bar.
Coming back to the table, I find my glass is still here but the girls have shifted down the bar to another conversation. Since it’s almost eight, I decide to finish my drink and then call it a night. I pick up my glass, take a long sip, and start at the back end of the bar, slowly making my exit.
I still have a half of a glass left when I start to feel dizzy. The room sways and I stand for a moment, waiting for the moment to pass. Seeing as I ate something earlier and only had three glasses of wine, I shouldn’t feel this drunk. I almost lose my footing and grip the side of the bar, hard. My legs feel like jelly and my vision blurs.
“Liv, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.” That voice is so familiar, yet I can’t place it. I try to lift my head to see who it is, but my body isn’t responding to my brain.
“Hey, Liv, are you okay?” I hear someone ask.
“She’s just a little drunk. I’m here to pick her up,” the familiar voice says. “C’mon, Liv, I’ll take you home.”
An arm wraps around my waist before lifting me in the air. Feeling dizzy and nauseous, my head falls back against something hard. I feel like I’m floating, but the backs of my eyelids won’t stop spinning.
“I’ll have you home soon enough,” the voice whispers into my ear, the tone changing from friendly to hostile. The overwhelming urge to run takes over, but I can’t move, I can’t see, and my body won’t obey any of my commands. I feel so tired, I just want to crawl up into a ball and sleep.
My body is placed on something soft, a mattress maybe? No, it can’t be. The soft thing is moving. I must be in a car, but why am I lying down? This can’t be real, I must be dreaming. I must have gone home and now I’m in this vivid nightmare. “Now, I have you all to myself,” the voice says right before everything fades to black.
Warm breath fans across my cheek, causing me to stir. Pain consumes me. My head throbs and my skin feels like it’s on fire. I try to open my eyes, but the pain in my head won’t let me. I try to move, but it’s like I’m glued to something.
“Good morning, beautiful,” a voice hisses in the darkness, the words like acid dripping off his tongue. There is only one person who calls me that, and that wasn’t him. I try to speak, but my throat is dry, and nothing comes out. “I hope you’re comfortable,” the acidic voice continues.
I need to know where I am and how I got here. I don’t remember anything, except being at the bar and getting really drunk, really fast. Fighting through the pain, I force myself to open my eyes. Only one eye listens, but it’s enough.
