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“You’re leaving?” Joni pouted.
“I have to,” I said. “I need to get some stuff done before I pick Waverly up from school.” I made the rounds, hugging everyone goodbye.
“In case we haven’t said it enough already,” Mia said, embracing me, “we’re really happy you’re one of us now. Officially, that is.”
I pulled back, tears in my eyes. “Damn, you guys. You have me all up in my feelings.”
With a final wave, I left Joni’s house, careful not to slam the front door so as not to wake the sleeping babies.
After talking with the Old Ladies, I realized that even though my wedding was going to take a grand total of about five minutes, and that it was merely a formality, it didn’t seem right that I didn’t at least dress the part of a bride.
Once I was in my car, I shot off a text to Waverly.
Me
We’re going wedding dress shopping after I pick you up from school.
After a few minutes, my phone buzzed with her reply.
Waverly
Marathon or sprint? You know what, it doesn’t matter. We need caffeine for fuel.
I set my phone in the drink console and then put the car into gear. My vehicle was caked with pollen so I went through an automatic car wash and then drove to an electronics store. I’d done a little bit of research about purchasing a second monitor for a dual monitor setup, but I picked the sales guy’s brain before making the final purchase. It was a business investment that would make my life a hell of a lot easier, even if I did flinch when I signed the sales receipt.
I wheeled the cart with the monitor out into the parking lot toward my car. I unlocked the trunk and put the monitor inside and then returned the cart and glanced at my phone, noting the time.
“Shit,” I muttered. I was going to be late getting to Waverly.
I quickly got into my car and started the engine. I slowly backed out of the lot and headed in the direction of her school.
As I turned into the street, I heard a loud crunching. I briefly wondered if I’d rolled over something, but the noise continued until I stopped at the light.
With I sigh, I pulled into a vacant parking lot of an empty strip mall with signs for storefronts available for rent in all the windows. I put the car into park and got out to investigate. I walked around the vehicle but saw nothing, until I returned to the front driver’s side wheel. A large plastic container of some sort had been rammed between the body of the car and the wheel.
“What the hell?” I muttered, removing the refuse and tossing it aside.
Just as I stood up to get back in my car, tires screeched to a halt. I turned and saw the sliding door of a van open, and two men wearing black masks jumped out. I reached for my door handle and fumbled with it in a panic, but my clammy fingers slipped off.
The men were too fast anyway, and before I could even react, they were on me. A brutal hand grasped my neck, and another covered my mouth to stifle my scream. I instinctively reached up to try to pry the man’s hand away from my throat. Something sharp pinched the skin of my arm and out of the corner of my eye I saw the other man—he’d stuck me with a needle. I struggled for a moment, determined to get free, but I wasn’t strong enough.
Before I had a chance to try anything else, the man holding my neck pushed me to the ground and his accomplice pulled a fabric bag over my head.
My limbs weakened as I sank into darkness…
I was completely at their mercy.
And then I passed out.
The smell of urine jolted me awake. I shifted my body, my drugged mind coming to the realization that my pants weren’t wet and I hadn’t soiled myself.
The urine wasn’t mine.
My brain made the connection that I probably wasn’t alone.
It was dark and I couldn’t see anything in front of me. I turned my head and realized the bag was still covering my face. My wrists were cinched together and bound to my ankles, which were also tied.
I tried to stretch out my legs, but they immediately hit a blockade.
