There’s no escape

There’s no escape

Preamble: Victoria Saporito 1st Person. Present Tense. Mood: Uneasy, fear.

The last thing I remember is walking into this bar, I just wanted to get a drink, watch the hockey game, and relax for an hour at most. As soon as I sit, the bartender comes over.

“What can I get for you?” he says.

“I’ll have a pint of Guinness and some of those snacking peanuts, thanks,” I say.

As the bartender walks away, a man walks in the door. He has a dark hat on, and I can’t see his eyes. He sits two stools down from me at the bar, looking directly up at the television screens. The bartender brings me my order, and he then walks over to the strange man and asks him what he would like. The bartender walks away and starts fixing his order. It looks like he ordered an old-fashioned. That gave me flashbacks to my ex, whose name was Gary. Let’s say that didn’t end happily. I still have PTSD from that relationship.

As I look around the bar, it’s empty, just me, the man, and the bartender. I am not sure how I didn’t realize this in the first place. I pay for my drink and leave. As I am walking out the door, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and everything goes black.

As I wake up, I feel an overwhelming sense of dread. I can’t remember much of what happened, I don’t recognize where I am, and I’m cold. I am sitting in this room, not recognizing anything. All I wanted to do was be free for one night, not have to worry about my responsibilities, and just be alone. That backfired quickly. I guess I got my wish, because I am now alone.

“What the fuck happened last night?” I say silently.

I’m trying to see if I can recognize anything around me. I suddenly hear footsteps from outside the room. I can’t scream because I don’t know what kind of situation I am in, and there’s a chain around my ankle, I am so utterly screwed. The footsteps get louder, and there seem to be thuds coming from the kitchen because I hear glasses banging together.

The footsteps get closer, and the door opens slowly, and this dim light shines in. A tall man walks into the room, the light turns on, and I finally see his face.

“Gary!”

I say with complete shock and fear in my voice. He looks at me with a grin that says, I told you I would get you. He stays silent for a moment.

“Hello, my love, welcome home,” he says menacingly.

Am I staring into the eyes of my abusive ex-boyfriend? I am trying to think of anything to say to him in this moment, trying not to bring myself back to the relationship we had, trying not to remember the day that he beat me in the car outside my parents’ house as we left on Christmas Eve. I should have reported him then, but I stayed. He takes a step forward, and I scream.

“Gary! No!”

He stops, looks at me, and speaks.

“My love, it was only a matter of time before you were going to be mine again. I’ll give you a moment to settle in.”

He walks out of the room, and the door closes. It’s pitch black in here.

I pull on the chain and realize I’m not completely locked in. I manage to get up, I’m dizzy, and my head starts to hurt, my eyes focus, and I can see a little bit of my surroundings. I see a lamp and I turn it on. I hear footsteps coming back to the room, I immediately sit back down on the bed. The door opens, and I scream as he runs at me with a smile. The light cuts off, and he menacingly whispers.

“There is no escape, you’re mine now.”

Everything goes silent, the pain sets in. It’s over now.