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Description
I watched as Jack left the room rather abruptly, opening the metal door outward. I hadn’t been able to see the pin number that he typed in, but I heard the click of the lock when it had been undone… so I knew this door would automatically lock once it slammed shut.
Watching the door begin to swing shut, my mind took over in order to save myself. The tape not being too tight around my left ankle, I wiggled my foot backwards only to snap it forward in a careful movement. I rotated my ankle so my toes hit a stray piece of rubble squarely. The little rock flew forward with direct momentum, sailing noiselessly an inch above the ground.
I don’t know what the chances were of the stunt being successful…
But perhaps I didn’t need chance.
I had thought of all the variables… friction, trajectory, airflow, weight, momentum…
The small chuck of concrete flew gracefully into the doorway at the split second the door shut – lodging in the tiny gap between the door and the rim. I listened carefully, satisfied when I didn’t hear the click of the lock sliding back into place – nor the footsteps of Jack returning.
Crisis averted, I quickly pondered my situation.
The tape needed to go first. I wiggled in my seat, cringing at the sharp pain that announced itself in my abdomen. Glancing down nervously, I analyzed the slit cut down my belly. It probably needed stitches, but the blood flow had almost completely stopped. Dark clotting liquid had solidified to make a weak barrier over the wound. Gratefully, I moved more carefully so as to avoid jarring the cut.
Feeling that my right wrist was looser, I bent over at my waist to reach my wrist. Shimmying and twisting, I got my head close enough to my wrist. Giving one last wiggle and shove, I stretched to my limits. Leaning my neck down, I grabbed at the tethers with my teeth. Using my canine tooth and incisors, I managed to get a slip of tape between my teeth. Twisting and pulling upwards, the tape gave a satisfying ripping noise as it tore apart.
The tape weakened by my work, I ripped the remaining adhesive on my right wrist by pulling my arm up in a quick jerk. I one-handedly reached to my bra and pulled the little hidden knife from within it. Using teeth and fingers, I opened the knife so it was in ready position. From there, I cut the rest of the tape off with ease and efficiency.
Gratefully getting out of that seat, I rechecked my wound. Seeing it was completely dry now and still only a thin, clean line down my skin – I decided my priority was to get out of the building. Then, I could worry about the slice.
I turned towards the door, excited to see the hairline crack in the rim of it, made possible by the tiny rock that was wedged in it. I turned to glance at the sad remains of my phone, scattered uselessly over the ground. A sigh escaped my throat but a sudden rush of adrenaline followed it almost instantaneously.
Jack…. Let me go?
Jack wanted to play… again?
My head tilted in thought, making the room seem slanted in my vision. A few loose strands of hair fell into my gaze.
He didn’t kill me. He didn’t fatally wound me. He didn’t even threaten Abbey. He basically agreed to the rules I had been playing by all along.
What did that mean?
I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut for a few seconds. I’ll think about that later, I need to get out of here first! Jack could come back any minute and I did not want to be here when he did.
Swinging to face the door, I darted forward on soft footfalls. Bracing my fingers in the doorway, I peaked out the tiny crack. Being met with thick darkness, I couldn’t figure Jack’s location in the warehouse. Turning back, I quickly found the light switch and flicked it off.
Plunged into darkness, I bent down to the ground in search of little rocks. With a few bits of rubble in my palm, the lights out, the little knife in my other hand, and my body free – I proceeded forward.
I relied on agility, trickery, and silence. Pushing the door open quietly, I quickly got the feeling I was being watched – or at the very least, I felt pursued. I slipped through the doorway and made my way left, twisting my ankles and toes in order to make the least possible noise on the hard concrete floor. Throwing a little rock to my right, I heard it make a few loud bounces. In that timeframe of noise, I darted forward while throwing more rocks to my right.
Hearing footfalls of pursuit somewhere in the blackness, I bolted forward towards a faint glow of light. Wrenching an object open, I was greeted with the faint orangey glow of streetlights. Sprinting forward, I ran down the sidewalk and street. Hearing laughter behind me, I looked over my shoulder curiously and nearly froze in place.
There was Jack, standing just outside the warehouse’s doors. The blue mask tilted and body shaking, I could hear his laughter from where I stood. He raised his hands and clapped them a few times in applause, seeming to smile despite the mask. I felt a grin crack across my face too, sensing any level of self-preservation melt away. The feeling of adrenaline, pride, and success ran through my veins like wild fire, making my mind fuzzy and mood blindingly giddy.
I trotted away from him, looking over my shoulder at the creature that both captured me – and let me live. Where would we go from here? What was the status of this predator-prey relation?
Were we officially playing the game?
What were the costs?
I snorted once in laughter, turning my back on the predator and disappearing around a corner.
Did I really care about costs?
“You know we’re still playing, right!?” A faint but exhilarated voice echoed off the walls as pursuing footsteps picked back up. My lips pulled back in a twisted smile, body swaying in a slow and teasing walk.
“Always.” I called back, hearing a new ring to my voice. I turned to face the long expanse of alleyways and streets, pace increasing as I slipped into a trot and then a jog… pain forgotten, fear obliterated, mind whirling…
Everyone should feel like this.

Description
I watched as Jack left the room rather abruptly, opening the metal door outward. I hadn’t been able to see the pin number that he typed in, but I heard the click of the lock when it had been undone… so I knew this door would automatically lock once it slammed shut.
Watching the door begin to swing shut, my mind took over in order to save myself. The tape not being too tight around my left ankle, I wiggled my foot backwards only to snap it forward in a careful movement. I rotated my ankle so my toes hit a stray piece of rubble squarely. The little rock flew forward with direct momentum, sailing noiselessly an inch above the ground.
I don’t know what the chances were of the stunt being successful…
But perhaps I didn’t need chance.
I had thought of all the variables… friction, trajectory, airflow, weight, momentum…
The small chuck of concrete flew gracefully into the doorway at the split second the door shut – lodging in the tiny gap between the door and the rim. I listened carefully, satisfied when I didn’t hear the click of the lock sliding back into place – nor the footsteps of Jack returning.
Crisis averted, I quickly pondered my situation.
The tape needed to go first. I wiggled in my seat, cringing at the sharp pain that announced itself in my abdomen. Glancing down nervously, I analyzed the slit cut down my belly. It probably needed stitches, but the blood flow had almost completely stopped. Dark clotting liquid had solidified to make a weak barrier over the wound. Gratefully, I moved more carefully so as to avoid jarring the cut.
Feeling that my right wrist was looser, I bent over at my waist to reach my wrist. Shimmying and twisting, I got my head close enough to my wrist. Giving one last wiggle and shove, I stretched to my limits. Leaning my neck down, I grabbed at the tethers with my teeth. Using my canine tooth and incisors, I managed to get a slip of tape between my teeth. Twisting and pulling upwards, the tape gave a satisfying ripping noise as it tore apart.
The tape weakened by my work, I ripped the remaining adhesive on my right wrist by pulling my arm up in a quick jerk. I one-handedly reached to my bra and pulled the little hidden knife from within it. Using teeth and fingers, I opened the knife so it was in ready position. From there, I cut the rest of the tape off with ease and efficiency.
Gratefully getting out of that seat, I rechecked my wound. Seeing it was completely dry now and still only a thin, clean line down my skin – I decided my priority was to get out of the building. Then, I could worry about the slice.
I turned towards the door, excited to see the hairline crack in the rim of it, made possible by the tiny rock that was wedged in it. I turned to glance at the sad remains of my phone, scattered uselessly over the ground. A sigh escaped my throat but a sudden rush of adrenaline followed it almost instantaneously.
Jack…. Let me go?
Jack wanted to play… again?
My head tilted in thought, making the room seem slanted in my vision. A few loose strands of hair fell into my gaze.
He didn’t kill me. He didn’t fatally wound me. He didn’t even threaten Abbey. He basically agreed to the rules I had been playing by all along.
What did that mean?
I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut for a few seconds. I’ll think about that later, I need to get out of here first! Jack could come back any minute and I did not want to be here when he did.
Swinging to face the door, I darted forward on soft footfalls. Bracing my fingers in the doorway, I peaked out the tiny crack. Being met with thick darkness, I couldn’t figure Jack’s location in the warehouse. Turning back, I quickly found the light switch and flicked it off.
Plunged into darkness, I bent down to the ground in search of little rocks. With a few bits of rubble in my palm, the lights out, the little knife in my other hand, and my body free – I proceeded forward.
I relied on agility, trickery, and silence. Pushing the door open quietly, I quickly got the feeling I was being watched – or at the very least, I felt pursued. I slipped through the doorway and made my way left, twisting my ankles and toes in order to make the least possible noise on the hard concrete floor. Throwing a little rock to my right, I heard it make a few loud bounces. In that timeframe of noise, I darted forward while throwing more rocks to my right.
Hearing footfalls of pursuit somewhere in the blackness, I bolted forward towards a faint glow of light. Wrenching an object open, I was greeted with the faint orangey glow of streetlights. Sprinting forward, I ran down the sidewalk and street. Hearing laughter behind me, I looked over my shoulder curiously and nearly froze in place.
There was Jack, standing just outside the warehouse’s doors. The blue mask tilted and body shaking, I could hear his laughter from where I stood. He raised his hands and clapped them a few times in applause, seeming to smile despite the mask. I felt a grin crack across my face too, sensing any level of self-preservation melt away. The feeling of adrenaline, pride, and success ran through my veins like wild fire, making my mind fuzzy and mood blindingly giddy.
I trotted away from him, looking over my shoulder at the creature that both captured me – and let me live. Where would we go from here? What was the status of this predator-prey relation?
Were we officially playing the game?
What were the costs?
I snorted once in laughter, turning my back on the predator and disappearing around a corner.
Did I really care about costs?
“You know we’re still playing, right!?” A faint but exhilarated voice echoed off the walls as pursuing footsteps picked back up. My lips pulled back in a twisted smile, body swaying in a slow and teasing walk.
“Always.” I called back, hearing a new ring to my voice. I turned to face the long expanse of alleyways and streets, pace increasing as I slipped into a trot and then a jog… pain forgotten, fear obliterated, mind whirling…
Everyone should feel like this.