Kidnapped
It was a cool Friday morning, and the town was already in astir. I had just awoken and groaned as the sun’s stream of light exploded on my face, blinding me by its brightness. Feeling disgruntled, I moaned for more sleep, then blinked and shut my eyes over and over again until I managed to fully open both my eyes. I gazed around my room wondering how long I had been asleep. Tucked under my pillow, I grabbed my phone and realized that I was an hour late. I flipped my bed sheets, jumped out of bed then ran to the bathroom. It took me approximately two minutes to shower and four minutes to brush my teeth. I heard my mum yell across the room about how irresponsible I was. Either way I didn’t pay much attention. I ran back to my room, grabbed a pair of blue jeans, a t-shirt, and my backpack. I rushed out slamming the door behind me and ran as fast as my feeble feet could carry me. I had decided to take the shortcut to school even though I knew that there had been a whole lot of cases about children missing and getting raped in the area. In my head I told myself that I would avoid eye contact with anybody. I brisk walked through the streets. It was a whole different world and I could feel myself getting paranoid.
Abruptly I became aware of the car that had come to a standstill right behind me. A black car with dark-tinted windows with a tall black man in it dressed in blue jeans and a black shirt emerged out. “Don’t look back, don’t look behind” This were the words running through my mind. I could hear his footsteps getting closer behind me.
He grabbed me by the wrist and pushed me up against the wall. Although I could barely hear what he was saying, he mumbled that he was doing this for Khalum. He insisted that my name was Amina while forcefully grabbing me again and pushing me in into his car. I gasped for air under the unbearable weight of the man’s body and screamed as loud as I could hoping that someone would hear my cry and come to my rescue. I even tried to persuade him by telling him that he had gotten the wrong person. In the process of freeing myself- I figured that he wasn’t even listening no matter how much I tried to convince him- I kicked the man where no man should be kicked. I tried opening the door but it was all in vain. The man had caught his breath and I expected to be killed with one blow. I felt my heart hammering my throat. The realization that my life was in danger paralyzed me when he raised his fist and I saw the hate and contempt in his eyes.
“So you think your tough?!” he snarled while his fingers were around my neck strangling me. I desperately tried to clutch my throat while choking. He placed a piece of cloth in my mouth to keep me from crying out. He threatened to slit my throat if I did not stay quiet.
The car was moving fast, cutting corners and I watched as we drifted from a busy noisy street, to a place where I couldn’t recognize. On one side of the street, I had watched two muscular men come out of a black truck carrying a dead body covered in white sheets. They both had shades on and pistols hanging from their pockets.
My heart was thumping like a horses hoofs on a dirt road. Fear became a tangible, living force that crept over me like some hungry beast, immobilizing me; my brain, holding me captive. I could feel the flight or fight responses kick in, increasing my heart rate, flooding me with added adrenaline, but the fear- the beast holding me captive took control of my entire being. Unable to fight or flee, I could feel my bowels loosen as my bladder reacted freely to the all engulfing fear. I was not frightened nor was I was afraid. What I felt was beyond such mere words. What I was experiencing was the closest thing to death one could acquire, and yet remain alive. I imagined all of the possible ways they would use to torture me. I pictured myself lying on the floor covered in blood whimpering and having flashbacks of my life. With so many horrific thoughts running through my mind, I clenched my teeth so hard that I could taste my blood. I looked up into space wondering if God was there.
Time passed by as I cuddled myself at a corner and the salty taste of my tears and blood slowly drove me to sleep