Allisa

You look down at your phone. No signal. Again. Using YouTube for music is amazing, until you lose service. At twenty four years old your life has fallen apart. The Vanessa Calway from the past is now just a woman who hides from herself. After your husband, Andy committed suicide by overdose in the bed next to you during the night, any ability you had to care left with him. Nature walks while having your music turned full blast has become a regular reprieve.

Not realizing that someone is walking behind getting closer every second you stop to look at the stars. Not even having time to register the pain brought on by the sudden hit you're asleep. Tortured dreams of waking up and looking at Andy. He's blue. Fluid coming out if his mouth and nose. Screaming. Screaming louder and louder until you wake yourself up. Head pounding and blurred vision aren't enough to stop you from realizing you have no idea where you are. The burning around your ankle turns out to be an iron cuff bolted to the floor.

PART 2

I saw her. Long brunette hair in a pony tail. An air of intelligence and sorrow. So beautiful. Just like my Alissa. I look at the stars knowing that if she can see me, I'd be making her proud. I will have her back. This time I will never let go. This woman is as close to perfection as I've seen in a long time. I will have her. She doesn't hear me calling out to her. I wonder what she's listening to. Closer and closer, she still doesn't notice me. She stops walking. Perfect timing for me to grab one of the large stones from the trail. One sharp motion and now she is mine. I take her to the place I've been renovating just for my Alissa to come home to. I know she will panic at first until she realizes that I love her. I don't want her to leave. The iron cuff I place on her ankle is only temporary. I want her to understand this is her home. She is mine and I am hers.

Panic rises as you realize what's happened. Thoughts race and fill your head but none of them connect in any way helpful. Trying to move hurts and makes you feel faint. But you need to find your phone. It's gone. You need to call 911. You need to get out. Through the pounding in your ears there's a voice that might almost be beautiful. "Hello Alissa, I've missed you my love. I promised I would never give up until you were with me again. I'm so happy you're home where you belong now."

You don't speak. Voice frozen in fear of the man speaking to you. As you try to focus your eyes he steps closer. A young man somewhere in his thirties is standing in the room with you. He is slender built with facial features so smooth he almost looks pretty.

Tears stream down your face. "My name is Vanessa." You tell him your name but it doesn't seem to register.

"Why are you crying beautiful?" I want to touch her cheek. Wipe away all the sadness. Taste her tears and let her know that it's going to be ok. It won't be like before. She is perfect. My angel. My Alissa. I hand her the glass of water I've refilled over and over with fresh water every few minutes or so. I wanted it perfect for my angel. I can tell there are questions in her eyes. As she shrinks away from the water as if it's poison the disappointment stirs in me. "It's just water. I promise I would never hurt my angel, I finally have you again"

You see him handing you clear liquid in a glass. Feeling nauseous and scared you try to back away but the iron trapping you holds steady. "My name is Vanessa." You tell him again hoping he will realize you're not who he thinks. He says it's just water. Your mouth and throat are incredibly dry. Worse case scenario it's poison. Better dead than whatever this man might have in mind for you anyway. With a shaky voice you thank him and take the glass. Confused as to why he's smiling so sweetly. Taking a tentative sip you watch him carefully. As soon as you finish a sip barely large enough to cover your tongue he takes the glass away. "Easy my love, don't want you to over do it and be sick." His words are filled with tenderness but you can see the rage deep inside his eyes. You have to ask... Looking up at him your voice freezes again and no words will come out. Maybe he will talk to me. I need to know what's going on. What if he leaves me here like this? I will hate myself for being a coward if I don't try anyway I can to find out what's going on. Will he get angry? What will he do to me? Finally finding a bit of courage you ask him, "Why am I here?"

"I've waited so long to find you again Alissa. I'm so sorry that the others didn't work out. But I have you now. You are here because this is home. Where you belong. With me for always." I want her to hear the love in my voice. I want her to know that I'm all she will ever need again. I grab the sponge out of the bucket I've prepared for her. I even used her favorite soap. Maybe a nice soothing bath will help her relax. I move to wash her face and she screams at me. "LET ME OUT OF THIS PLACE AND DON'T TOUCH ME!!!!" My hand flew back and into her face before I realized what I was doing. But she acted just like the others. I panicked.

"I'm so sorry my angel!! I will make it better. I'm sorry. " The man slapped you so hard your head started pounding again. Tears streaming and mixing with the blood pouring from your nose land on your lips and your feeling a thousand feelings at once. Finally taking a good look around you see how much trouble you're in. The walls are concrete. Eye bolts sticking out in different heights on every wall. A long knife of some sort laying on the floor behind the man. Deciding he will hurt you, and likely kill you if you scream again there's an internal fight for calmness. "What is your name?" Maybe he will go easy on you if you play along.

To be continued