Hostage

4: Arrival

After a few hours of dozing, I'm gently shaken awake by someone. My eyelids flutter open and I look up into the face of Billie Eilish. I want to hug her but remember what she did to me.

"We're here," she says. "We need to keep you like this for a while so you don't try to escape. But if you cooperate with us, I promise you that you'll be fine and that you'll love it here. Do you think you can do that for us?"

Unable to speak, I just nod instead. Billie picks me up and hoists me over her shoulder and hops out of the van. I manage to see the time on my watch: it's just after four in the morning. She carries me up the steps and into the house.

It's not a mansion, but it's not a house, either: everything's clean and neat and tidy. A chandelier hangs from the entryway ceiling. Polished wooden stairs are positioned right in front of me, and a long red carpet runs up the steps. The kitchen is clean with a fingerprintless stained steel fridge and oven and granite countertops. The living room has a leather couch and two armchairs as well as a 90-inch plasma TV. 

Billie carries me upstairs and all the way down the hall and turns left. She opens the door and takes me into a big bedroom. There's a queen-sized bed with a matching mattress, and pink comforter. There's a yellow Blohsh stuffed animal and pillow on the bed. She sets me carefully down on the bed. The whole time, I stare up at her with wide eyes.

She sits down next to me. "Okay, I'm going to take the tape off now. Promise me you won't scream." 

I nod my head in agreement as she grips the edge of the piece of tape; I squinch my eyes shut as she rips it off quickly. I stretch out my lips and lick them a few times; the tape made them super sore and dry.

"Thanks," I croak out.

"No problem. What's your name?"

"Aubrey Bates." I say it without the slightest quiver in my voice; it's like I've done it my whole life.

"Hmm. Okay . . ." She reaches on the windowsill and grabs a water bottle; Billie twists the lid and opens it and moves it towards my mouth. "Open."

I hesitate for a moment: what if she poisoned it? But then I realize that she couldn't have because we just arrived at her place. I open my mouth and she slowly pours a few drops of water in my mouth. Even though it's warm, it's the best tasting thing I've ever had in my life. I open my mouth again and we continue the process until the water bottle's empty.

"Good job, babygirl." She smiles at me but then quickly frowns. "Gosh, I keep forgetting I'm supposed to be mean. I can't do this — I just can't!" Billie stands up and starts pacing around the room; I helplessly watch her. I want to comfort her but I can't. 

She quickly darts out of the room and returns with something hidden by her hands.

"Billie —" I start, but she shushes me. "What's wrong?"

"I —" She closes her eyes and sighs, then reveals what's in her hand. 

It's my phone. She throws it against the wall as hard as she can, and it shatters into a hundred pieces. I let out a small cry as I see my only chance of communication gone in an instant. 

Billie looks over at me with tears in her eyes.

"You're my hostage."