Kidnapped by a Killer (Edited Version)

Chapter 9

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I woke up later than usual that day; probably from my late night. A glance at the clock told me it was almost noon. I peeked out the window hopefully, but to my great disappointment, I saw his car was still in the drive which meant he was taking another day off from work.

I sighed and went back to the bed, plopping down on my stomach. I was about to grabbed the remote and finally see what this TV he was always recommending was all about when the bedroom door opened and Cliff walked in with two plates of pancakes. I sat up as he walked towards.

He handed one of the plates to me before I could tell him I wasn't hungry and as soon as the warm plate was in my hands, I felt my palms defrost from the morning chill. I inhaled deeply. They smelled like heaven. They had syrup and whipped cream on top with just a single sugared strawberry for decoration. I had to swallow to keep from drooling.

I looked from him to the pancakes, wondering if there was a catch to this delightful yet suspicious meal. "What's this for?" I asked.

"You," he said. He handed me a fork.

After watching him dig into his own plate of food, I hesitantly cut into the soft bread. I picked up a piece that was dripping with syrup and put it in my mouth. I practically melted on the spot, they were so good.

I couldn't resist chewing as slowing as I could to savor the taste, and Cliff grinned when he saw I was enjoying his cooking. We ate in silence, but for once, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was one of those silences where no words are needed because the contentedness can already be felt in the atmosphere alone.

When I was finished with my food, I put my plate down on the bed. "Thanks," I said.

"So, you liked them?" he asked, as if he wasn't sure I was being serious. I nodded and his face broke into a grin. "I can't tell you how long it's been since I've made pancakes. I wasn't sure if they would come out right or not."

I used my fork to play with the remaining syrup on my plate. "They tasted pretty good to me," I mumbled.

He thanked me for the compliment and took our plates to the kitchen. When he returned, I had flipped on the TV and was watching some movie about a retired government agent. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Cliff sit down at his desk and open his laptop. He looked like he was going to do some work, so I turned back to the TV and rested my head in my hands. The day passed pretty much like that. Him at the computer, me on the bed. At one point he left to go get a pencil and some paper, but he returned soon after to settle back into work.

The light outside grew dimmer and dimmer until the room was completely dark except for the TV and the desk lamp Cliff had turned on a few hours prior. After yawning for the third time, I glanced at the clock; it was almost 8 o'clock. Switching off the TV, I headed for the bathroom and shut the door. As I did my business, I heard Cliff's phone ring and he let the bedroom to answer it. When he returned, there was a shuffling from the other side of the door and then he knocked. "Hey, Zane?"

I was a bit annoyed by the fact that he was bugging me now of all times, but I suppressed a sigh, "Yeah, what?" I said.

"I have to go out," Cliff said. "I'll be back in a few hours hopefully, but don't wait up for me if I stay out later than planned, okay?"

Part of me wanted to ask where he was going at such a late hour, but I didn't. I was sure I could make a fairly accurate guess. "Okay," I said.

I heard him walk away, and the door to the bedroom closed with a click. I finished using the restroom and reentered the bedroom. Exhausted, I collapsed on the bed and buried my face in a pillow. This was usually my opportunity to cry myself to sleep, but I decided I had had enough of crying. I had cried enough to last me a lifetime. It was time I got over it and pulled myself together.

Rolling over to sit up, I looked down at my cuffed ankle. I didn't know if I could get it off, but I could try. I grabbed a bottle of soap from the shower and sat down on the floor of the bathroom. I was about to squeeze some soap onto my ankle in an attempt to slide free when I heard the sound of the front door opening.

Thinking Cliff was returning for something he forgot, I hurried to return the bottle back where it belonged. However, before I could race back to the bed to avoid suspicion, I head the bedroom door swing open behind me with a bang. 

I turned quickly, hoping my guilt didn't show on my face. However, whatever expression I was making soon vanished when the intruder stepped into the light from the bathroom. A shiver of fear crept up my spine at the sight of them grinning. "Hello, Zane."

It wasn't Cliff.

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