Clarifying Gratitude

Prologue

The world seemed to stand still. It was as if everything had stopped. Her heart raced and her pulse pounded. Her voice trembled as she spoke to the masked man standing to her left.
"What's your name damn it?!" he yelled as he pressed his revolver against her temple. Letting out a short gasp, she quickly responded, "Phoebe! My name is Phoebe".
"That's better" he pushed her to the floor on her knees. Lowering himself next to her, he took off his black ski mask and had a sly grin plastered across his withered face. As he reached his hand out to stroke her cheek, Phoebe flinched. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked it forcefully.
"Don't make this any harder then it has to be Phoebe!" he snarled. Unable to hold back her tears, she let a violent sob escape her lips as she uttered
"I'm sorry, please don't kill me". The man chuckled and held her face in his hand.
" Oh honey, you're gonna wish you were dead after I get through with you" he said deeply. He sprawled her out on the floor. Her hands already bound. Towering over her, he leaned over and ripped open her blouse. She let out a loud cry for help. While she tried to wiggle our from under him, he slapped her across the face.
"Shut up you little bitch, someone's gonna hear" the man said as he put his rough hand over her mouth. Her muffled screams filled the room but still no one came. He touched her and ran his free hand all along her body. In a final attempt to save herself, she bit down on the man's hand sending him into a fit of screams. After she managed to pry him off of her, she ran for the exit of the store. As she rounded the corner, she collided with yet another masked man.
"Please, please just let me go! Take anything you want but please don't hurt me!!" she begged. The other man could be heard from the other room yelling.
"Johnny! Don't let her get away". But this 'johnny' had sincerity in his eyes. He didn't want to hurt her and he didn't want her getting hurt either. He grabbed her hand, looked in her eyes and told her to run. Feeling his soft touch sent chills all down Phoebe's spine and staring deep in his eyes made her heart flutter amid the chaos surrounding her. One was a bright blue and the other was a deep brown. Considering the circumstances, she was oddly attracted to him. His deep voice snapped her out of her day dream.
"C'mon, you have to go!" he said while he practically shoved her through the door. She didn't hesitate as she ran out the door and down the street to one of the neighboring businesses to call 911. But she did look back. To see if he was still there. To see his face in entirety just one time. And from what she saw, he was something she couldn't get enough of.