Taken into the Unknown (Complete)

Jayden's Story

            "If you already have all these precautions in place why do you care of Alaure figures anything out. She's just a 22 year old girl."

            The smirk on his face immediately disappeared. "Because I've seen such an intense determination in her. It's almost frightening. I don't underestimate her abilities to ruin everything. She's nosy and unrelenting.  If she hadn't become so involved with Damon and I and if I knew what a problem she would have posed I would have sent the both of you back to your little school in California, but it's too late for that now. That's why I need to take one more precaution and get rid of her."

"Now then," he said as he advanced towards me, "no more questions. I'm tired and I need to...loosen up a bit." He had a hungry look in his eyes that I had come to know all too well. I began to fear what would happen next.

"Dear Jayden, I'm sure I've shown you much more kindness than any of the other men you've encountered lately. And I've told you so much about your friend. Won't you return the favor and help me out?" he smiled deviously as he pushed me down by the shoulders and climbed on top of me.

I didn't plead and holler anymore like I would in the beginning. I simply accepted it. It made things much less painful. I knew this wouldn't be the last time either. In that moment that Baxter had told me about you I had decided I would keep pushing to survive a little longer, that I would get out, find you, and hopefully bring you back home safe and sound. My rebelliousness is why you found me overdosed on drugs on the verge of death. Their one last attempt was to control me by getting me addicted on cocaine. At first they forced it into me or mixed it into my food, but soon enough I began to crave it...not just the drug, but the hallucinations, the high that came with it, the little piece of artificial happiness. I lost sight of what I was fighting for. I lost more of my humanity. I lost sight of you, and those were some of my darkest moments. "

We sat in silence indefinitely as I tried to soak in everything Jayden had just told me. There were so many different things running through my mind, Baxter and all his crazy scheming, Jayden's well-being especially and that she endured, but the one that kept blaring in my mind like an alarm was that Damon could still be in danger.

"Jayden, I have so much to tell you, and I wish such horrific things didn't exist in this world. I used to cry about how my daddy would hit me when he was drunk and how my life couldn't get any worse, but what you have been put through..." I sniffled and scrubbed away at my wet eyes.

Jayden hugged me, "It's okay Alaure. I'm just glad you found me when you did."

"How has adjusting back to life been?" I asked.

"It hasn't been easy at all. That's for sure. It's gotten a little better, but not by much. Not yet. I wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night a lot. The therapy is helping some too. They've been easing me off the drugs too, but sometimes it's hard not to cave in. My parents have been a lot of help with that. When I have you and my parents, I feel happy on my own, but..." she turned her head away and frowned, "when I begin to think of the reality of this world, that there are thousands, millions even, of girls out there that suffer every day the same fate as me, nothing helps except the drugs.  They help me forget. They help me get away. It's not enough that the other girls with me and I escaped. There are thousands more like us. Garrett got away. He's still out there and he could easily kidnap more innocent girls and create another brothel.  I’ve been thinking lately about starting an organization to help girls like me. It’s only an idea right now, but that’s the only thing that has been easing my mind a little.”

“I think that’s a great idea Jayden. I know I don’t need to say it, but you know that I’m always here for you, so if you ever need any help I’m only a phone call away…or a one and a half hour drive away. Forty-five if I break a few rules.”

Jayden laughed, causing me to smile. “I can’t believe you would even think about breaking the rules. What happened to you in Alaska?”

I sighed, “Right, it’s my turn to tell stories.”

Jayden nodded rather eagerly. I lied back onto Jayden’s bed, sprawled out, and stared at the ceiling. “After listening to your story, I almost feel guilty for the life I was living while you were suffering. Sure I was kidnapped, imprisoned, and had to put up with my asshole of a captor, Damon, but after a while I was almost living a luxury life.” I began. 

Happy New Year Everyone!

Sometimes I wonder how I can work on a chapter for such a long time and end up with only 3 pages...bleh.  It takes me like 30 minutes to write on paragraph...and I don't think that's an exaggeration.