ELAINE
When I could finally pry my eyes open, the sun had started its upward journey through the sky.
I was convinced a tiny, angry man with a hammer had been let loose inside my head because that could be the only explanation for why my head was ravaged with pain.
Taking a few deep breaths, I sat up and surveyed my environment. I was on the tiny mattress I owned in my tiny apartment's tiny bedroom.
I rubbed my eyelids to get rid of the sleep in my eyes.
Like a faucet was turned on, the previous night's memories flooded through me in heart-stopping detail.
Walking home from work. Getting ambushed and kidnapped. Being strapped to a chair. That monster and his insane proposal. Not giving him an answer.
I groaned. The pain in my head was starting to have a mind of its own, leaping and roaring unwantedly.
It didn't lessen my shock or confusion at being back in my bed, safe and sound. I thought I wouldn't live past last night but was glad to be wrong.
Was last night some kind of fucked up dream, then?
As if to answer my question, my eyes fell on a white envelope and handkerchief on the rickety, termite-eaten bedside table that served as the only other piece of furniture in my bedroom. The large blood-red "GE" embroidered on the handkerchief confirmed my worst fear.
Last night was no dream. It was all too real.
A shiver ran down my spine, chilling me from the inside out.
Getting up from the bed, I stood in front of the table, staring at the piece of paper, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do next.
If I picked it up, that meant I fully accepted that I was awake. If I didn't, I could remain blissfully ignorant.
Seeing as the latter was a foolish option, I picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside was a small card.
"Till we meet again, la mia donna," was written in clear block letters.
Red exploded in my vision, and rage I never knew was possible filled my entire being.
This was all just a game to him. A way to entertain his dark, heinous soul. A way to pass the time.
Letting out an almost feral growl, I directed my anger toward the only thing I could. The table.
I kicked the stack of old books propped under one mismatched leg to stabilize it, and the whole thing came crashing down in a heap of wood splinters and dust.
I didn't care that it was now a mess I'd have to clean up. I didn't care that the table lamp and novel on top of the table were now homeless on the floor. I didn't care that I would have to cough up some money to replace it.
All I thought was how much I wished it was Giovanni Enrico's lifeless body sprawled at my feet.
But nothing like that happened. As much as I wished otherwise, this was my life now. I was stuck in a nightmarish reality with a sick man who apparently knew where I lived.
I shuddered at the last thought. Fear gripped my heart, and I nearly stopped breathing.
He knew where I lived.
How? I had no idea, but it was alarming.
Looking down at the card in my hand, I found an extra line at the bottom. A postscript I hadn't noticed before.
"PS," it read. "Remember what we talked about, bella. Don't try anything stupid. Do not try to run away, change your address, or do anything equally dumb. I. Will. Find. You. And when I do, you will discover an agony so encompassing it will overshadow the pain of death."
This was a threat. Plain and simple, and the scariest part was I believed him. I believed he'd do everything he wrote and more.
Giving in to the hopelessness I was feeling, I tore the card and its envelope into shreds. I looked around the small apartment, trying to find anything off or out of place. Thankfully there was nothing visibly wrong, and the relief flooding through me caused my eyes to fill and my bottom lip to quiver.
What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Elaine?
A blue stuffed dinosaur in the corner caught my attention, and all of a sudden, I remembered I didn't pick my son up last night.
Panicking, I found my phone in my black purse, which was abandoned by the door, and checked the time.
Eleven minutes past ten in the morning, it said.
"Shit, shit, shit," I cursed as I realized I was now late for work.
The detour I had unwillingly taken last night had messed up my rhythm. Usually, I would've been up at least four hours before this time, showered, and ready for my morning job as a receptionist.
Waking up at this time meant Adrian would miss school today because I couldn't pick him up, get him ready, drop him off, and head to my job without getting fired for lateness as I walked through the door. And I couldn't get fired. I needed that money. Missing one day of school was inconsequential compared to losing my job.
I cursed Giovanni Enrico again for putting me in this situation as I scrolled through the contacts on my phone, looking for the one I needed.
"Hello, Elaine," Lia answered on the second ring, and my mood picked up.
"Hi, Lia. Oh my God, I'm so sorry for not showing up last night to pick Adrian up. Something came up, and I had to deal with it, and the night got away from me."
I hated lying to Lia. She was an excellent friend and babysitter. I could show up at any hour with Adrian, and she would take him with a smile and not a single word of judgment for me. She'd set him playing with her own son and would even help with his homework. Lia was the sweetest, and I was grateful every day to have her in my life.
"No worries, sweetie. Adrian and Mikey had a blast having a sleepover. There were cookies and Paw Patrol, and they had the time of their tiny little lives," she giggled.
I let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. Listen, I know you deserve an explanation, so I'll just come by after work, and we'll talk."
"Elaine, you know you don't have to explain a single thing to me. You know I'm happy to help. Us single parents have got to stick together, am I right?"
I let out a small chuckle, my first in what felt like forever. "You're right. Thanks."
I heard Lia hesitate on the other line. "There's really no problem, sweetie," she started. "But I could sense something was off with Adrian this morning, so I asked him. Elaine, he was worried about you. I think he would feel a lot better if he spoke to you."
My heart leaped in my chest. "Of course," I told her. "Put him on the phone."
There was a moment of shuffling and silence before a small voice filled my ear and my heart.
"Mommy?"
"Hi, teddy bear," I managed to choke out through my thick throat.
"Mommy!" he exclaimed, causing my eyes to fill.
"How're you doing today, baby?" The tears fell, and I tried not to let them show in my voice.
"I'm fine, Mommy. I had plenty of fun last night, but I can't find Blue. Do you know where he is, Mommy?"
I laughed and found the blue dinosaur in the corner with my eyes. "Blue is at home, baby. I'll bring him for you when I see you this evening."
"Oh, goodie! Thank you, Mommy! What about school today? Am I not going?"
"I'm sorry, baby, but you're going to have to miss today. But don't worry, I will talk to your teacher when I see her tomorrow, okay?"
"Okey-dokey," he agreed happily, causing me to smile.
"Anything else you wanna tell Mommy?"
"Nope, I'm okey-dokey."
"Alright, teddy bear, I'll see you tonight. Be a good boy, okay? Give Lia the phone."
"Okey-dokey, Mommy, I will. Remember to take your vity-mins."
There was the sound of footsteps next, and I tried to get the aching I felt for my little angel under control.
"Elaine?" came Lia's voice next. "You've spoken to Adrian?"
"Yeah," I told her, wiping my wet cheeks. "He's alright. Thank you for taking such good care of him. Really, I don't know how to thank you enough for what you do for me, Lia."
"Are you okay, Elaine?" she asked instead. "You sound . . . different. Is something wrong?"
For a second, I wanted to break down and tell her everything that happened last night, cry on her shoulder like she reminded me I could do almost every day. But in the end, I settled for lying through my teeth.
"I'm good, I promise. Listen, I've got to go. Gotta get ready for work. I'm already late."
"Alright, hon. Take care of yourself."
Ending the call, I stood in the middle of the bedroom, making plans for today. I had to shower and get to work. After that, I needed to stop by the supermarket for groceries.
A weird feeling stopped my brain mid-planning. It was the feeling of being watched.
Remembering the threat written on the card, now in pieces on my floor, I stiffened and gingerly made my way to the window covered by an old butter-yellow curtain.
Pushing it aside, I peered out into the street, half expecting one of Giovanni's men to lie waiting for me.
Thankfully the streets were empty, devoid of human or vehicular life.
With a relieved breath, I closed the curtain and started getting ready for work.
.......
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