How had I not known something was up? How had I not ever thought that it was weird that Cost never mentioned his ‘sister’ no matter how estranged they had been in the past? How had it not clicked when I heard his mother crying over losing ‘her only baby’? How had I missed every blaring sign that had been put in my face? I thought of Harry and of how I had been so distracted with him and I realized that was why. I also remembered that he indirectly was the reason I was being held captive by a psychotic woman who was threatening my life. I knew it wasn’t his fault, but somehow couldn’t help feel some type of resentment towards him at this exact moment.
I wasn’t sure how many hours had passed. The curtains had been drawn shut when I had awoken and it appearead that no light was now shining through them so it must have been late in the evening. My stomach rumbled and my mouth was dry. I tried not to lick my lips since they were already cracked and parched.
I remembered I had to use the bathroom. “Um, Carissa?” I asked.
She had been sitting on the bed, scrolling through her phone. She had been silent for the last half an hour and it worried me. I had seen plenty of television shows about kidnappings to know not to antagonize your kidnapper even though I still hoped this was a joke, a very sick joke, but a joke nonetheless.
“Let’s get one thing straight, first. My name is not Carissa - at least not anymore. I don’t think Carissa and Harry go very well do you?”
I shook my head no, trying to engage in her sick fantasy.
“I think I like the name ‘Emily’ it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Harry and Emily? What do you want?”
“I really have to use the bathroom,” I said, trying not to sound too desperate in my request.
“I figured this would happen. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I hadn’t planned on being ignored for this long. Damn it, I need to do something to move this along.” She bent own and untied the bottom of my restraints, freeing my hands and then untied the top, freeing my hands.
My heart stopped when I heard something heavy click. I turned to see her pointing a silver gun at me. “Any funny business and I’ll use this.”
I nodded as best as I could and closed the distance between the chair and the bathroom. She followed behind me and demanded I leave the door open. I went to the bathroom as she watched me, tears silently streaming down my face as the reality of this situation got ten times heavier.
She tied be back up the chair once I was finished and I realized I should have asked for something to eat and drink. I was afraid to ask for that much, though. I contemplated how best to go about it when she came up to me and touched my cheek. “You have lovely skin,” she said. She held out a cup with a straw.
I peered into the cup.
“It’s only water, she said, “We can’t have you looking all dehydrated now can we?”
I took a sip of the liquid and it turned out to be water as she said. I finished what was in the cup and she held a bite of something up to my lips. “It’s only a ham and a cheese sandwich, but you still need your strength.”
I ate the sandwich as she fed it to me and allowed me to drink more water once I was done. I thanked her and she smiled at me. “Anything for my big star.”
I felt very confused by her actions. They were back and forth since earlier this evening she was yelling at me but now she was being more pleasant than she had been. It scared me even more as I thought of how unstable she must have been and how she had a gun and I was trapped in this room with her.
I must have dozed off in my thoughts because my head snapped open and I heard birds chirping. It must be Wednesday. I thought of Cost’s funeral the next day and the sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach made me think that for some reason I wouldn’t be able to be there.
“Good morning, sleepyhead!” A cheerful voice exclaimed. I felt someone tousle my hair and instantly knew it was Carissa – Emily? She walked around the room, humming to herself and making gestures with her hand, I think she was dancing. I watched her when she was within my eyesight trying to find some logic behind her actions.
From what I had understood, she was a fan of Harry’s, but a fan might be an understatement considering the situation I now found myself in.
“I’m going to go get some breakfast! We have a long day ahead of us,” she proclaimed. She left the room, leaving me alone with in the tiny and dirty hotel room. I glanced around. I had to get out and this might be my chance to do so. I didn’t know where my phone was but I didn’t care. If I could just find my keys to get my car I might be able to escape.
I glanced around the room and saw a butter knife sitting next to a jar of mayonnaise and some sandwich bread on the desk in the motel room. I scooted the chair over to the desk and realized there was no way I would be able to grasp the knife and try to untie myself. I scooted the chair back hoping Carissa wouldn’t notice I had moved.
I sighed and felt tears burning my eyes. I sniffed and tried to stop being emotional despite how scared I was. I felt so angry and trapped, too. I just wanted to be out of this hotel room and away from this crazy lady and I felt as if I might do something drastic to get out. But then I looked and saw the gun sitting on the bed and remembered Carissa had the upper hand over me at least at this moment.
I heard the key turn in the lock and was thankful my keys had dried at that moment. She entered the room and set the paper bag down on the table. She hummed and set about organizing the food on some paper plates she had brought back with her.
She moved over and untied my hands. “I bet those are getting a little tight on your wrist, aren’t they?”
I nodded and she handed me a plate. She seemed so calm today, it made me very worried, especially when I recalled how she said this was a ‘big day’. The plate in my hands held some sort of egg and cheese sandwich on a roll and I peeked inside. It seemed harmless and I ate the sandwich in front of me. Carissa watched me as I ate, holding the gun pointed at me. I hadn’t noticed she had picked it up until I saw the flicker of her yellow dress in the shiny metal.
“Good, right? I found that place when I first got to Los Angeles.”
She handed me a cup of water and I drank the whole thing, not realizing how dehydrated I must have been. I felt as if I could eat five more breakfast sandwiches as well.
Carissa moved and untied my feet. She tossed a towel towards me and pointed towards the shower. “We can’t have our big star all dirty can we?”
I followed her orders and she followed me into the bathroom. I didn’t bother asking for privacy since I knew I couldn’t get any. I turned on the water and let it get warm before undressing and stepping inside. She watched me as I showered and I made sure to try my best to shield my body from her eyes as I could. I felt so violated being watched by this crazy woman so I cleaned myself as quickly as I could.
Once finished, she handed me a pile of clean clothes and I dressed quickly. My face looked tired and my appearance was worn down despite just having had a hot shower and clean clothes. Mentally, I was exhausted and physically I wasn’t sure how much more my body could take of the torture it had been through.
“You’re not going to like this next part, dear,” she said.
I watched her as she moved towards a new cup of liquid that had been placed on the table. She handed it to me. “Drink up.”
I cautiously took the drink. I assumed it to be some sort of drug that had made me fall asleep like the one she had given me the other day. I glanced at the table. I saw the small metal lamp. I don’t know how it hadn’t occurred to me before. It was within reach of me. I glanced back at Carissa.
Thinking quickly, I put the cup to my lips and let it fall. In the moment the cup fell, I saw Carissa’s eyes dart to the ground and I grabbed the lamp, ripping it from it’s plug in the wall. I smashed it over her head and watched as she crumpled to the ground, the gun falling out of her hand. I picked it up and stood over her body in horror at what I had just done.
I searched around the room, trying to see keys and realized when I heard Carissa groaning, I needed to get out of there. I ran out of the room, and past the parking lot. I needed to get as far away from the area as I possibly could. I saw the main street and saw a police officer walking down.
“Help me!” I exclaimed, running over to him.
He stopped when he saw me. “Ma’am! Put the gut down!”
He withdrew his gun from his own holster and pointed it at me. I realized I had the gun in my hands and threw it down on the ground.
“Get down on the ground!” He shouted.
I listened to his orders and got down on the ground. I heard him kick the gun away and next thing I knew a small crowd had been gathered as he put handcuffs on me. I tried to hide my face as photographs were taken. I had been recognized. The last thing I saw was the camera flash before being put into the back of a police car.