Breaking Taylor

After a while I lay the book down and decided to put the dress on. It would be better for me if I was dressed when David came in. I was deliberately slow and tried to keep my mind off of what was to happen. Instead I tried to remember that day, my last real day of freedom that Chris had said was almost a year ago.....

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CHAPTER 8

It had been a hotter than normal July. The holiday weekend. The fourth was tomorrow and I planned to go watch the fireworks at the lake. I had been jogging in the park. I slowed to a walk at the end of my run. I saw a path I had never been on before and decided to walk it while I was winding down from my run. I had my ear buds in listening to my favorite tunes. Classic 80's. To me that was the best music made. Of course, some of the older stuff was good too, I just preferred that music era. Sometimes I felt like I was getting old. I had seen the era of the walkman. Over the years it got smaller, held more music then progressed to the newer devices such as the IPod and MP3 players. I chose the later.

The path became narrower and the blacktop stopped. I paused, removed one ear bud then went on. The park was so beautiful this time of year. Everything was green, everything was blooming. It was so fragrant here. The park was patrolled well, if trouble happened one good scream and people would come running, so I felt secure here. It's why I chose this park. After the stalking, knowing the stalker was still out there and unidentified, I felt better knowing people were close. I had moved from my country home to an apartment in town just to be around people, hoping it would deter the stalker. The adjustment had been hard. I loved the solidarity of the country, the privacy it offered. Once this stalking business was over I was moving back. I'm just not a city person. The sounds of the city could be overwhelming at times. The traffic always going no matter what the hour, the horns honking late into the night. Someone always fussing in the streets. Sirens going constantly to destinations unknown to me. I didn't understand how anyone could handle the stress of city living. It seemed that nothing ever rested here, no peace and quiet anywhere except here in the park.

I looked at the various plants on the path. It amazed me that even in town there were varieties I had out in the country. I loved to study edible plants. I loved hiking and living off the land. I took very little supplies when I hiked. Nature would provide if you knew what to look for. Lamb's lettuce growing all over the ground. Great raw to snack on or even better in salad with a light vinaigrette. Sorrel, also great for snacking, or better cooked up like greens with a little bacon grease and butter for flavor. Everywhere I looked I was able to identify something. With all of the dangerous foods being sold today it was comforting to know that I had much safer alternatives available to me. I would not classify myself as an expert on edible plants, far from it. I had just begun studying them a few months before I came to the city. I found it fascinating though and tried every plant I was able to identify. Most of them I loved.

The path became much quieter. The park was full of people, most enjoying the holiday with their families. Some were picnicking, some were playing Frisbee with their dogs, and others jogged the path or rode their bikes. Those sounds had slowly become softer the farther I had followed the path. It was quiet now. The only sounds were those made by nature and well, something I just couldn't place. It had to be my imagination working overtime or maybe some barely audible sound on the music player that my mind had zeroed in on. I shrugged it off and walked on. The day was too pretty, the path too beautiful to let my imagination spoil this time alone.

I was a writer. Published in newspapers, magazines and had been working on my first novel. I had hoped to have it finished by the Christmas holidays for a Spring release. Everything in my life was carefully planned and going according to schedule, but yet I always felt something was missing. I had no significant other. I dated sure, but no one had impressed me enough to really hook up with. After my divorce from Jack I just had not felt the need to get into the dating scene. The children were with Jack since the stalking began. We felt it would be safer for them. Our divorce was not bitter, quite the opposite, we remained close friends. I had my animals out in the country though, they kept me company. There is something to be said for the unconditional love of an animal. In its own way it is fulfilling. I missed my pets very much. I went out to the farm as often as I felt safe doing so but it was not often enough for me. So, for this moment, this remote path in the park gave me some of the serenity that my farm did.

Just off the path a family of squirrels was playing. I stopped to watch them. The young squirrels were adorable running around the trunk of a tree. There was a large tree next to me, I leaned against it quietly so as not to disturb the squirrels. I could watch them for hours if they didn't run away. There was just something about baby animals that mesmerized me, captivated my attention. I could never put it into words. The squirrels paused, looked at me, determined I was not a threat and went back to playing.

I'm not sure how long I had stood there; it had been a while though. I stepped away from the tree and began stretching because I had become a little stiff. The early arthritis did that sometimes, that's why I tried to exercise daily, too keep the stiffness away. The songs on my player have started repeating so I knew it was time to go. I turned to head back out of the path but never got a single step before an arm snatched me around the throat. A large hand went over my mouth. There was a cloth in it with a sweet smelling odor. In seconds I passed out. The last thing I remember seeing was a hawk soaring high above the trees of the path.

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I was amazed that I could recall it so vividly after so much time had passed. I wished now I had never left the main path in the park. I was looking in the mirror the dress was a perfect fit. It looked very nice on me. Dread was starting to creep over me. I was determined to do this though. Somehow I believed that doing it would help me get out of here, but I had not figured out how yet. I brushed my hair again, making it even silkier. Sometimes I wished men weren't so attracted to me. I was not drop dead gorgeous by any means, but I had a beauty to me. I had an air of confidence. I seemed to draw men. They would cross a crowded room to introduce themselves to me. Some would tell me they loved my articles, others had no clue who I was. That's why I sought the solace of the farm. Now I longed for that attention. I longed just to have some human contact beyond that of my tormenters. Some sign the world was still out there, somehow waiting for me to rejoin it.

I went back to the small couch and picked up the book to finish reading the chapter I had begun but my mind was going a thousand miles an hour. Trying to recall that last day of freedom sparked my mind to recall more memories. Ones I wish I hadn't. Ones that I wish I could bury forever. Only one person could spark in me the fear I felt on those first days and that was David. As I remembered that first day I also remembered the fear. Fear so real it was palpable with substance.

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I was waking up. Something was wrong, I couldn't move, well not very well. I tried to open my eyes, but something was over them. I tried to reach them to pull off whatever it was but my wrists were tied to something. I began to struggle, tried to scream. I couldn't open my mouth, there was tape over it. My ankles too had been bound with some type of rope. Don't panic I tried to tell myself. It was useless. I fought the restraints and tried to scream until I heard someone. I froze, not knowing what to expect, hoping this would have a good outcome. Unfortunately I didn't know then just how long the ordeal would last.

"You're awake. Good." A voice, deep and definitely male spoke. He was doing something but I couldn't tell what. I wondered if this was the same man I had encountered on the path.

There was another noise on the far side of the room where I was. I realized the man was not alone. How many were there? My mind was trying to assess the situation and formulate a plan of escape. I tried to stay focused on what was happening.

"She was out quite a while. Are you sure you didn't over do it?" The second man asked. My God the voice sounded familiar. Out, what did he mean? How long was I out? Where was I? Why was I here? What did they want? I began struggling again and trying to scream.

"Calm down. The ropes are secure. If you keep fighting all you'll do is hurt yourself." The first man said as he touched the side of my face. I tried to jerk away from him, to protest, to no avail. He grabbed my hair, hard, which immobilized me. "The more you cooperate the easier this will be." He spat then let go of my hair. I struggled harder. I wish I could scream, maybe someone would hear me. I noticed the ropes were starting to hurt my wrists and ankles and fought even harder.

"We'll need to change the restraints to something a little easier on her skin." The second man said. I heard metal sounds and it felt as if they were placing things beside me. Why did that voice sound so damn familiar? Who the hell was it? I calmed a bit. I reasoned that if the voice was familiar maybe this was some sort of sick prank by someone I knew. I didn't know then just how close to the truth I really was.

"Listen carefully." Man one said. "I am going to untie you for a minute. Not all at once of course, in steps. You will not fight us. You will do as you're told and everything will be fine." He took me by the ankles and pulled my legs out straight. "Nod if you understand."

I didn't nod. I tried instead to kick him. The second man placed something cold and metal against my cheek. I tried to scream again.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked as he pushed the metal harder into the side of my face. I shook my head no. "It's a gun. It's loaded. I will use it if you don't calm down." He said. Instantly I became still. My mind was reeling. Why were they holding me at gunpoint? What were they going to do to me? If this was a sick prank why would they need a gun?

"Good. Now we can get this done." The first man had my ankles again, he was untying the ropes. I noticed I was barefoot. What had happened to my shoes? I felt the leather wrapping around my ankle. I heard the click of a padlock. This was absolutely not good. I didn't move because the second man still had the gun pressed against my face. The first man had put the leather on both of my ankles and locked them together. Then he pulled me out so that I was stretched across whatever I was lying on. It felt like a bed, smaller than mine though. He used what sounded like a chain to fasten my ankles to something.

"Now I'm going to do the same to your wrists. Are you going to cooperate?" Man one said. Man two had moved away and the gun was no longer against me, but I assumed it was still pointed at me so I nodded. Man one took my wrists loose and removed the ropes. I noticed just how raw they were when he placed the leather around them and winced. He seemed to not notice, or not to care. I wondered how long I'd been struggling before I came to. I heard the same clicking of locks, the same rattle of what sounded like a chain, and felt the same restraint when he pulled my arms tight up to the top of what I was lying on. Fear began to invade me. If this was some sick prank why would they need such drastic restraints?

The man moved away again. I heard shuffling noises. Then he was back. "Now, listen very carefully. I'm going to remove your blindfold and gag. You are not to scream. Is that clear?" He sat on the edge of what I began to believe was a bed. He laid something down next to me.

I felt the gun press into my side this time, so I nodded. I reasoned that a gut shot might not be fatal if I screamed, but I knew I could not get loose before they did something else. Then the tape was ripped from my lips. I gasped.

"Why am I here?" I demanded and struggled a little. Neither of them answered me. The blindfold was removed. The sudden light hurt my eyes and it took a few minutes for focus to return. I looked around as much as I could, my heart sank. There wasn't two of them, there were at least five. "Where am I?" I asked looking at the one sitting next to me. They all had on black clothing and black face masks so I could not identify them, not even their race because they also had on black gloves. The gun was still at my side so I didn't struggle anymore. There were far too many of them for me to have any realistic hope of getting out of this at the moment.

"Don't worry about it. Lift your head up." Man one ordered as he picked up a leather blindfold. I did as I was told and he placed the blindfold on and snugged it tight. I was blind again. It was padded and more comfortable than the bandana was at least. It appeared that they assumed I would be wearing them for a while.

"Please tell me what it is that you want with me. If it's money I have enough. I can pay you." I tried to reason with them and figure out why I had been brought here. Again I was ignored. I felt leather go around my face and something press against my mouth. I shut it. Biting my lip. I knew I didn't want whatever they were about to do. "Open your mouth." Man one ordered. The gun poked my side again. I began sobbing. "Please don't do this. I swear I won't scream." But what I now realized was a gag began to enter my mouth. I screamed but it was muffled as the gag went in. It felt like a ball. I felt the strap around my face tighten. I immediately tried to push it out. The men laughed. Then I felt something wrap under my chin and snug down. I couldn't move my jaw to push the gag out! All I could do was groan in protest.

I heard the shuffling again. Man one had moved away from the bed. The gun was removed. I began struggling, hard. Every move I made rattled the chains. I hated the sound of that metal. It was a sound I knew I would never forget. My mind was racing, then I calmed down a little when I heard them laughing. What was so funny? I was terrified and they were laughing. I wish they would just do whatever they had in mind so they could let me go and this would be over. When they spoke I realized my ordeal had just begun.

Man one spoke first. "Taylor." He began as his voice seemed to float around the room. "It's pointless to fight you'll only hurt yourself. You know this is true because I saw how raw your wrists and ankles are. They hurt, I know. That's why I changed you into the leather. It will not make you so raw." His voice seemed disembodied.

"People know you're missing." Man two said in that strangely familiar voice. "They have no idea where you are and they never will. A lot of ground can be covered in ten hours. The less you fight us the easier this will be." Man two informed me. My heart sank. Ten hours, I could be on the other side of the country if I was even still in the country. I knew people would be looking for me, and would eventually find me I believed. I calmed a little resigning myself to endure this until I was found.

"No one saw us on the path. No one saw you leave the park. I left your cell phone in the park and that's how they found out you were missing. They found your phone." Man one stated. I knew cell phones could be tracked so that blew the hope they could use it to find me. "As for why you are here. You all ready know the answer, all you need to do is think about it." There was a shuffling sound again, and then a door closed. They were gone and I was alone.

He said I knew why I was here, how could that be? I had done nothing to deserve this. Who would want to do this to me? I began racking my brain trying to piece this together. Nothing jumped out at me. I struggled against my bonds to see just how secure they were. I could not pull them loose. I used my fingers to trace the cuffs. They were secured together with a small padlock. I followed the chain to a headboard. It, too, was secured with a small lock. I assumed the same was true for my feet. I tried to reach my head but couldn't so removing the blindfold and gag was out of the question. I could barely swallow with the gag. I almost choked the first time I tried. Ok, I'm stuck. So why am I here?

After what seemed like hours something came to me. The stalker. Somehow he had followed me into the park. It had been almost a year with no contact from him. I thought it was over. All of the letters, the calls, the flowers, the gifts and here I was. But who were the other men? I thought the stalker was just one man. Was that how he was so effective in stalking me? He had help. Fear gripped me. There were all sorts of stories about stalkings gone wrong. Why did I let my guard down? Why hadn't they even so much as identified him? Could it be because there was a team and that made identification impossible? They must not have criminal records or else they would have been identified. That brought me little comfort. Men with no criminal past still did terrible things. At least they had not raped me. That brought me some comfort, but not for long I would soon realize.

I was so thirsty and hungry. Surely they did not bring me here to starve me to death. I assured myself they would bring food and water soon. I wondered where I was, how I got here, how they got me out of the park with no one seeing me. I wondered mostly who the second man was, the one with the familiar voice. I tried to relax; there was no point in hurting myself. It would not help if I was injured and had the opportunity to escape. It was then that I noticed I no longer had on my jogging clothes.

I had been wearing a light tank top, biker shorts and a fanny pack. I knew the fanny pack was gone. It had my MP3player, cell phone, some money and my water bottle attached to it. I assumed it had been left in the park. Where had my clothes gone, and when? The idea that they might have done something to me while I was unconscious terrified me. It didn't feel like they had though so that reassured me. I did have clothes on. It felt like a light summer dress. It was short, just above my knees if I judged right. My underclothes had been removed. Dread seeped into my bones. Why would they do that if they did not have plans to do something worse? Reality began to settle in and I tried to scream. It sounded more like a stifled grunt. I doubted they could hear me just outside the door much less any farther. How could I do something to bring attention to where I was? I began to panic. I fought the restraints, tried to scream. I almost choked on saliva that I couldn't swallow. I was crying, the blindfold was getting damp. Suddenly I felt a cloth over my face again, and that sweet smell. In seconds I passed out, again.

CHAPTER 9

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I was so lost in thought I never heard David come in. My back was to the door.

"Good morning. I see you've dressed. Stand up let me see how it looks on you." He sounded almost cheerful. David was so unpredictable I never knew what to say or do around him. I stood and turned around so he could see the dress. He still terrified me, but I held onto the hope that the rules he spoke about would prevent me from getting hurt. It was the only hope I had. I stopped and waited for him. I feared that anything I might do would be the wrong thing, so I waited.

"I brought breakfast. Eat then we'll get started." He uncovered the dishes he had brought in so silently. Why hadn't I heard him? Had I really been that immersed in those memories? I watched as he pulled out a chair for me. Sarcastically I thought, now he is a gentleman. Cautiously I took the chair.