THE WINDOW by KATHI HARRIS

THE WINDOW by KATHI HARRIS - Sept 9, 2010

I just woke up in this room. I was laying on the floor. That was odd. I didn't know where I was. Everything looked unfamiliar. I could see by the light from the window. I was suddenly desperately frightened. I tried to sit up, but strangely, the floor seemed to move as if I was on the deck of a ship in a stormy sea. I felt sick to my stomach. I lay back down. I felt cold. Why was I on the floor? How did I get here? I pondered these questions for a time, my heart beating so fast, it felt as if it wanted to exit my body taking the wall of my chest with it. My was mouth dry, my palms wet, my breathing ragged. I finally gave up trying to answer these questions that plagued me. I had a pounding headache, and the mix of a head that felt as if it was going to explode at any moment and my quest to solve this mystery was not a good combination.

I lay quietly for awhile, taking deep, deep breaths. I felt a little better. And then I remembered, and panic almost overtook me...

I had been at the club with my girl friend, Jill. We'd been having fun until Jill invited these two guys over. At first they were very charming, then they started being jerks. We decided to leave them right there at the table and pretend to go to the ladies room, but we would just go home instead. It was getting late anyway and we both had work tomorrow. We told them we'd be right back, walked away from the table, then right out the door.

The wind was refreshingly cool on my face as the door swung shut behind us. "They were so arrogant, can you believe them?"

"Don't let's waste time even talking about them. Let's grab a cab and get out of here."

"Hey girls, I thought you were going to the ladies room? You're not running out on us, are you?"

"Of course not, Jill felt a little woozy and we just came out here to get some air."

"I think you're lying. What do you think Sam?"

"I think you're right man, these two don't seem to like our company."

Before I could say another word, the guy closest to me - Sam grabbed my arm and then hugging me from behind, whispered softly in my ear, "Act as if we're friends or else Greg is going to break your friend's neck like a chicken's."

I looked at Greg. He was holding Jill tightly, but as if they were lovers. I remembered watching an Oprah show that warned the viewers to never allow themselves to be taken by a would-be-kidnapper from the first site to the second. I opened my mouth to scream. Sam spun me around to face him. He smiled at me. "You think Greg won't hurt her? Make a sound and see what happens."

His smile and his words made me shiver with fear, because his smile looked so normal, and his words were so gentle."Walk with me," he said, turning me around. As I turned, Greg was just putting a white handkerchief back in his pocket. Jill sagged against him. He rested her head on his shoulder and supported her as we moved towards a black SUV.

I can still scream! I need to scream! I need to run! My mind shouted these commands to me. But I was immobilized by my concern for Jill. I couldn't leave her, or jeopardize her. What to do? What to do? My mind was a jumble. Then there was this strange smell and Sam's hand covered by a wet cloth, was clapped over my nose and mouth. He held me tightly to him, and though I struggled, it was not long, neither was the struggle fierce.

And now here I was in this room. But where was Jill?

I raised my head cautiously to look around me. Bright colors of light burst in front of my eyes. The pain in my head took on a new level of intensity. I put my head back down. Was there a door? Was it locked? It stood to reason that it would be. But I had to check to make sure. And where was Jill?

I gazed up at the window. They looked frail, those panes of glass. I wondered if there was something lying around that I could use to break them? That could be the escape route if the door proved not to be an option. The window didn't look very high. I was sure I could reach it without standing on anything.

Sunlight was just beginning to come in through those panes of glass. I rolled into the path it was making on the floor and it warmed me. Was it morning, afternoon, evening? Here was something new to worry about. How long had I been unconscious? Had I been raped? I didn't think so, I felt ok. Where was Jill? I had to get out of here. I sat up slowly, then lay down again. The room had started to move about again. I felt nauseous. I had to take it easy. But I didn't have that luxury. I had to find jill and get out of here.

I closed my eyes for a minute, but then, I realized I was drifting off to sleep. I couldn't fall asleep again, or worse, lose consciousness. My life, Jill's life, might depend on my staying awake. I forced my eyelids open, and opened my eyes wide. The effort this took was phenomenal. I thought slugishly, I have to get up. I have to find Jill. We have to get away from here. Then I wasn't thinking anything. There was only darkness.


- copyrighted by Kathi Harris

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