T he room smelled pleasant, like the grass after a good rain, reminding Sheila of summers spent on Fox Island as a girl, running around barefoot in the backyard of the house she’d lived in until her mother died.
That was so long ago, decades really. But, at this moment, it felt as if she were there. The cool breeze kissed her damp skin like a lover. Inhaling deeply, the fresh, clean air expanded her lungs, and it felt good.
She sensed movement behind her closed eyes and tried to open them, but the eyelashes on her right lid stuck together and it stung as they ripped apart.
This was not Fox Island.
Her vision was blurry and her head was thick with the brain fog that only happened after nights of serious drinking or one of her blackouts. Is this what happened? Had she fucked up again? Her mouth was cotton dry, and when she tried to swallow, she gagged.
The shadow in front of her danced around. She tried to follow its movements, but it wasn’t easy. She heard voices in the background, low voices, chuckling voices, familiar voices. Her breath came faster as she fought back panic. She must have passed out in a public place. What if she was at the university somewhere? What if one of her students saw her?
She struggled to stand up, but couldn’t. Her arms were lead and her legs wouldn’t respond.
“Just relax,” a man said in a kind voice. “Nobody’s here but you and me. It’s just the TV. I put it to CNN because you’re an avid CNN watcher, aren’t you?”
She tried to speak but her parched throat refused to comply.
“Now listen carefully and try to relax. I know it’s difficult because you don’t know yet where you are, but you have to try. I’m going to put a straw to your lips. I’m going to give you some water. Okay? Here it comes.”
Something must have happened. She must be at a hospital somewhere, and any minute, the kindly voice was going to explain to her what the hell was going on. Wherever she was, Morris was on his way. He had to be.
Sheila felt the plastic touch her lips. She puckered in reflex, sucking in the cool water. She took five long sips before he took it away.
“There. Better?”
She tried to nod but her head felt heavy.
“Now, I want you to listen to me. I want you to focus. Can you see me?”
She looked straight at him. Gradually, the abstract colors started taking shape and her vision began to fill out, transforming him from a two-dimensional picture into real life.
“Do you remember me from last night?” he asked, smiling.
She kept staring at him, struggling to focus as his features continued to sharpen. Tawny skin, dark hair, dark eyes appraising her behind thick-framed glasses, tall and confident. It came back to her quickly. Tony’s Tavern. Swiss-mushroom burger and a Diet Coke with lime. Yes, she remembered.
“James,” she said, her voice hoarse. “You’re James. Where am I?”
“At my house.” His voice was reassuring. “In a room in the basement, my most favorite room actually, a room only very few people get to see. You’re very lucky.”
“I don’t understand. Why can’t I move?” Her voice felt a little stronger now. She tried to look around the room but her head felt like rubber, lolling on her chest like a rag doll’s. It was bright in here. From somewhere in the room, a fan blew cool air into her face.
“Because I tied you down,” he said. “Look.”
She followed his direction and was shocked to see he was telling the truth. She was propped upright in a queen-size bed, pillows at her back. Her wrists and ankles were encased in thick steel bracelets attached to chains that were handcuffed to the wrought-iron headboard and footboard. A thick wool blanket covered her from the waist down. She couldn’t see or feel her feet.
“I don’t understand,” she said, again fighting the panic that started to churn in her belly. “I-”
“Are you going to throw up? Tell me now so I can get you a bin.”
She nodded. In a flash something metallic and shiny was in front of her and she vomited into it.
“Feel better?” He wiped her face with a moist paper napkin. Scented, like roses and vanilla, nauseating. A baby wipe. The straw touched her lips again. “Here, have more water.”
Her mouth tasted awful but she sucked anyway.
“Now, Sheila, I know you feel terrible right now, but that feeling will pass soon enough. It will change into something else, something worse I think, but I promise you that in a little while you’ll be able to think very, very clearly. Because in a minute your body is going to produce a surge of adrenaline and it’s going to help wake you up. Are you listening?”
She nodded. The voices coming from the TV were distracting. Democrats arguing with Republicans. It was difficult to concentrate. As if reading her mind, he muted the sound and stepped closer to her.
“Here’s the situation. We had dinner last night. I slipped something into your soda when you went to use the restroom. I’m sure you can guess what it was, because you always discuss date rape in week four of your social psych course. No need to panic, I didn’t rape you. With me so far?”
She nodded again.
“But I did bring you here to kill you. And I think it’s important you know this, that you understand this very clearly, because when you understand it, it makes my job a lot easier. And then other people don’t have to get hurt. Do you follow me so far? Do you understand everything I’m saying?” His voice was reasonable, soothing, and familiar.
She opened her mouth to say yes, but the sound that came out was no more than a squeak. Staring at him, she was helpless, frozen in the bed, her vision alternating between blurry and normal. Bile burned at the back of her throat. She vomited again and the bin was there to catch it. Once more he offered her the bottle of Evian with the white bendy straw, but this time she turned her face away.
“I need you to say that you understand me, Sheila.”
“But I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this. Please, James…” Her vision blurred. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again, trying to focus.
“Oops.” He sighed. “I forgot, forgive me. My name isn’t James.”
With a grin, his fingers reached into his shirt. It was a full minute before Sheila realized the screaming in the room was her own.
The man was peeling his face off.
Five minutes passed. Or five hours. She didn’t know. She had passed out, and when she woke up, the lights were off and the room was pitch-black.
From somewhere nearby, the man laughed, delighted. “Never fails to shock.”
Sheila heard panting in the room and wondered if there was a dog here. But, no, she was the one breathing hard. She couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen. A thousand questions flooded through her brain.
Who are you? Why are you doing this?
But the words wouldn’t come. All she could do was scream again in primal fear.
“You know, if I hadn’t prepared for this reaction, it’d be rather annoying,” the man said. “I turned off the lights to give you a minute to relax. Are you relaxed?”
Was he crazy? How could anyone relax in a situation like this?
“Silicone, darling. Just a little silicone. And some fake hair. You’ll see.”
She screamed again. It turned into a gag. In the darkness, she felt the water bottle touch her lips. She turned her head away, her breath coming faster. The last time she could remember breathing this hard was when she’d signed up for a spinning class at the university athletic club two months ago.
“Come on, drink,” he said, his voice gentle.
Sheila shook her head.
None of this was happening. It couldn’t be.
He sighed and she heard him place the water bottle on the nightstand. “Let me know if you want it.”
“Who are you?” she managed to croak. Her eyes were not adjusting to the absence of light and she couldn’t see anything. “What the hell is this?”
“I already explained that to you. Do you want me to go over it again?”
“Are you going to kill me?”
A momentary silence. Then she heard him walk away.
An instant later, the lights were on, sending streams of pain into Sheila’s eyes.
He smiled at her from the foot of the bed. At the sight of him, the room spun and the bile in her stomach rose.
Taking her hand in his, he sat down next to her and caressed her fingers. “Hello, Sheila.”
“Ethan.”
It was the only word Sheila managed to say before she vomited all over him.