Chapter 29
Violet
I have been holding my need to pee since the moment the second half of the game started. Even with only five minutes left on the clock, I can't hold it any longer.
I walk as fast as I can to the restroom because I don't want to miss the end of the game. Hopefully, Adrian or one of his teammates can make a goal and win this game. Adrian needs this. He was sad that Taylor couldn’t make it today, but I promised that I would record it and send the pictures to his dad.
I reach the restroom and do my business quickly. I wash and dry my hands, eager to get back. As I open the door, the noise from the game fills the air—cheers, shouts, and the sounds of parents urging their teams on. I start to walk faster, wanting to see how the game ends.
Suddenly, the atmosphere changes. The hair on the back of my neck prickles, a cold sensation creeping down my spine. I pause mid-step, glancing around instinctively. The noise of the game seems muted now, distant, like I’m hearing it through water.
Before I can process the unease building in my chest, a sharp, excruciating pain explodes at the back of my head. It’s as if a lightning bolt has struck me, sending shockwaves of agony through my skull. The world tilts violently, and I stumble forward, my knees buckling beneath me.
I crash face-first into the hard, uneven ground. The coarse dirt scrapes against my skin, and the impact sends another jolt of pain through my body. My arms feel like lead, unresponsive as I try to push myself up. A groan bubbles in my throat, but it barely escapes as a whisper.
Panic sets in. What just happened? I try to turn my head, desperate to see who or what hit me, but my body won’t cooperate. My vision blurs, the edges darkening as if someone is dimming the lights around me.
I fight to stay conscious, to call out for help, but my voice refuses to obey. My mind is a storm of confusion and fear. The cheers from the game seem impossibly far away now, the sound distorted and warped.
The cold dirt presses against my cheek as the darkness overtakes me, heavy and suffocating. The last thing I hear is the faint roar of the crowd, a cruel reminder of the life just out of reach as I slip into unconsciousness.
When I wake up, it feels like my head is going to explode. I try to move, but the pain intensifies. I raise a hand to my head, gingerly feeling for the source of the pain. My forehead seems fine, but as my fingers trace to the side and then the back of my head, I find a big lump.
The pain is excruciating.
I open my eyes, realizing that I’m swallowed by darkness. There’s no light.
Where the heck am I? I can't see anything.
I force myself to stay calm and let my eyes adjust to the dark.
After a few minutes, I can make out the room. It's large, and I can see some indistinct shapes of furniture.
Have I been here before? I don’t know.
I'm lying on top of a sleeping bag with my head resting on a pillow. I roll over and try to stand up, but I only make it to my knees. My heart pounds in my chest as I take in my surroundings. The room is unfamiliar, and the sense of disorientation is overwhelming. I need to figure out where I am and how to get out.
Slowly, I struggle to my feet on shaking legs, my head throbbing with each movement. The room is still mostly dark, but I can see enough to make out a door on the far side.
I take a cautious step, then another, until I'm close enough to reach out and touch the door. It's locked.
It could be worse, I could be chained to the wall.
True fear starts to creep in, but I push it down. I have to stay focused. I scan the room again, looking for anything that might help. There's a small window near the ceiling, but it's too high to reach. There's also a table with some papers on it, and a chair beside it.
I look around more closely and realize that I'm in some sort of hunting cabin. It has to be even though I don’t see any knives or guns around.
I walk over to the table, hoping for a clue. The papers are scattered, and I can't make much sense of them in the non-existent light. My eyes can only see so much in the dark. Sitting in the chair, I try to think. What happened to me?
I remember going to the restroom at Adrian's game, and then...nothing.
I reach for my phone, but it's not in my pocket. Whoever took me must have confiscated it. I feel a surge of anger and frustration. How could this happen? Who did this to me?
I hear a noise outside the door—a shuffling sound, like someone moving. My heart races. I stand up quickly, looking around for anything I can use as a weapon. The chair is too bulky, but maybe I can break off a piece of it. I tug at one of the legs, but it's sturdy and doesn't budge.
The noise comes again, closer this time. I back away from the door, my mind racing.
What if it's the person who took me? What if they’re coming back? Are they the one who has been sending me notes all this time? Fuck, how can I escape this place? Where are Adrian and Austin?
At the thought of both of them, I start to panic. My breath comes in short, rapid gasps, and my vision begins to blur.
No, I need to stay in control. Whoever has me is probably the same person who has been stalking me all these months. I have to stay calm Violet.
I force myself to take deep breaths. In and out. In and out. I need to figure out how to escape this cabin.
The door handle rattles, and I hold my breath. The door swings open, and a figure steps inside, silhouetted against the faint light from a small porch fan that’s rocking back and forth
A familiar voice rings out, chilling me to the bone.
The voice is so familiar, but it still takes me a moment to place it. I’ve been talking to this man at work for days now.
“Hello, Violet.”
“John, can you help me, please? I don’t know where I am or how I got here,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
John just faces me. In the dark, I only have his silhouette, I can't make out his features, but I think he might be smiling. “Violet, it’s okay. You’re with me now, and I will take good care of you.”
His words send a chill down my spine.
It was John this whole time.
The realization hits me like a freight train, and I feel the air rush out of my lungs.
“Why, John? Why are you doing this?” I ask, my voice trembling.
John Baker has always been so nice to me. He comes to the coffee shop every morning even when he’s not working and helping out. I never saw anything suspicious about him.
“You wouldn’t understand, Violet,” he says softly. “But don’t worry. You’ll come to see things my way. In time.”
I feel panic rising again, threatening to overwhelm me. But I have to stay calm. I need to find a way out of here. “Please, John, let me go. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”
He shakes his head slowly. “I can’t do that, Violet. You’re safe here with me. Just relax and everything will be fine.”
“But what about Miriam and your kids? Please don’t do this.”
“It’s okay, my little flower. They are going to be okay. Just relax. Nothing’s going to happen to you while you are with me.”
I nod, pretending to agree, but my mind is racing.
John turns on a gas light in the corner, and I can finally see my surroundings. This is indeed a hunting cabin, and I am stuck with this delusional man. He looks crazy as he takes up the frame of the cabin door. His friendly demeanor is now gone, instead I see a different man.
I would have never suspected him. John and Miriam Baker come to the shop almost every day. Their daughter is on the soccer team with Adrian, and they are good friends.
Poor Miriam and their kids. John will be in so much trouble if he doesn’t stop this madness.
Wait, he is already in so much trouble.
I see John walking around the cabin, checking the area. “John, please let me go. Don’t do this to your family. Miriam and the kids will be devastated if they find out what you are doing. It’s not too late. I won’t say anything. Just take me back to town, and we can forget about this.” I try to use his family to make him see reason.
John turns to face me, his expression softening for a moment before hardening again. “Little flower, I have been watching you since you arrived in town. I’ve shown you how much I love you, but you have ignored every one of my presents. Then I tried talking to you, but you always dismissed me. Then you started seeing that idiot, Austin. I warned you that you had to choose me, but again, you ignored me.”
My heart races as I listen to him. This man is completely unhinged. “John, what you’re doing is not love. It's an obsession. You need help. Please, let me go and get the help you need.”
He shakes his head, a look of sadness crossing his face. “You don’t understand, Violet. I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I’m going to make sure you understand that.”
I swallow hard, trying to keep my composure. “John, this isn’t the way. You can’t force someone to love you. It’s not real. It’s not right.”
John walks over to me, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and determination. “You’ll see, Violet. In time, you’ll see.”
I take a deep breath, trying to think of a way to escape. I have to stay calm and keep my wits about me. There must be something I can use to my advantage.
“John, can we at least talk about this? Maybe if you tell me why you feel this way, I can understand better,” I say, trying to buy myself some time.
He seems to consider my words for a moment, then nods. “Alright, we can talk. But you’re not leaving here, Violet. Not until you understand how much I love you.” John crowds my space cornering me on the table. Giving me no choice but to sit as he leans over me.
As he starts to speak, I listen carefully, my mind racing.
“You must understand Violet, I love you. I want you, need you. The moment I first saw you, I realized that you are my air, my water, the blood in my body. I knew that it was wrong, and I tried. I really tried to stop thinking about you. But every morning that I got to see your beautiful face made me want you more.” John keeps talking nonsense as I keep thinking that I need to find a way out of this cabin. I need to stay strong and not let fear overwhelm me. I have to find a way to survive this.