out, I was shocked to see how full the house was. I could vaguely remember the empty shell of a house Steve Bennett had, and the files the FBI had on the case were lacking in photographs except for the deteriorating structure. There hadn’t been much furniture, the windows had been bored, and all in all the house looked like it had been foreclosed on. Here there were photos on the wall, mostly landscapes and paintings, even knickknacks on the shelves. There was furniture; well taken care of if I had to guess from the lack of scratches or holes,
The stairs were well kept, the hardwood unscathed from shoes or mud. The house looked to be newly finished, refurbished, maybe even just off the market.
The downstairs was just as full, the kitchen fully stocked, with clean appliances; nothing like Steve's house. The windows were still sealed, and there wasn't a back door, leaving only one entrance and exit. My stomach churned at the thought, but I had to try, even if he was just lying in wait to see if I tried to escape. The wooden floors creaked as I walked, following my footsteps and letting them echo through the empty house. I could hear my heart beating wildly in my chest as my hand landed on the doorknob.
The front door opened easily, too easily if you asked me. Steve's had to be yanked open, even then most times he couldn't even open it. The door opened smoothly at my touch and soon the sunlight shone brightly on to my skin. I was taken aback by the bright light, and the cold air that wrapped around my body. I seemed to be looking out onto a farmland area—there was nothing but trees and what seemed to be miles of grass fields. He would find me easily if I escaped out this way, but it was the only way out from what I could tell.
Don't try to escape.
I gingerly took a step outside, fearful if he was around, but I couldn't see anyone in sight. Freedom was so close to me, I could run and make it to a town. I could make it to a phone and call the police, but what if he found me? What about those girls? They were here all alone, and would die if I left to save myself. You need to be a team player, you have to think of the team, Callum’s words echoed in my head. The sad part was they were true. I had to think about those girls, I had to get them out alive.
As I shut the door, I decided it was better to follow Anna’s lead on this one. I had to play along, at least until I found a way for the girls to get out with me. They were trapped in the basement, left there to starve to death. I had to save them, I needed to get them out alive before I could even think of leaving. Those girls had families, they had lives, and they were ripped away from them because this man fixated on me. I had to make it right, even though I didn’t take them, I was the reason they were taken.
Chapter 16
The next few days I spent in silence. I only spoke when he talked to me directly, and that was to please him. From studying and working on cases like these over the years, I knew that sometimes it was better to play into the fantasy. While it could be dangerous, especially since I still didn’t know what he wanted from me, if I stepped out of line for a moment, it could also keep me alive longer to figure out a plan to get the girls out of this house. I would do just about anything to get them all out of here alive.
He had left them in the basement, without food or water, and soon they would start to die. There was variation for how long certain people could survive without those necessities, but here they were weak and vulnerable. The ones that had been here the longest would suffer quickly. The others would have a harder time surviving after watching their friends die a slow death, they would be susceptible to illness, and they would lose hope faster. The will to live would keep them alive, but if I didn't do something they wouldn't even have that for much longer.
For a few hours every day I noticed the
The stairs were well kept, the hardwood unscathed from shoes or mud. The house looked to be newly finished, refurbished, maybe even just off the market.
The downstairs was just as full, the kitchen fully stocked, with clean appliances; nothing like Steve's house. The windows were still sealed, and there wasn't a back door, leaving only one entrance and exit. My stomach churned at the thought, but I had to try, even if he was just lying in wait to see if I tried to escape. The wooden floors creaked as I walked, following my footsteps and letting them echo through the empty house. I could hear my heart beating wildly in my chest as my hand landed on the doorknob.
The front door opened easily, too easily if you asked me. Steve's had to be yanked open, even then most times he couldn't even open it. The door opened smoothly at my touch and soon the sunlight shone brightly on to my skin. I was taken aback by the bright light, and the cold air that wrapped around my body. I seemed to be looking out onto a farmland area—there was nothing but trees and what seemed to be miles of grass fields. He would find me easily if I escaped out this way, but it was the only way out from what I could tell.
Don't try to escape.
I gingerly took a step outside, fearful if he was around, but I couldn't see anyone in sight. Freedom was so close to me, I could run and make it to a town. I could make it to a phone and call the police, but what if he found me? What about those girls? They were here all alone, and would die if I left to save myself. You need to be a team player, you have to think of the team, Callum’s words echoed in my head. The sad part was they were true. I had to think about those girls, I had to get them out alive.
As I shut the door, I decided it was better to follow Anna’s lead on this one. I had to play along, at least until I found a way for the girls to get out with me. They were trapped in the basement, left there to starve to death. I had to save them, I needed to get them out alive before I could even think of leaving. Those girls had families, they had lives, and they were ripped away from them because this man fixated on me. I had to make it right, even though I didn’t take them, I was the reason they were taken.
Chapter 16
The next few days I spent in silence. I only spoke when he talked to me directly, and that was to please him. From studying and working on cases like these over the years, I knew that sometimes it was better to play into the fantasy. While it could be dangerous, especially since I still didn’t know what he wanted from me, if I stepped out of line for a moment, it could also keep me alive longer to figure out a plan to get the girls out of this house. I would do just about anything to get them all out of here alive.
He had left them in the basement, without food or water, and soon they would start to die. There was variation for how long certain people could survive without those necessities, but here they were weak and vulnerable. The ones that had been here the longest would suffer quickly. The others would have a harder time surviving after watching their friends die a slow death, they would be susceptible to illness, and they would lose hope faster. The will to live would keep them alive, but if I didn't do something they wouldn't even have that for much longer.
For a few hours every day I noticed the
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