When Erin had asked Matt to prom he didn't realize how big of a deal this prom thing was! He decided to stay late at the library doing some internet searches and serious prom research! Not to mention to be sure to ask his friends about prom. What he came to understand was that prom was like the homecoming dance, but on steroids! So, after truly realizing the importance (he had to make it up to Erin for dropping the ball) he began to create a to do list. A list of things that would have to be completed before prom and so he would cause no additional distress to Erin or to not further disappoint Erin! Matt had already felt insanely guilty for not asking her first to prom (akin to a haunting feeling and he laughed at his own assessment...hauting...haha). So, after his actual studies in the library he moved to handling the prom 'stuff'. While he was sure that Emmeline and Gregory weren't sure of prom either, they had been to dances and balls, so they should have some idea, right? Leaving the library with of list 'important things for prom' and questions to ask he felt more prepared than he did a week ago when Erin had asked him. He groaned, when she asked him not that he was disappointed that she asked but rather... if papa or Emmy knew...they would be so disappointed in him!!!!
He drove the packard back to the Octagon House. He was driving by himself, Ania stayed home (there was no need to be a chaperone) and Erin had something else that she was doing. When he drove down the drive he was surprised to see that he could see no candles or lanterns illuminating the Octagon House. A feeling of dread overcame him similar to the fear when he was kidnapped by those bad men that caused him to live here permanently. He shook his head trying to kick the dark thoughts out of his head....
***
Nine year old Matthew.
That morning he fought with his mom, all the kids in his class had cell phones and he couldn't understand why he couldn't have one too! She shook her head, "Go on, leave. You better leave for the bus otherwise you'll really be in trouble and I will take your Nintendo DS away from you!"
"Whatever," Matt whispered to himself and Matt did as he was told. He boarded the bus with his sister in tow. Nine year old Matt did notice that there were three black sedans but thought nothing of it. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20; they were ominous and even looked shady. If only he called better attention to them he would have done something different?
He attended school normally. Matt had after school programs and wouldn't take the bus back but, his sister did.
"Matthew? We were told to pick you up from school by your mom, she was held up." One man in black spoke.
Matthew nodded looking around the parking lot for his mom. However, she wasn't there so what they said must be true? Matt didn't know that they were the ones to cause her tardiness with a minor accident. Matt also didn't know they were the ones to intercept a phone call to have another parent pick him up. Matthew got into the car. Wishing how he hadn't and how his life would be different. But that is the thing with hindsight its perfect, a perfect 20/20. Matt did enter the car and there didn't seem to be any initial issues. However, after they left the school and were driving down a secluded road, the care stopped. The men tied him up and threw him in the trunk.
Now Matt understood the trouble he was in and he thrashed around which provided the opportunity to free his hands. He had recalled an episode on television that would help save his life...and his mom thought tv was a waste! He thought to himself as he grimly chuckled.
Matthew untied his hands and then he kicked out the rear light of the vehicle. He then grab the trunk escape latch and pulled on it ready to make his move when the time was right. The 'right' time did eventually present itself and he threw open the hatch of the trunk and jumped out when the vehicle was slowly accelerating from its stopped position. Matt ran into the woods or what he thought was the woods but was actually the entrance to the Octagon House and it's property. Matt ran with all his might and what his little 9-year-old legs could handle. When he had jumped out they had fired two shots at him one of them grazing his his leg but otherwise he ran away fairly safely. Running blindly in the woods was causing more damage, but with the men chasing him and who clearly had an intention to kill him he couldn't slow down. He relied heavily on the adrenaline of the situation and with the sun getting low, the shadows and the cover of darkness should help? Matt tripped and fell on a system of roots plunging a old rotten stick into his abdomen and between the branches whipping him his face and arms and legs and his grazed bullet wound he was looking pretty rough. His consciousness was slowly fading as he wobbled when he found a house. His fuzzy mind was ecstatic when he went to go knock on what he thought was the front door was actually the cellar door and he collapsed down the stairs at the bottom. His mind was slowly turning off... maybe... he thought... maybe he would be okay. The rest was history.