"I have been ringing the bell for fifteen minutes, are you dead?" I yelled into the voice recorder and sent Jake. He wasn't opening the door to his apartment. The last time I saw him was two days ago due to my busy schedule. I even forgot the spare keys I had at home. Something was off, my gut wouldn't allow me to just let it go. I drove back home and grasped the keys.
"Jake! Hey. Are you sleeping?" I called out to no response as I entered his place. I halted my steps seeing the mess on the floor. "What in the world..."
His room was a mess too, like he was looking for something before he left; or maybe it was someone else. Jake was never messy and kept his things at the required places. I never once heard him losing one of his possessions. Now all the worst possible scenarios came crashing down. I tried calling Jake again but this time his phone seemed to be power off. Panic-stricken, I hurtled around the unit hoping for a cue; all in vain. My breathing was uneven, where was Jake? What had happened to him?
This sure wasn't normal. Defeated, I came back home with slouched shoulders. 'What else are you going to take from me, Jay?'...
Two months had passed, there was no sign of Jake. I asked some of his other friends where they last saw him and if he behaved in a peculiar way. They all observed the same things as me: tensed, paranoid and depressed. By this time I was sure somebody had kidnapped him. And that somebody could easily be Jay. Jake would never leave like this, without telling me anything.
"That prideful jerk! I want to punch his head off," I was losing my mind now. I had nobody to talk to about this either. "This is nuts. I'm going to call that langer."
I seized my phone, holding it close to my chest. I imagined all the possibilities of me calling someone I have to avoid at all costs. Then I slowly put it down. I grumbled and went to sleep again. A huge fail, because I kept dreaming all night. Thoughts I had been trying to bury away, from the past and the present. Sometimes I wished we could switch off the dreaming button in our life.
My life soon fall back into a pit, deep down where there were no rescue hopes. Those dark days, where I couldn't help but go back to America, and feel that night all over again. Feeling his presence, his secret will to live but the mission to keep me alive; the tears in his eyes. My heart was aching, falling apart. I lost the incline to fight anymore, I just let the echoes haunt me, rot my inner peace and tranquillity away. Another week passed by, I avoided looking at the mirror, my state was unbearable. Nothing seemed to cheer me up; not even happy memories now, no energy to smile. It seemed like a black haze was surrounding any positivity in my body, pulling me into chasm. I felt like Jay would come get me any second. I sometimes felt like laughing at myself. After losing Leo, I felt so unstable that even the slightest inconveniences brought me down.
One stormy night, I finally decided it was time to go out. I walked to the nearby grocery store. After buying some essentials, as I was making my way back to home, I was interrupted by high beams of a passer by vehicle. I covered my eyes with back of my hand. But instead of just passing by, the vehicle seemed to slow down. My heart skipped a beat. I took out the pocket knife Jake had once given me just in case. Increasing my momentum, I glided away. Suddenly two men conked open the car door and stopped me in my way. Without hesitating, I impaled the blade into one of their napes. The other one flew towards me but I dodged him, running away. But I was hindered by a bigger body, a black shadow. I tried to clasp his neck or arm but the other man vigorously grabbed my arms unabling me to fight back. The buff one then took out an object from his pocket. Squinting my eyes, I was able to make out the shape of a syringe. The man hurriedly stabbed me near my collar bone. It seemed to be a strong one, the second it was injected my body fell decrepit.
As soon as I realized I was gaining back consciousness, I expected to open my eyes somewhere in the 'workshop' which Jay and I used for captives. But the place was oddly foreign. When I gained the energy to open my eyes, I saw a blur of deep brown and a light colour. I attempted to get up but a gentle hand propelled me back. "Not so fast honey. Relax, for real."
This voice... Even when I closed my eyes, my head would still tremble. I felt like crying, but I resisted. Any physical movement seemed impossible at the moment, but my mind seemed to work. My ears could only sense little murmurs. I couldn't seem to predict what will happen next.
After an endless period of time, heat started to build up in my torso. I bolted up, breathing heavily. I didn't remember what had caused it, another nightmare prolly. I was in a warm coloured bedroom, carpeted with expensive furniture. I could recall that the room has changed from where I was some time before. As I was scanning the surroundings, the door clicked open. Two men stepped in, and a gasp left my mouth. They slowly strolled inwards, until they stood at the other end of the bed. "Long time no see, pretty face," Eden smiled leaning forward. "I somewhat missed you."
Behind him stood a face I've been longing to see. Jake, without a pint of guilt on his face, stood with his face intact, no torture, no blood. I was deadened. With my mouth wide open, I couldn't utter a single word. When I could, I scoffed, "Wow, thanks Jake," But my voice broke off.
"Aww looks like she's having a hard time accepting her best friend's betrayal. Take your time. Do you want to maybe talk to him alone? Or no... then we'll just leave. Oh, and hear me out, we are not here to harm you, you will enjoy this." Saying this Eden winked at me and left along with Jake. It looked like time has frozen me in place, under this dim lighting with no support to my poor soul. I was done. I was never forgiving Jake for this.