CHAPTER SIX
She sprang up from her seat, her eyes blazing with indignation, and peeped out the back window.
The landscape behind them was unfamiliar, a sea of rolling hills and dense forests stretching out as far as the eye could see.
"You're f**cking driving me further away from town, and you claim you're taking me home?
You're lying! Where are you really taking me?" Her voice rose to a shout, echoing off the car's interior as she demanded answers.
"Unbelievable!" Cherry exclaimed, her hand flying to her forehead in exasperation.
"Can this day get any worse? I'm being kidnapped, of all things!" she whispered to herself.
Resigned to her fate, she slumped back in her seat, thinking,
"This might be my life for the next few weeks, or even longer.
My parents will never be able to pay a ransom, not in a day, not in a week... we're not exactly swimming in wealth."
She became hopeless as she thought of her uncertain future at the mercy of this mysterious stranger and his unknown motives.
"But why me?" Cherry wondered as she struggled to make sense of the situation.
"I'm just a middle-class girl, not some wealthy heiress or influential figure.
There are so many richer, more prominent people in my country - why would they target me?"
She became more afraid as she thought,
"It's the curse, it has to be. I'm just the latest victim."
Cherry's eyelids eventually grew heavy, and she succumbed to exhaustion, falling into a fitful sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a completely new and unfamiliar surroundings.
The car had stopped in front of a grand mansion, and she was struck by the eerie uniformity of the exterior - everything, from the walls to the trim, was painted a deep, foreboding blue.
The blue hue radiated an otherworldly glow, casting an unsettling atmosphere over the entire scene.
Cherry's mind reeled as she wondered,
"Where am I? What is this place?"
As they drove through the automatically opening gates, the stranger announced,
"Hemos llegado a casa, señora!" (We're home, ma'am)
Cherry's response was followed by a sarcastic statement, her hands gesturing quotation marks in the air.
"Oh, when you say 'home', you mean 'the abducted quarters', right?"
Her voice dripped with irony, and her eyes narrowed slightly, showing her growing unease.
The stranger's expression remained neutral, but Cherry detected a slight sign of amusement in his eyes before he turned away to exit the car.
The sound of the horn pierced the air, signaling their arrival. It made Cherry's heart sink, and she wondered what lay ahead in this foreboding, blue-hued mansion.
As Cherry stepped out of the car, a group of women came rushing to her. Their movements were swift and synchronized.
"Bianvenidas ma'am," (Welcome ma'am) they chorused.
One draped a luxurious shawl around her shoulders, while another gently tidied her hair, smoothing out any tangles or knots.
A few others busied themselves ensuring the ground was spotless, afraid she might sully her feet on the slightest imperfection.
Meanwhile, a fourth woman took possession of Cherry's handbag, cradling it in her hands.
The stranger followed behind as he followed the procession at a deliberate pace.
The women's fussing and attention made Cherry feel like a prized possession, rather than a person, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off somewhere.
As Cherry stepped inside, her wonder deepened.
The interior of the mansion was a stark contrast to the blue exterior, with everything radiating a bright, bubblegum pink.
The walls, furniture, and even the rugs seemed to glow with an intense, feminine energy.
A woman with a pale, almost translucent complexion approached her, a look of relief on her face.
"I've been searching everywhere for you, Amy," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
[On seeing the news on the TV the woman had sent that man to get her from there quickly.]
"I was worried sick, but thank God you're here now." Her smile seemed genuine, but Cherry's mind was bordered with questions.
Who was this woman? And why did she keep calling her Amy?
The woman gestured to the ladies-in-waiting, who scurried off to prepare the bathroom for Cherry's arrival.
"Please, Amy, you must be exhausted. Let's get you cleaned up and comfortable."
Cherry's eyes darted around the room, searching for answers, but finding only more questions.
"Perdon! (Excuse me) Can someone please explain why I'm being called Amy?"
Cherry asked, trying to shrug off the shawl, but the woman insistently wrapped it back around her shoulders.
********
Author's note:
Buckle up, stay healthy and enjoy the story :D.
Cherry May