Status: Slow but getting there, promise :)
The Trouble of Taboo
Chapter 23
I tried to open my eyes, my eyelids feeling extremely heavy. I tried to say Neil’s name, but my voice was just a hoarse whisper, well I don’t think I’m going to school today, I thought to myself wearily. I put my hand down next to me, looking for Neil but instead of finding his body or his soft bed my hand landed on a stone-cobbled floor. As soon as I felt it with my hand, my back and head felt it too and I shivered from the cold and damp. My eyes finally flitted open and shivered again, this time out of fear. I was in a small dark room with just a slit of a window, letting in just enough light to show me my abysmal surroundings. It was completely made of cobbled stones and the wind howled in through the cracks, where ever I was, it was an old building, and in serious need of a good spring clean, there were cobwebs and dust everywhere. My once cute outfit was now damp and smudged with black marks from the floor. I felt like I was in a jail cell.
My heart jumped as I heard a bolt creak open, and turned around to see an arched, wooden door open, sending in a flood of light which hurt my eyes. All I could see was a shadow of a person, I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision but it didn't really help. The shadow stepped into the room and I just stared at this person, this woman. I looked at her features, “Do I know you?” I asked her, she looked vaguely familiar, as if I’d seen her on the streets a couple of times, but I couldn't place where I had actually seen her. She laughed and I cringed, that was the laugh of a woman who was not in control of herself or her actions.
“Don’t you recognize me?” She asked, and I noted how annoying her voice was, it was high pitched and kind of squeaky, it went straight through my head. I looked at her, trying to figure out where I had seen her before, but it just wouldn't come. I shook my head, and she laughed that crazy laugh again. She came into the room a bit more and set down a paper plate with a roll of bread on it and a paper cup of water, I almost rolled my eyes at her cliché acts; it was almost straight out of a crappy horror film. The woman coughed and I looked up at her with a small smirk on my face, I couldn't help it, her outfit was crazy, she wore 6 inch bright pink heels and a tight dress that was way too short for a woman of her age. “Oh don’t worry honey. You’ll know who I am sooner than later. You’ll see I’m better than you. I’m a woman, you honey, are a little school girl.” And she walked out, locking the door behind her.
I sank down to the floor again, all the bravado I had felt at her stupid, girly, unsuitable outfit. What she had said rang through my head, who was this woman that had such a grudge against me? I didn't even know her, this woman was a stranger to me, yet for some reason she had this huge grudge against me, and had kidnapped me, but why? Her reasons weren't clear yet, but if that laugh of hers was anything to go by, it couldn't be a sane reason! I curled up in a ball, and rocked myself, trying to comfort myself. I thought about Neil, and hoped he wasn’t worrying too much about me. I wished I could be in his arms, and feel his lips against my hair. I had never missed anyone so much. The tears started to fall from my eyes, as I thought about Neil running his hand through his hair, pacing in his place, not knowing where I was.
Neil’s POV
I sat on my couch, not believing what had happened still. My anger had run out of me and now I was just panicking. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go to the police without highlighting my relationship with Paige, or if there was a way, it still would have meant admitting she was living with me, something that is against the school rules, especially as I hadn't told anyone about Paige’s life at home. I was in a mess, why did this have to happen when we were just starting to have a normal relationship.
I stood up, but didn't know what to do. My hand automatically ran through my hair. I had to get Paige back. I had to save her. I had to save her before her captor got to crazy and hurt her. I sighed angrily. Paige’s captor, how could I have let this happen? I should have expected something like this. I sat down again. I bet the captor had been the one to put the note within my marking, after all anyone could walk into our school. In a town this small people were in and out all the time on one business or another. It’s just the crafty, crazy thing the captor would do. I was angry at myself for not realizing all this before it got this bad.
I stood back up and grabbed my keys, I had to get out of this house, everywhere I looked I saw signs of Paige, where she should be right now. My arms felt empty without her in them. I needed her back with me; I didn't realize just how comfortable I had become being with her. She had slipped into my life so easily and now that she was in danger, and not with me my heart throbbed. I walked out the door, running my hand unconsciously through my hair again. I got into my car and just sat there trying to figure out where to go, when my phone rang. I looked at it and it said Paige’s name; I answered it, knowing it wouldn't be my perfect angel’s voice on the other side, but the high pitched, nasal annoyance that I hated more than anything. “Hello.” I said my voice void of any emotion.
“Hello, Neil. I've just been speaking with your little slut. Interesting that she has no idea who I am.” I shivered at the thought of this crazy woman talking with my Paige.
“Of course she doesn't know who you are. Why would she?” My voice getting angry now, this crazy woman had put Paige in danger, could have killed her with too much chloroform, or could be starving her. I wanted to strangle this psycho.
“Because I’m important!” She screeched down the phone, and I winced, she clearly wasn't taking her pills. “Anyway,” She continued in a quieter voice, “you need to go to ‘Dress You Up’ and pick up the dress there under your name. Pick it up and take it to 110 Juniper Street. The door will be open. Leave it on the side and then wait for my next call. Don’t try anything stupid, and just so you know, Paige isn't there.” She hung up on me and I almost screamed, was this nightmare ever going to end. I started my car and set off to do this crazy errand in hopes that by the end of the day I’d have Paige in my arms again.
My heart jumped as I heard a bolt creak open, and turned around to see an arched, wooden door open, sending in a flood of light which hurt my eyes. All I could see was a shadow of a person, I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision but it didn't really help. The shadow stepped into the room and I just stared at this person, this woman. I looked at her features, “Do I know you?” I asked her, she looked vaguely familiar, as if I’d seen her on the streets a couple of times, but I couldn't place where I had actually seen her. She laughed and I cringed, that was the laugh of a woman who was not in control of herself or her actions.
“Don’t you recognize me?” She asked, and I noted how annoying her voice was, it was high pitched and kind of squeaky, it went straight through my head. I looked at her, trying to figure out where I had seen her before, but it just wouldn't come. I shook my head, and she laughed that crazy laugh again. She came into the room a bit more and set down a paper plate with a roll of bread on it and a paper cup of water, I almost rolled my eyes at her cliché acts; it was almost straight out of a crappy horror film. The woman coughed and I looked up at her with a small smirk on my face, I couldn't help it, her outfit was crazy, she wore 6 inch bright pink heels and a tight dress that was way too short for a woman of her age. “Oh don’t worry honey. You’ll know who I am sooner than later. You’ll see I’m better than you. I’m a woman, you honey, are a little school girl.” And she walked out, locking the door behind her.
I sank down to the floor again, all the bravado I had felt at her stupid, girly, unsuitable outfit. What she had said rang through my head, who was this woman that had such a grudge against me? I didn't even know her, this woman was a stranger to me, yet for some reason she had this huge grudge against me, and had kidnapped me, but why? Her reasons weren't clear yet, but if that laugh of hers was anything to go by, it couldn't be a sane reason! I curled up in a ball, and rocked myself, trying to comfort myself. I thought about Neil, and hoped he wasn’t worrying too much about me. I wished I could be in his arms, and feel his lips against my hair. I had never missed anyone so much. The tears started to fall from my eyes, as I thought about Neil running his hand through his hair, pacing in his place, not knowing where I was.
Neil’s POV
I sat on my couch, not believing what had happened still. My anger had run out of me and now I was just panicking. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go to the police without highlighting my relationship with Paige, or if there was a way, it still would have meant admitting she was living with me, something that is against the school rules, especially as I hadn't told anyone about Paige’s life at home. I was in a mess, why did this have to happen when we were just starting to have a normal relationship.
I stood up, but didn't know what to do. My hand automatically ran through my hair. I had to get Paige back. I had to save her. I had to save her before her captor got to crazy and hurt her. I sighed angrily. Paige’s captor, how could I have let this happen? I should have expected something like this. I sat down again. I bet the captor had been the one to put the note within my marking, after all anyone could walk into our school. In a town this small people were in and out all the time on one business or another. It’s just the crafty, crazy thing the captor would do. I was angry at myself for not realizing all this before it got this bad.
I stood back up and grabbed my keys, I had to get out of this house, everywhere I looked I saw signs of Paige, where she should be right now. My arms felt empty without her in them. I needed her back with me; I didn't realize just how comfortable I had become being with her. She had slipped into my life so easily and now that she was in danger, and not with me my heart throbbed. I walked out the door, running my hand unconsciously through my hair again. I got into my car and just sat there trying to figure out where to go, when my phone rang. I looked at it and it said Paige’s name; I answered it, knowing it wouldn't be my perfect angel’s voice on the other side, but the high pitched, nasal annoyance that I hated more than anything. “Hello.” I said my voice void of any emotion.
“Hello, Neil. I've just been speaking with your little slut. Interesting that she has no idea who I am.” I shivered at the thought of this crazy woman talking with my Paige.
“Of course she doesn't know who you are. Why would she?” My voice getting angry now, this crazy woman had put Paige in danger, could have killed her with too much chloroform, or could be starving her. I wanted to strangle this psycho.
“Because I’m important!” She screeched down the phone, and I winced, she clearly wasn't taking her pills. “Anyway,” She continued in a quieter voice, “you need to go to ‘Dress You Up’ and pick up the dress there under your name. Pick it up and take it to 110 Juniper Street. The door will be open. Leave it on the side and then wait for my next call. Don’t try anything stupid, and just so you know, Paige isn't there.” She hung up on me and I almost screamed, was this nightmare ever going to end. I started my car and set off to do this crazy errand in hopes that by the end of the day I’d have Paige in my arms again.