I Guess I'll Never Get To Call You Mine
JEFF
I was on board the Old Port-Longueuil ferry when I received Sébastien’s text mentioning Laurence and Aline’s disappearances. I immediately wanted to go back but unless I wanted to take plunge in the Saint Lawrence River (which looked still looked like it’ll give me hypothermia even though it’s in the middle of summer) I’d have to wait until the ferry reached Longueuil before taking the subway home. I cursed and leaned over the railings of the boat and stared grimly into the darkening horizon. My friends are in trouble out there somewhere. I hate the restless feeling you get when you want to help but can’t.
“Hey are you alright?” Another passenger looked at me with concern. “You look a little green. Maybe you should go inside and lie down.” I acknowledged him with a weary nod. Yeah, maybe that’ll help me clear my head. I proceeded to the stairs that led below deck when I noticed the door that led to the cargo hold was left slightly open. A sign that said NO ENTRY—EMPLOYEES ONLY was fixed upon the front. Despite the flurry of conversation around me, I can distinctly hear voices inside. Without thinking I pushed the door open and went inside.
I know my behavior is so asking for trouble, but with all the pent-up nervous energy inside me, and the instinctive reflex of wanting to explore the unknown (as soon as something is said to be forbidden you’re naturally curious to try it out), I couldn’t help it. As a kid I remember staring at the NO STUDENTS ALLOWED sign in front of the teacher rooms at school, wondering what could they possibly contain that made it forbidden for students. Perhaps some glorified coffee machine?
Anyways, I wasn’t expecting much behind this particular door. I thought I’d probably walked in some janitor’s closet and was about to go back out when I heard the voices becoming more urgent. There were people arguing down there. I hesitated, and then slowly tiptoed further down the steps. People often eavesdrop more than they admit they do.
I peeked around the corner to see what I thought could only happen in Hollywood movies. Two tough guys standing over two women who were tied up and leaning against the wall. One of the tough guys is crouching beside one of the girls, fashioning a gag out of a rag. I pulled back with a start when I saw who it was. Oh my Lord these weirdos have kidnapped Aline and Laurence and keeping them in the same ferry as I am. Trying not to panic or think about how bizarre this situation is I pulled my cellphone immediately to call for help.
But before I can do anything I felt two strong hands grabbing my upper arms and pulling them behind my back. My cellphone clattered uselessly to the floor. “Hey!” I protested. One of the dudes facing the girls turned toward me. He looked more like a Wall Street financial officer than a crook but his smile gave me the creeps. “Well, well, well.” He had the cool, pleasant voice of a radio announcer. For some reason it made him seem more dangerous. “It seems like someone tried to gatecrash our little party.”
“Hey are you alright?” Another passenger looked at me with concern. “You look a little green. Maybe you should go inside and lie down.” I acknowledged him with a weary nod. Yeah, maybe that’ll help me clear my head. I proceeded to the stairs that led below deck when I noticed the door that led to the cargo hold was left slightly open. A sign that said NO ENTRY—EMPLOYEES ONLY was fixed upon the front. Despite the flurry of conversation around me, I can distinctly hear voices inside. Without thinking I pushed the door open and went inside.
I know my behavior is so asking for trouble, but with all the pent-up nervous energy inside me, and the instinctive reflex of wanting to explore the unknown (as soon as something is said to be forbidden you’re naturally curious to try it out), I couldn’t help it. As a kid I remember staring at the NO STUDENTS ALLOWED sign in front of the teacher rooms at school, wondering what could they possibly contain that made it forbidden for students. Perhaps some glorified coffee machine?
Anyways, I wasn’t expecting much behind this particular door. I thought I’d probably walked in some janitor’s closet and was about to go back out when I heard the voices becoming more urgent. There were people arguing down there. I hesitated, and then slowly tiptoed further down the steps. People often eavesdrop more than they admit they do.
I peeked around the corner to see what I thought could only happen in Hollywood movies. Two tough guys standing over two women who were tied up and leaning against the wall. One of the tough guys is crouching beside one of the girls, fashioning a gag out of a rag. I pulled back with a start when I saw who it was. Oh my Lord these weirdos have kidnapped Aline and Laurence and keeping them in the same ferry as I am. Trying not to panic or think about how bizarre this situation is I pulled my cellphone immediately to call for help.
But before I can do anything I felt two strong hands grabbing my upper arms and pulling them behind my back. My cellphone clattered uselessly to the floor. “Hey!” I protested. One of the dudes facing the girls turned toward me. He looked more like a Wall Street financial officer than a crook but his smile gave me the creeps. “Well, well, well.” He had the cool, pleasant voice of a radio announcer. For some reason it made him seem more dangerous. “It seems like someone tried to gatecrash our little party.”