My cruel fate.

Chapter five

LORENA'S POV

I could hardly breathe. Fear had paralyzed my entire being. Was I really not going to see my parents ever again? Would I really have to live with this evil stranger who wanted nothing but to make my life miserable? How could he forcefully separate a woman from her family? How could he be so heartless?

The men sitting beside me weren't making things any better. They looked scary with their black, well tailored suit and bulky build. They had dark shades on which aided their stern look and I felt so small in the midst of them.

I had been screaming and kicking since the drive to an unknown destination started but they paid me no mind. I was exhausted now, too weak to continue my tantrums. It wasn't working anyway. Instead, I sat still, studying their faces and occasionally, the scenery outside the car window. The glass was tinted so I knew no one could see through from the outside. I could look freely.

It was beautiful outside. I thought so the first time I left home six years ago, but I had forgotten how it looked like. I had only a vague memory of the places I visited. I never went outside after that day. My parents made sure of it.

My eyes were hot and puffy from the tears I'd shed. I swallowed hard, realizing that my throat was dry and I was parched. A hand stretched a bottle of water towards me.

I eyed him cautiously, anger burning in my gaze. Did he suddenly find his conscience where he had dumped it? I looked away, ignoring his outstretched hand.

"We still have quite some distance to cover. You should have some water if you're thirsty." He said offhandedly.

"I don't want your bloody water. Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to take me away from my home?" I asked, embittered.

He chuckled and scratched his chin, his hands fiddling his morning stubble. "I don't think you have any idea who you're talking to princess.."

"My name is Lorena." I told him through gritted teeth. I hated the way he called me princess. It had a mocking ring to it. He saw where I lived and there was no way a princess would live in a place like that. He was just making fun of me because I was dirt poor. "Where are you taking me?" I asked, changing the subject.

"You'll know when we get there." He replied coldly, looking through the window.

"This is kidnapping!" I screamed, at the verge of bursting into fresh tears. "Please, let me go. I want to go home. I can't leave my mom all alone, she'll be really worried. I'm afraid she might fall sick if she doesn't know where I am."

He chuckled. No, he laughed. Laughed at my pain, my pleas and the fact that my life was falling apart before my eyes. What was funny about my situation? This man annoyed me. There's no way he was the same man I met years ago.

"Lorena, is it?" He said. The way my name rolled off his tongue sent shivers through me, but it wasn't out of fear this time. It was a whole different feeling, I had no idea what it was. "I couldn't care less about your parents. Right now, all I care about is my money and you are going to be the guarantee that they'll pay up as quickly as possible. So, quit asking too many questions and sit tight." He replied.

"How long do you plan on keeping me with you? You can't do this Mister. Please, let me go." I begged. It was all I could do right now.

"Your fate is in your parent's hands Lorena."

There it was again, that knot in my stomach whenever he said my name. What was that?

"The sooner your parents have my money ready, the sooner you can return to them. They should hurry up though. I don't know how long my leniency will last. They might end up losing you forever."

What did that even mean? What was he planning on doing with me? I had seen several times on television how young girls like me were sold off as slaves and prostitutes. He didn't seem like a decent person at all. He was definitely capable of doing something like that to me. Thoughts of that possibility had me sweating and trembling.

"If anything happens to me.." I started to say but the car pulled into an unexpected stop and sent me rolling forward, head first. I lost my balance completely and I was seconds away from banging my head into the seat in front of me. A hand grabbed me by the neck of my dress and pulled me back into my seat, only this time, my back wasn't on the seat. I was resting on him, his rock hard chest beneath me. I felt the beating of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. His arms were wrapped around me too, shielding me like someone who had been scared I'd be hurt.

I pulled away from him to avoid the electricity I felt. It must be because he has a burnt circuit in his brain.

"Why are we stopping?" My captor asked.

"We're out of gas. Sorry Boss." A big, muscled, tattooed guy said from the front seat.

"Why the fuck are we running out of gas? You should have prepared for this."

"I'm sorry boss, but we've visited more places than we were going to." Luckily, they had stopped in front of a fuel station and the men stepped out to get a refill and stretch their legs.

An idea struck me. We weren't moving then, so it'd be the perfect time to escape. I had to get away from him. Obviously, I had no idea where we were but if I could just get away from wherever this place was, far away from whoever these people were, I could find my way back home.

I squeezed my legs together and looked up at him through my long lashes. "I have to go."

He chuckled. "This again?"

"No, I mean, I have to use the bathroom. I'm pressed."

He looked at me blankly like I was asking him for a million dollars. "You better sit your pretty ass down princess. You're going nowhere."

"Your car seems pretty nice, smells nice too. I would feel terrible if I ruined that for you but you don't seem to mind." I replied, masking my fear and insanely throbbing heartbeat. I was tense and nervous thinking about what I was going to do. He just might decide to kill me if I got caught trying to escape. But then again, what if I succeeded? I'd go back home and my parents and I would move again, just like we did when I came back from my little adventure six years ago. We moved two days later. My parents had been so apprehensive when I came back home after four days of going missing. More than what I did and where I was, they wanted to know if I spoke to anyone, if I had told anyone who I was and where I lived and if anyone recognized me. They were so restless and worried to the point that they barely slept a wink that night. I had no idea how they found a new place so quickly but in two days, we had our belongings packed into an old pick up truck and left our small town without looking back.

It wouldn't be so bad if we moved again after this. We had to go far away from this evil man who wanted to hurt us, too far for him to find us no matter how hard he searched. I shook my head, relinquishing those thoughts to the back of my mind.

"I'm serious Mister! I'm going to pee over your seat and I promise you, this place will reek for weeks."

My threat seemed to get to him. He looked around, making sure that no one was watching us. "Fine, but I'm tagging along." He replied.

"Whatever." I was going to ditch him anyway. I had enough time to exercise in my room for days on end. My tread mill already had my footprints on them. I could lose them if I ran fast enough.

I stepped out of the car and walked gingerly to the back where the bathroom was. Gas stations usually had bathrooms. It was one of the things I discovered when I went out.

I opened the door and went to the ladies compartment. He followed behind me.

"You're not coming in here with me! There's no way!" I yelled at him. My face was pink, completely flushed with embarrassment from the thought of him watching me pee. How could anyone do that?

"Well, I have to keep an eye on you so you'd better cooperate." He replied nonchalantly.

"There's no way I'm letting you do that. I'll scream and draw attention to this place until you're found. I know that'll put you in a tight spot. You will give me some privacy." I replied, suddenly becoming brave.

"Fine. I'll be outside the door." He replied with a grumble.

I turned on the tap and kept the water running to cover up my own activities. First, I needed to find the window. It was quite high and I had to climb on the toilet seat to reach it. Luckily, it was a glass window I could easily push open. I slid out as noiselessly as I could and fell with a thud on the other side.

He didn't hear me, did he?

I waited a few seconds to be sure and when I heard no movement, I ran.

Was this it? It was this simple?

I snuck past the men in black, careful to hide behind walls and posters. But a ruckus inside made me realize my captor had found out that I had escaped. The men suddenly touched their ears, it was then I noticed they had ear buds on. He must have told them I wasn't there anymore. They became more alert.

I had no choice. I had to run. I could lose them. They were too bulky to match my pace. Luckily for me, I hadn't worn a dress but a comfortable baggy jean trouser.

I ran, as fast as I ever did, too fast to realize I had gotten to a wide road. All I could hear was the scrambling of feet behind me and the sound of my increasing heartbeat. I couldn't let them get me.

The blaring horn of the incoming car eluded me. I swear, I didn't hear it the three times it sounded, or maybe I did but was not fast enough to move out of the way.

It happened in split seconds. The bright light from the car blinded me but I still caught a glimpse of the blurry silhouette of a man running towards me, grabbing me and rolling off the road to the other side.

The last thing I heard was his ragged, heavy breathing above me and multiple curses under his breath. Then, before my eyes shut and I sank deep into unconsciousness, I saw a similitude of worry of his face. It couldn't be, in pretty sure he hated me right now.

And then there was silence, and darkness.