“Wha- What am I doing here?” I asked, blearily opening my eyes.
“Don’t ask stupid questions, Ben. You know what you’re doing here.”
Did I though? I vaguely recognized the voice, but I couldn’t quite put a finger on it.
“No, I really don’t,” I said, soaking in my surroundings.
I was in a basement. My arms were bound to a chair stationed across from the only other feature in the otherwise nondescript concrete room. A beige wooden door. I glanced to my left. There was a figure toying with an assortment of tools atop a surgeon’s tray. The dim light cast by a single dingy light bulb didn’t reach the man’s face. He selected an item from his collection and marched toward me, bloodshot angry eyes burning through the dark.
He slapped me hard across the face. I winced as the taste of copper assaulted my tongue. I glowered up at him. He glared back, those red fiery eyes inches from mine.
“Do you understand now?” he seethed. Suddenly, it clicked.
“Jordan? Is that you? Why do you have me down here, man? I haven’t seen you since Mr. Loflin’s chemistry class our junior year of high school.”
“You really don’t get it, do you?”
“No, dude. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this entire time. I have no earthly idea why you brought me here.”
He was taken aback, a twinge of sadness percolating his words.
“D-did she really not tell you about me?”
“Wait. Is this about my girlfriend?”
“No shit, sherlock. Why else would I have you tied up down here?”
I pondered for a moment, mulling over his revelation.
“Oh, it all makes sense now. You’re the unhinged- uh, I mean, totally normal ex she told me about.”
He backhanded me, sending stars dancing across my vision.
“Hey! What the hell was that for?” He shrugged.
“No reason. Just felt like you deserved it.”
“Okay, fair. So remind me again, why am I here?”
I immediately regretted asking. Jordan slammed down the weapon he had been holding and balled his fists. I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel with how tense his muscles were.
“God, you’re so fucking stupid. Do I really have to spell it out for you? You stole the love of my life from me, you prick.”
“Jordan, I’ve only been dating Gemma for a year. You broke up in high school, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So how did I steal her from you?”
“You know what you did, you piece of human garbage,” he fumed, punctuating the last word with a punch to my stomach.
I doubled over in agony while Jordan raged on.
“I was going to get her back. Gemma had me blocked on everything, of course, but I was determined to find a way to contact her. I sent letters to her house. I left notes at her work. I hired people to approach her in public with personal messages. She never reciprocated, but it was so close to paying off. I could feel it. Just a little more…”
I zoned out from Jordan’s deranged rant, instead shifting my focus to the scalpel he had tossed to the floor. He paced back and forth, oblivious to what was happening right in front of him. I discreetly placed my foot over the glimmering metallic blade and slid it back under my chair.
“... She would’ve come around eventually. I just had to try a little harder. It wasn’t over between us, and it’s still not. She just didn’t realize what she’d thrown away. So that’s what it has to do with you, you punk ass bitchboy.”
“Um, okay. So what are you gonna do about it?”
A vile smirk inched across his face and I could sense malice swimming behind his pupils. My heart sank into my stomach. I’d been trying my best to brush off Jordan’s attempts to intimidate me, but something about that sinister grin sent dread pulsating through my veins like venom.
“What am I going to do to you?” he giggled like a schoolgirl, “I’m going to dismember you and send your body parts to her one by one. She’ll have to take me back once she sees the lengths I would go to in order to prove my love.”
I gazed up at him, brows furrowed and mouth agape.
“Jordan, that’s psychotic. You know that would never work, right?”
He began to cackle maniacally. I shuddered as a shiver undulated through my core.
“Of course it’ll work. I’ll show you. I’ll show both of you. But first, I’ll need that scalpel back,” he said, kicking me square in the shin. I howled in pain as he retrieved his lost weapon.
“You’ll never get away with this,” I huffed through clenched teeth.
“Seriously, dude? ‘You’ll never get away with this?’ What am I, a corny villain in a B-rated action film?” he chuckled dryly.
“Might as well be. You’re only missing the cameras.”
I could practically see the steam wafting from his ears.
“That is it,” Jordan yelled, ramming his boot into my private parts, “I have had it with you making fun of me. But I’ll change that. You won’t be able to so much as mutter under your breath once I’m finished with you.”
Tears clouded my vision. Hot streaking pain seared through my scrotum, rendering me speechless.
“Oh, what’s that? You want me to open your wrists next?”
“J-Jordan, please. Look, you can have Gemma back. Just let me live.”
To my utter shock, the door opposite me swung open, slamming against the wall. A short, pretty brunette stomped into the room. Her icy blue eyes connected with mine. It was Gemma. And she wore an expression of pure rage.
“Seriously, Ben? You take a couple slaps to the face and he can ‘have me back?’ You act like I’m an object. I’m disgusted that you’d give me up so easily. And ew, did you seriously think I would date this loser? You’re not as smart as I thought you were, hun.”
“Okay, harsh,” Jordan squeaked, failing to meet her gaze.
“Oh, shut up. I’m not paying you to stand there and take compliments. So, what do you have to say for yourself, Benjamin?”
I stared at her, dumbstruck.
“Gemma, what the hell is wrong with you? You hired somebody to tie me up and torture me, for what? So you could test my loyalty? You’re insane.”
“That’s no way to talk to your girlfriend, Benny boo. You’re making me sad,” she whined, puffing out her lower lip.
“Girlfriend?” I scoffed incredulously, “we’re done.”
“Have it your way, babe. I’m sure you’ll come around eventually,” she said, flipping her hair behind her and heading back the way she came.
“Bye for now, sweetie. I’ll come back when you’re ready to talk. Jordan here will take good care of you in the meantime,” she said, blowing me a kiss as she again left me alone with my assailant.
That was a week ago. I’m still down here. Jordan comes by a couple times a day to beat me and deliver a glass of water and a wheat bread sandwich. A couple days ago, while providing me with my semi-daily dirty water and moldy bread, Jordan tossed me a shattered Ipad. Maybe he felt bad for me?
I can’t contact anyone on it. Believe me, I’ve tried. The only two apps on this glitchy thing are Solitaire and Reddit. I’m guessing that Jordan forgot to delete the latter.
To anyone reading this, if you have any idea where I am, please help me. I’m growing weaker by the day, and I don’t know how much longer I have until she decides to return. A sense of dread gnaws at me at the thought. Because I seriously doubt that she’ll let me walk out of here alive.
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