Chasing a Fox

Into the Woods

Irene decided since no one could seem to hear her screaming that she would look around the cabin. She found that the cuff she wore was attached to a series of pipes. She could actually walk to the bathroom but that was about it. She had rubbed the skin of her wrist raw from pulling on the cuffs trying to see if she could get free. The cabin was small, maybe two rooms from what she could see. There was a kitchen she could see from the end of the bed and the bathroom.

A small TV was perched on the dresser next to the bed. James must of left it on when he left because it was showing the local news. Irene gasped out loud as she saw her face being plastered on the top story. She was being listed as abducted and people were organizing search parties for her to be brought home. Hot tears rolled down her face. She couldn't help but be worried about her unborn child. Was this stress going to cause her issues?

Now the screen was showing Jade crying and pleading with the camera to have someone bring her home safely. Next Seth was there offering a fifty thousand dollar reward to anyone who had useful information. Both of them looked like they hadn't been sleeping very well. Seth hadn't shaved and a scruffy beard was starting to pop up on his face. Irene looked at the ceiling and prayed to whatever gods were out there that someone would find her soon.

There wasn't a clock that Irene could see from where she sat on the bed so she had no idea what time it was. It felt like several hours had passed before she heard the sound of tires in the driveway outside. She sat up ready to yell for help again but stopped when she saw James getting out of a pickup truck. He must have ditched the van he originally abducted her in to cover his tracks. He came through the door carrying food and the smell made her stomach growl.

He handed her a bag with some fries and a cheeseburger inside. She took it and started eating, unsure of what she should try to say to him. She wanted to be able to convince him to let her go. Should she tell him that she was pregnant? Or would that make him go even further off the rails? James finally broke the silence. "I thought we could hide out here until I figure out what the next move should be."

Irene looked at him dumbfounded that he really thought this was going to work out in his favor. "James they aren't going to stop looking for me. You really need to think about letting me go before you end up getting into more trouble." She gestured at the television, "the news was just showing my face and there's a money reward out there. It's only a matter of time before you're caught."

James had several emotions flash across his face. Surprise, anger, worry and then anger again. "You see Rene, you won't look like you. I got you a disguise, Also if you make a fuss in public you know you'll just end up getting hurt." He reached into one of the bags he had brought with him and pulled out a pair of scissors. Irene felt a pit of dread settle deep into her stomach. "Now we can do this while you're awake or I can knock you out again, your choice." James gestured for her to sit on a chair he had drug out from the kitchen.

She sat down in the chair reluctantly. "James please don't do this, if you really believe that you love me then you need to let me go." Hot tears of panic were rolling down her face as she pleaded with him. It was like he went to another place he didn't even acknowledge that he had heard her pleas. He grabbed the scissors and began hacking away at her hair. She was crying and begging him to stop the entire time but he didn't. By the time he was done her long auburn hair that once had hit the middle of her back was now just above her shoulders.

Her eyes were puffy from crying and her makeup had run down her face. She just wanted this awfulness to end and it felt like it was only just beginning. James had undid her cuff and told her to take a shower. He also had warned her not to try anything funny. She had welcomed the warm water but couldn't stop the sobs that were shaking her body. She needed to try to escape as soon as possible. It was clear that she would not be able to reach James by talking to him.

When she got out of the shower and caught sight of herself in the mirror she let out another sob. Her beautiful hair looked so choppy and was a tangled mess. At least her face was now clean from the dirt and makeup smudges. As she stared at her reflections she knew what she needed to try to do. James had never went through her pockets when he first kidnapped her so she was going to try and pick her cuff lock with a bobby pin that she had in her pocket.

She got dressed again and James was waiting for her outside of the bathroom door. He cuffed her back to the pipe. Then without a word he grabbed the keys and left the cabin again. With no idea of how long he would be gone Irene started working on the cuff with the bobby pin she had found. Nervous sweat was trailing down her scalp. She was working as fast as she could and her hands were shaking with nerves making the job of picking the lock even harder.

While she had been working on her cuff lock she saw the story of her abduction being aired two more times. Seth had increased the reward amount for her safe return to one hundred thousand dollars and mentioned that he was working with private detectives as well. Irene wanted so desperately to be back in his arms. She returned to picking the cuff lock.