Free Control

It was the kind of evening that Kara loved—cool air brushing against her skin, the soft hum of the city just far enough behind her to make the world feel quieter, like she could breathe easier. Her headphones were in, music blasting in her ears as she walked along the sidewalk. Her phone buzzed with a message from her mom: “Don’t stay out too late. Dinner’s at six.”

She smiled and quickly typed a reply. She was only a few blocks away from home, so there was no rush. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, but there was still enough light to make the streets feel familiar, safe.

Kara took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs. It was a good day. Just a few more steps and she’d be home, where everything made sense.

But then, out of nowhere, everything went wrong.

A hand slammed over her mouth, and before she could scream, her body was jerked backward, a sharp tug at her waist. Panic flooded her system in an instant. Her heart pounded in her chest as she kicked and fought, but the grip on her was too strong. She struggled against the person pulling her into the shadows between two buildings.

Her mind raced. What’s happening? Who— The thought didn’t finish.

A bag was pulled over her head. Darkness. Complete and suffocating.

“Stay quiet,” a low voice growled. A second pair of hands yanked her arms behind her, and a rough rope bound her wrists tight.

Her mind screamed, but her body was helpless. She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe properly, couldn’t think straight.

The world spun as they dragged her along, her feet stumbling as she was forced forward. The air smelled faintly of diesel and something metallic, but there was no time to process what was happening. She tried to shout, but the bag muffled her voice. The panic swelled inside her, mixing with the confusion.

Then, she heard voices—two, three men speaking in a language she didn’t recognize. Low, urgent whispers, too fast for her to make out, like they were trying to hide something.

What was happening? Where was she being taken?

She felt her body being shoved into something cold and unyielding. A car? A van? She had no way of knowing. Her heart thudded in her ears. She tried to pull away, but one of the men’s hands was on her, pressing her down into the seat.

“Be still,” the voice growled again, but this time, it sounded like a warning. Kara’s stomach twisted with fear, but she was frozen, trapped in the pitch-black darkness.

Then, the engine roared to life. The sound of tires scraping over gravel. The vehicle lurched forward, and with it, her sense of time.

Minutes dragged on, though it felt like hours. The van—or whatever it was—rumbled over uneven roads, the motion making her stomach churn. Kara tried to control her breathing, but it was impossible. She wanted to scream. She wanted to fight. But the ropes around her wrists burned with each movement, each struggle.

A few minutes later, the vehicle came to a halt. The sound of a door sliding open broke through the haze of fear in Kara’s mind. She was jerked upright and dragged out, her feet stumbling as she was moved across what felt like a smooth, metallic surface. A plane?

A chill ran through her. No... this can’t be happening.

The bag was ripped from her head, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Kara blinked against the harsh light, her eyes squinting as she tried to adjust.

She was inside an airplane, sitting in a cold, sterile seat, her hands still bound to the armrests. The smell of the cabin was stale, a mix of synthetic leather and recycled air. The low hum of the engines vibrated through the floor, and she realized, with a sickening jolt, that the plane was moving.

The men were still there, though they were silent now. One stood near the door, his face half-hidden by the dim light, while another leaned against the aisle, arms crossed, watching her closely.

Her mind was reeling. The fear gnawed at her, but she fought to keep it down. Think, Kara. Think.

She tried to take in her surroundings, but there was too much happening all at once. The cabin was cramped—too small—and the low chatter of the men was muffled, like a distant conversation that she couldn’t quite tune into. Kara was too scared to ask any questions, knowing it would do no good.

The plane continued its climb, a sharp shift in pressure causing her ears to pop. Her stomach lurched as the craft broke through the lower clouds, the air growing thinner, colder.

Her mind raced. Why was she here? She thought of her mom, her brother, and the life she had just been living—so normal, so simple. She thought of her last walk, of the way the sun had dipped below the horizon, and now here she was, trapped in a metal bird soaring high above everything she knew.

The seatbelt around her waist felt tighter now, as if the plane itself was trying to contain her in a box, to restrict her movement in ways she couldn’t explain. She flexed her fingers against the ropes, but the bindings didn’t give. Her heart pounded in her chest as the fear swelled once more, drowning out all rational thought.

The voices of the men came back to her in short bursts—low, clipped phrases in a language she didn’t understand. She recognized a few words now, their tone, their clipped edges, and it sent a fresh wave of dread through her. What did they want with her?

The plane tilted slightly, making her stomach drop with the movement, and she gasped for breath, trying to calm herself. There was nothing she could do. No escape. Not here. Not now.

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest, louder than the engines, louder than the voices.

Kara closed her eyes, feeling the pressure of the altitude press in on her chest. The familiar, comforting feeling of the earth below was gone. She was high—higher than she had ever been. Far from everything she knew.

And all she could do was wait.