Clarity

The first bit of rain in over four weeks. The rain broke the heat over the past few weeks and made the air feel fresher. She opened her mouth to feel the rain on her tongue. It felt like the first time she had felt the rain. She was like a little girl twirling around laughing as she splashed in the water that created puddles under her feet.

She also felt the freedom as she knew she would be on her own for a month. Her boyfriend away working and seeing his parents. As much as she loved him the sense of freedom was also a much awaited event. She had a tough few months and for the next few weeks she had decided to take a break. The rain was the start she needed. Fresh and breaking the humid cycle they had been in.

She lay on the porch as the rain splashed over her. She closed her eyes and wondered what anyone would make of her at this moment in time, but she smiled as she knew no one would see her to judge.

As she lay there she heard a noise in the house. She jumped up startled. The door was ajar but she had left it open. She grabbed a towel as she walked through the door. She looked around holding her breath to concentrate on any noises. But she heard nothing.

She walked through to the kitchen and grabbed a glass pouring herself juice to quench her thirst.

Sitting near the window she watched as the droplets of water ran down and blending into one another making small streams.

She daydreamed. Thinking of nothing really. Just letting her mind wander from one thing to another.

Then there was a noise again. She nearly spat her drink out as she was startled.

She jumped up to go to the direction of the noise. It was like a gentle knocking noise but as she went closer it got louder.

She headed to she’s she thought the noise was originating but as she got closer it got fainter. Perhaps it was just a noise that the house makes and she never noticed as it always has hustle and bustle around it.

She looked in every room then convinced herself that it was nothing.

She returned to the living room, grabbed the remote and flitted through the films she had stored under her list to watch. She had never had enough times to do this so was quite looking forward to doing completely nothing.

She awoke to a man standing over her. She tried to move but she couldn’t. She looked at her arms and legs and they were bound. She tried so hard to scream but couldn’t let any noise out. He mouth also bound. She couldn’t breathe properly and started to panic. She tried to move but couldn’t.

She stared at the man who was older and I shaved. His beard grey. He stood motionless staring at her.

She tried to stay still as she then thought if she tried to move too much he could hurt her. She was petrified and felt frozen with fear.

He moved his hand towards her. She squinted as she thought the hand would be lifted to hit her. But he stroked her head. She was confused, dazed and terrified.

The man shuffled from one foot to another. Swaying slightly and started to hum. She lay transfixed to his face wondering what he would do to her.

He did nothing. He just stood there staring at her. Then he reached over to her. He touched her face

“I’ll be back soon”

He untied her hands and moved quickly as she threw her hands towards him to hit him away.

He walked out of the doorway. Turned back and looked at her “remember Chloe I’ll be back soon”

With that he left. Not a sound. She lay there desperately trying to unbind her legs and grabbed at the tape around her mouth.

She was shaking and crying uncontrollably. She scrambled to the door and locked it. Checking every bolt on every window. She grabbed her phone and dialled the police and screamed down the phone to have help. She couldn’t speak properly but managed to keep screaming help.

It was only minutes until she heard the siren of the police cars. She sighed in relief and waited at the door shaking. She saw two police women get out of the car and walk quickly to the door. Banging on the door with hands ready to reach for a weapon if needed.

She opened the door and fell into the officers arms.

---

After taking a state my at the station she wouldn’t leave until her friend came to collect her. She couldn’t go home. She just couldn’t face being there on her own.

Wrapped in a blanket she still shook with fear and couldn’t speak more than the odd word . They had taken her clothes for examination and she was given a pair of jogging bottoms and a jumper. Her friend arrived and scooped her up.

The officers promised local police would be near her at all times and she was fine to leave. Her friend helped her into the car and buckled her in.

Her friend had already phoned chloes boyfriend but couldn’t get through so just got to her life long friend as quickly as she could.

At her friends house she tried to explain what happened. She couldn’t get the words out but enough to tell her friend how terrifying her ordeal had been.

Chloe slept in her friends clothes wrapped in a quilt next to her friend still sobbing as the face of the man was infront of her.

She slept but restless and kept reaching out to make sure her friend was still there.

Chloe was normally strong and able to handle most things. But she was fragile and vulnerable.

By the afternoon of the next day her partner arrived bursting through the door and grabbed Chloe to hold her. He was angry but concerned. He was questioning who this guy was, did Chloe know him? Was he someone they had met before? But Chloe screamed for the questions to stop. It was too much.

He held her then said they would go home. He would stay with her and not leave her again.

After three days Chloe did start to settle. She felt safer with her partner there. He was her Archie. Always there to love her and look after her. Reliable and solid. Chloe had tried to get back to normal but wouldn’t be in a room in her own. She needed Archie to be in sight. He didn’t bother just supported her.

Chloe bit by bit regained her life back but not her independence. She was scared of her own shadow.

The days went by. The police still had no leads. Nothing to tell them about that night.

They continued to patrol the streets outside the house to reassure both of them.

Chloe continued to try to build her confidence but changes had been made in her life. She worked from hom. Archie worked from home as much as he could but he was due to go to a meeting today. Chloe was scared but didn’t want to hold Archie back any longer than she already was. He had fitted more bolts and locks on every door and window including the interior doors. The house was fully alarmed with sirens that would wake the next town up.

There was a panic button fitted and a direct link to the police so she could feel reassured that security was as tight as they could have it. But she was scared. She could never feel reassured. She could never get rid of the face of the man that stared down at her. Nightmares continued, waking sweating and screaming. Never venturing out without Archie. But today she knew she would face her fear again. Her friend would check in on her every half hour. But nothing anyone could do would reassure her enough.

Archie left the house whilst Chloe chatted on the phone. He thought whilst she was distracted he could leave without her feeling on her own as the door closed.

He walked to his car nervously but knew they couldn’t stay as prisoners in their own home. He had to work and had done everything he could to accommodate taking care of her. It was only a few hours and he convinced himself she would be fine.

As he drive away he checked around the area scanning people’s faces as he went further away from the house. Chloe knew he had left the house and she talked incessantly to her friend desperate to hold onto contact for as long as she could.

Chloe was petrified but taking deep breaths she remembered every room had been checked. Every door was bolted. Nobody could get in.

The hours passed without incident and she busied herself but jumping at every noise that she heard. Panic alarm in her hand ready to be used.

Archie came home and Chloe cried with utter relief. She had done it. Her first time in her own and she had got through without anything happening.

As the months passed chloes confidence grew and Archie began to go out more frequently. Same routine and same safeguards in place.

Chloe was finally relaxing but still on high alert.

Six months had passed and she got into her own routine content that she was surrounded by bolts and locks.

She had ventured into the garden on her own. Only a few steps, close enough to run through the door if she needed to. All uneventful and calm.

Archie was due to go to his usual meeting and Chloe urged him to go as she felt better than ever. Well in a long time.

Archie left and Chloe stayed in the kitchen listening to the TV shout from the living room. She no longer had silence in the house but not too loud that she couldn’t hear noises that would alert her to another incident.

She remained alert and ready to press the panic alarm should she need it.

Archie was due home but he was late. Chloe kept checking the time. An hour had passed and he didn’t arrive.

She phoned him, messaged him, left voicemails, and emailed him. But nothing. No answer. Chloe waited and waited. It was three hours and still nothing. She picked up her phone again and dialled the police. She reported him missing. Although three hours was nothing in the grand scheme of things for them it was completely out of character and routine. The police who dealt with her incident were in the other end of the phone. Taking her seriously and clearly worried they noted what time he had left. Where he was going, who he was meeting and when he was due back. Every detail covered they alerted police in the area to search for him.

Chloe sat quietly as they also dispatched a police car to be outside the house. Chloe heard nothing.

Archie had been gone 6 hours over the time he said he would be gone.

He had gone to his meeting with nothing adverse happening. He had left telling his colleagues he was going straight home. But he hadn’t arrived. The police now launched an investigation and that’s where it all really started to get more and more complicated.