With a silent sigh, I look at the cute top that hangs on the store hanger. Normally I would be overjoyed at having found something so cute, but today? Dunno. Just not feeling it.
Today is one of my few days off and one of my rare days to go clothes shopping. Days like today I should be filled with joy and excitement as I search for new clothes to make me look great, only I don't. Don't get me wrong, I love clothes shopping but with the world being as it's been, I haven't been out in forever for obvious reasons. So you would think for this reason alone, I should be overjoyed, but I'm not. To be honest, I just feel, well, blah. Everything just feels...blah.
This mood I'm in has been a long time coming. Maybe it's from the world being shut down, or maybe from something about my life being in a rut. I'm only 25 but I feel 125. I feel old and boring instead of young and excited. I mean, I should feel like I can take the world on, but most days I'm more interested in having ice cream and going to bed right when I wake up.
I know I shouldn't complain or feel this way as I have a decent life. I'm a nurse at a doctor's office, well a podiatrist's office, so I have a good job. I have a nice house that is in good shape, smack in the middle of a neighborhood that doesn't really have any crime. So overall I have no reason to complain. I know I'm being a bit of a brat feeling like this, but I can't help it.
Sure, I don't have a boyfriend at the moment, but is that really a bad thing? The last one I had was even more boring than I am. His idea of an exciting night was to sit in the same room and read. I love loving, don't get me wrong, but not every single night. Where's the passion? Where the kinky sex? Where the surprises? I'm not sure if he was better or worse than the one before, who spent nearly every night at the bar to hang with friends.
In terms of boyfriends, I know the real issue is myself. I'm not sure what I want, if I want anything at all. I can speak of how I want someone that is sweet and kind as well as good looking and exciting, but that's wishful thinking as I do believe there is a soulmate for everyone and that person is probably not what you expect.
Sighing again, I grab the top by the hanger and add it to the pile of shirts I want to try on. Might as well go try them on as I'm not having much luck finding anything that looks interesting today. So I look about until I see the large sign that reads "Dressing Room."
As pathetic as it sounds, I want something exciting and new to happen. I mean, I guess that is pathetic as I often daydream of a spy or hero-type bursting into whatever room I am in and fighting off bad guys. And it's up to me to help, to which I risk life and limb to make sure the good guys win and the world is safe. The closest I've gotten to that is the time I told the guy in line that he had dropped something out of his pocket.
Other times I daydream that I'm in a horror movie, and some spooky crazed man starts to stalk me, to which I'll have to fight back. Or that a ghost or demon is unleashed and it's up to me to do something epic like destroy their remains or something. In all I feel such fear but such intense excitement as well.
Like I've said, I know I'm being silly and a brat because I should be happy with my life as it could be worse. I mean, I could be homeless or have unstoppable and unwanted excitement such as by living in a civil war zone or something. I'm just being spoiled.
I reach the dressing room area and as is normal, there's no one at the counter. As I don't remember the last time I saw someone work the counter, I just walk back into the dressing rooms. As I walk into the small hallway, I see that maybe half of the 10 dressing rooms have people inside as indicated by the closed doors.
I walk to the last dressing room on the right side of the aisle. I like the last room as it means there's only the chance for one person being next to you. To me, there's nothing more embrassing than someone hearing you try to wear something that's a bit too small for you, but you know will fit.
I push the long saloon type door open and go inside. Like most dressing rooms, there's hangers about, and a couple of shirts that someone just left in here sitting on the bench. But overall it looks clean.
I hang the clothes I want to try on by the hangers on the hook opposite of the door. Next I turn around to make sure the door has closed.
Suddenly, there's a hand over my mouth. A foreign hand that certainty wasn't there before. A hand that smells of cologne that I've never smelled before. Another hand grabs the back of my head and the two combined to hold my head in an extremely strong grip.
My eyes widen as the realization of what is happening dawns when I see the man in front of me. He entered my dressing room as quiet as can be and now holds my head in his powerful grip. He's made sure that I wouldn't be able to scream or say anything as he fiercely holds me in what is clearly a warning.
"SSShhhhhhhhh," the strange man warns softly as his face is but inches from mine. With it so close, all I can see are the dark brown eyes staring into mine. Those eyes are filled with such fire and intensity. They are hungry. No, they are beyond hungry to the point they are ravenous.
"Be good or else I get mad, understand?" The man says in a whisper, but the effect it has on me is as if he screamed it. As cold fear pumps into me, I find myself trying to nod to show that yes, I'm not going to say a single sound, not when he could easily snap my neck. I'll be a good girl.
My heart pounds hard in my chest and my body turns into something like a tree as I don't seem to be able to move. I can't believe I'm reacting like this but it's just so unexpected. He just appeared without warning or anything. I can't believe what's happening.
As the seconds pass as I'm held, I'm able to see more of this man. He's tall, much taller than my 5'2" frame and has to be over 200 pounds, but not of fat. Not that this guy is made of muscles, but he seems thick and strong, like someone that works as a laborer or something. His black hair and facial hair seem to match the dark and sinister vibe he produces too.
The man who looks to be in his thirties stares at me as if reading my mind to see what I'm going to do. Then, slowly and tentatively he pulls back the hand that's over my mouth. I can tell he's going slow so he can do something if I scream but to be completely honest, my throat feels so dry that I don't think I could even whisper at the moment.
He removes his hand completely but then, like a cat, he grabs something to the side. On the seat in the corner of the room is a small pile of left-over clothes. From it he grabs something that looks like a scarf or maybe a belt that looks to be made of canvas.
He brings it up with both of his hands to stretch it out, showing me the long red and pink piece of clothing. For only a brief moment I think he's going to strangle me but instead he puts it against my mouth. He pulls his hands behind my head to reveal that he's gagging me with it. Sure enough, the thick clothing goes into my mouth fully to which he ties the two ends behind my head, tight, gagging me.
"Better," the man says and then smirks. It's an odd smirk too. It's not 100% evil like a mad scientist or something, but it isn't good. It looks more like the smirk of a bully when he's thought up some new torment for his favorite victim.
The man then grabs hold of my purse which sits on the small bench. When I see this, everything seems to click in place. That's what he was after this entire time...my purse. He's robbing me. That's all this is, a robbery. So now he'll get whatever he wants from my purse, then flee and this nightmare can finally be over.
Only he doesn't open my purse or even pick it up. Instead he unclips the purse straps. This particular purse has detachable straps that connect via clips as it came with 3 different strap lengths. The different straps are meant so you can pick the best for your body type, but I liked it as I could change them out depending on what I was doing or where I was going. If I was going to a crowded location, I could choose a shorter strap and keep my purse closer to my body. If not, I would choose longer for more comfort.
Holding the disconnected purse strap in his hand, the man says nothing but grabs my right hand. To this, I do let out a small yelp and pull back but he holds me firm. His hand feels very rough and course on mine as if he's never heard of lotion before. Sort of like human skin sandpaper.
I look down to see and feel him starting to wrap the strap around my right wrist in a loop. Then he grabs my left hand and brings it up to my right hand. Now he wraps the strap around my left wrist.
I become oddly quiet as I watch and feel him wrap the straps around my wrists as he means to tie me up. He doesn't just wrap it around my wrists but goes between them and across at angles, letting me know he knows how to tie professional knots. And sure enough, within maybe 20 seconds, my wrists are tied together in an extremely tight knot.
In disbelief I look at my wrists with the knowledge that it's my purse strap. He tied me with my own purse strap. I'm not sure why it feels so weird to hear, but it is. Not just the fact that I'm now tied and helpless, but he used my own purse to do it. It feels oddly humiliating. Not to mention the fact that I just stood there and let him do it. I didn't move my hands about or run out.
That's when I notice something that I can't believe. I'm...excited. My heart is pumping, my skin is on fire and overall, I'm excited. This is just so new, so intense, so...different. I'm very much scared for my life but for the first time in forever, I feel alive.
As I feel this, I'm so very confused. Am I pathetic for feeling alive during this? Or should I embrace this? Does it mean something is wrong with me, or is this considered normal? God, I've never felt so confused before in my life.
The man then grabs the straps tying my wrists together and starts to lift them upward. As he does this, I can see him look at something above my head, so I look upward to see what this could be. I then see what he means to do. There's the hooks overhead that you can hang the clothes you bring in.