I awoke to the feeling of gentle motion. My mind felt groggy... I seemed to be waking in slow motion. Was it just me or was something covering my face...? There was an unfamiliar voice talking... It sounded far away.
"So you're okay for me to take the photos this afternoon yeah? You left the keys in the letter box like we discussed," said one man's voice.
"Yeah that's right, I won't be around until after 5 so take your time. I just want photos of the second bedroom, spare bathroom and living areas," replied another voice. It sounded like it was on speaker... Or Bluetooth?
Wait was I in a car? Lying down? The memories of what had just happened came flooding back to me. I had to move. I opened my eyes fully and realised there was some kind of black fabric covering my face, and there was something in my mouth, and what felt like tape over it. I couldn't see anything except the black sheer of fabric and vague lights moving. My breathing escalated quickly as I panicked. My legs were bound tightly I could not open them, my arms were tied behind my back and I was uncomfortably lying on them. There was no movement possible.
"No problem it will all be ready for advertisement by tomorrow," said the voice I realised was the realtors.
"Yeah no worries, Thanks for this Brendon I'll owe you a carton," replied the speaker voice.
"Nah all good, speak to you later," said the realtor and the call clicked. I heard the radio return and a pop song blasted loudly from either sides of my body, I felt a panic attack coming on. There was a lump in my throat, I tried to sit up but to no avail.
"Ah I see you're awake. Just try to breath, go slowly," the voice of the man I now knew to be Brendon replied. I stilled my body and carefully listened.
"Now I've put a clean cloth in your mouth and duct taped it shut, you also have a pillow slip over your head. I'm taking you somewhere private to show you okay, you just need to listen to me and everything will be okay... I want you to move your head if you understand me."
I paused and processed what he said, what was he going to do with me, what did somewhere private mean?... I moved my head up and down. I needed to keep this guy happy. Who the fuck did this to women? Why was he doing this to me? Was this the first time he had done this?
"Good... Now If you are good for the rest of the journey you are going to make your life much easier in the near future okay?
I want you to show me how good you are going to be by being absolutely still and breathing calmly, I'll be watching," he commanded.
I felt out of control. I felt like I was a robot watching everything happen to my body. This wasn't happening to me, I just needed to operate this girl I was watching to be still and to breathe. I focused on a dark patch of fabric and instructed my body to breathe. I felt oddly calm. This wasn't real, I just had to control this body I was in, watching from afar. I focused on the dark patch and nothing else, I didn't let her move a muscle.
I felt my body rock sidewards and the car slowly drove over what felt like a curb. There was a sound like a garage door opening and closing. I remained still, she just needed to be still. The music had stopped and It was instant relief. I heard a car door open and bang shut, I twitched from fright at the sound. Everything was so loud, amplified. His steps sounded like thunderclaps, I heard electricity buzzing somewhere.
The boot behind me opened and I heard loud shuffling and movement of items, followed by a loud bang of the boot being closed. I could feel the body I was in being drenched in sweat. There was unlocking and opening of doors, followed by closing of doors. His footsteps were muffled now, and the beep-beep of the car being locked externally pierced my ears like a nail being hammered straight into my ear drum. I listened carefully. He was clearly inside the house now, walking around. The robot in my mind controlling me, instructed me to try and remove the pillow slip off my head. I wiggled and shimmed down slowly moving the fabric up my face. The time expanded into what felt like hours.