My name is Adriana and I just turned 20 last week. A little about me, I am 5ft 3in tall and I weigh around 48 kilograms and I always have had long hair. My hair is jet black in colour, silky smooth and when loose, it falls down till my waist almost touching my hips and covering my entire back. My parents own a farm in Minnesota, I have grown up helping them around and dreaming to make them proud someday. I have often wondered about the living in the city, going to a university, falling in love and getting married someday. I have given my SAT's recently and was pleasantly surprised when I got an above average score, my parents pushed me towards pursuing a college degree at the state university of New York. Fast-forward to a week later and I am dragging my hefty suitcase across the platform to the train as it whistles in urgency. My mother is muttering under her breath about having packed the pickles and my father keeps droning on and on about making sure I do not loose my stuff. I stop both of their bantering by giving them a hug as I whisper how much I love them in their ears. Soon I am on the train waving them off as the train makes its way out of the station. I go back to my seat and start reading up online about my new school. It is then that I come across the fact that I will have to take a subway to the school every day! Now to the people who are surprised by my excitement it is not because I have never ridden in one before but it is the fact that I will be on my own, figuring out the routes and managing to read on the train like the people on the tv shows.
I reach New York in around 5 hours and I hail the famous taxi that rushes me about in the big city. There were so many people on the streets I could hardly believe my eyes, it felt so...so alive as compared to my town by home. I reach the apartment my father had somehow managed to get on rent by help of his city friend and unpack. I make a quick call back home to tell them I am fine and that they should not worry about me anymore. I go to the shower, craving the hot water that would help tone down my excitement and help wash away the exhaustion. I make sure that the water is just warm before I remove my peach top, slowly unbuttoning the faded blue denim jeans as I step into the tiny glass shower cabin. I then unhook my black bra and slide out of my matching underwear and take a moment to look at myself in the mirror. I had a narrow waist with curves in the right places and petite but shapely breasts. I run my hands through my hair before stepping inside the hot shower. I showered for around an hour, I know it is a long time but it felt right, it calmed my nerves and helped me relax and more importantly think about tomorrow. I also washed my hair and when I stepped out I felt renewed energy flowing through my body, I skipped when I walked into the room with just a towel around me and my hair. I picked out my favourite pink top and black shorts from my partially arranged cupboard when the doorbell rang.
"Coming," I yell out to the visitor as I quickly wear my clothes and let down my hair, making my way towards the door and opening it. It was a delivery man who had got the wrong address, after directing him with the best of my navigation abilities I settled in for the night. It was a welcome but a dreamless sleep as I woke up to the sound of my alarm going nuts. After shutting it off and waking up, I make myself some cereal and then get ready for my first day in the big city. I grab my grey bag pack and head out, making my way to the metro station. I had decided to go for a ride all around the town for the day to get an idea of where everything is. I make a pass and then hop on the train, I find an empty seat and I sit down, looking at the scenery pass by me. I watch people reading magazines and newspapers while some were just listening to music. I found it a little odd as how everyone was just minding their own business.
I first went out to visit the famed Statue of Liberty, she was so tall and her smile was proud, the next stop was at the Empire state building and then the aerospace museum. I had subway for lunch before deciding that it was enough for the day. I was waiting for the last train to take me back to my apartment and by the time it arrived, it was already night. I hopped into the train which was eerily empty with just a man sitting at the far end of the coach. He looked a bit off, he was probably in his late 30s, was wearing a tweeted brown jacket which was torn at his left shoulder and his silver teeth flashed when he gave me a creepy smile. He looked homeless and his presence was a bit unsettling as I chose to sit at the other end, farthest from him. I started listening to music on my earphones when I glanced up to look at the on train map and with the corner of my eyes I saw the homeless man he was sitting...closer thank before? The train comes to a halt at a station and I was about to get off when a well-dressed man, maybe in his early 30's walked in. He was wearing an expensive looking black suit and impressive shoes. He gave me a warm smile and then sat two seats down from me, seeing the man sitting closer to me the homeless guy went back to his seat, disappointment showing in his face while I thanked my stars. I reached my station in about half an hour, I got off at the station and ran all the way to my apartment as quickly as my legs could carry me. Heart still racing, I locked the door behind me and then drank some water before making my way into the bed.
The next day onwards after an initial onboarding process, I settled into a regular routine of classes from morning till noon, followed by my club activities and finally a peaceful way home with a book in my hands while sitting in the subway. I made a couple of friends and we used to hang out in the cafeteria at the university every now and then, I never saw that well-dressed man and the homeless guy ever again. That terrified memory soon became a distant but terrifying experience. The days and months passed by and before I knew it, the exams and the hot summer sun, like a formidable foe were upon me. I was busy studying for the last exam of the summer session before the University began with the summer break. I was wearing a black shorts, blue sleeveless top and a baseball cap, my hair was done in a tight bun and was poking out of the loop from the cap. I was studying in the train and not really looking at my surroundings when I reached my stop and bumped into someone, I muttered an apology and quickly walked out as I was in a hurry. About three hours later I was finally free from the continuous labour of studies as I stretched and smiled after a long time. I along with my friends went to the all and had a blast before long it was the night and I was travelling alone back to my apartment.
I hopped onto a fairly crowded coach and then stood at the door, holding the iron bar above head, I was getting used to the swaying of the train when a huge crowd suddenly entered the coach at the next station. They filled up the entire coach and soon enough everyone was in everyone's personal space, I managed to squirm towards the middle of the coach, near the gates as I turned my back to the crowd and started looking outside at the colourful skyline shining in the dark moonless night. That is when I felt it, someone's breath on the back of my neck, someone's hot moist breath on my nape as I shivered and tried to push down the gross feeling when I felt someone touch my hair bun. I was pretty sure it was someone's nose, they were sniffing my hair! Alarm bells started ringing in my mind as I tried to turn away when I felt a cold metal placed against my bareback.
"Do not scream and do not move, if you value your life," the man's voice was deep and surprisingly soothing like chocolate. "We get off at the next station, try anything stupid and you will be dead before you know it."
I am too stunned to speak as I was beginning to realise that I was being held hostage, I nod my head slowly as I hear him take another sniff of my hair bun. The station slowly comes into existence before my eyes. I was tiny, offbeat and dark, unlike the other well-lit and well maintained subway stations. As the doors hissed open I gingerly stepped out, my mind racing as I was thinking how to get out of the situation alive. I hear the doors shut behind me as a large presence gets off the station uncomfortably close to me, the gun pressing into my back. The train leaves and I see hope dwindling in front of my eyes.
"I have been following you since the day I saw you alone at this hour," he said snickering. "I know you are here studying in the University of New York and you live uptown...and your name is Adriana."
My bones chill at the information he just threw at me as I go as stiff as a board. My sense of speech and movement was at a loss as I was too slow to realise that there was no cold metal against me back.
"AHOWWWW!" I scream in pain as I am slammed against the wall of the dirty station. I feel him pinning me against the wall by his weight, holding my hands behind my back as he squeezes my hip hard. His face was against my bun as he smelled it again, shooting his dirty moist breath down my nape. I feel him licking my hair and biting it as tears formed and blurred my vision. "Why are you doing this to me...who are you...please let me go," I beg to be let free but my wails go in vain as I feel a thick rope being wrapped around my wrists as he wordlessly ties my hands behind my back.
He walks to the front as I barely manage to make out a tie and a suit, he was taller than me and well built. His pale white hand reaches out and pulls the cap off my head as he licks his lips, his face slowly coming into view under the blinking light. He...he was wearing makeup? I question myself as his face seems to look like a mask, hiding the scars underneath. His eyes were black as the void but glinting with intelligence. His lips were wet from his saliva as he looked at me like a prey looking at his food. He was wearing a yellow tie and the black suit. Suddenly I am hit with the memory of him smiling at me in the same coach when I had first come to the city. He smiles the same way when he sees recognition in my eyes.
"So you do remember me huh," his voice not at all matching his face. "I couldn't forget you from the day I laid my eyes on you. Your perfect legs, your milky skin and oh your jet black hair."
