"Good night Mr Johnson."
"Take care, Sarah."
And with my shopping done, I went out into the night for my short walk home. I had no idea that fateful walk was going to end with my life changed forever. The night was cool, the city lights reflected off the clouds above, and evil eyes measured my every pace. I was so happy at that moment, I had my new apartment, a little small and not well furnished, except the king size bed, but most important, it was mine. Just that day I had met someone, and I felt a connection. I was fairly skipping as I entered my building.
Just as the elevator door was about a close a voice called out, "Hold the door please." and I did. A nice looking young man slipped in, gave me a smile and a thanks, and up we went. He tried to talk to me, but, although he was on the cute side, I had been told time and again not to talk to strangers in the city, so I simply smiled and deflected his efforts at conversation. My floor came and with a smile and a soft "good night" I eased my way past him and out to the hallway and then to my door. I unlocked the door, pushed it open with my hip, when suddenly I was slammed from behind and driven inside, the breath almost knocked out of me when I hit the floor. I rolled over to see the man from the elevator standing over me, with a small black pistol in his hand.
"Not a word, not a sound." He growled at me, and one glance into his eyes told me he would hurt me if I didn't obey. I slithered into the apartment on my backside as he advanced into my home, shut the door behind us and then came the most chilling smile I'd ever seen.
I was in his power and we both knew it. He motioned to the couch and I pulled myself up to sit on the very edge. Inside I was trembling, my body screaming at me to "RUN!" to "HIDE!" anything, just "GET AWAY!" but my mind was icy calm. I knew I had to stay calm if I was going to survive this.
"My name is Sarah. Please don't hurt me." I calmly told him.
"Do what I say and I wont." He replied.
"Can I get you something, a drink maybe, money? I don't have much, but what I have I'll give you. Just please..."
"Quiet, he snarled, "Beer, get me a beer"