A slight haze covers the early morning sun as if it was only minutes since the last firework burst over the apartment buildings into the night sky. I heard boom after boom and sometimes I could see a few of the blasts from my window.
My only companion, a small ferret, who hid in my sleeves and was now running through my underwear. I checked the door again. Then I shook the door handle, hoping that this time it would be open.
Someone had made this small room very secure and I was not leaving by the window, which was covered by bars, and I was definitely not leaving by the door.
I was still dressed in my jeans, T-shirt with a flag on it, and boots. My ferret had crawled into my shirt to escape the noise as I walked to the fireworks to the main street to watch the fireworks. This year in honor of the end of more than a year of lockdowns would be epic. I didn't want to miss it. I had been alone too often this year since I lost my boyfriend. I had no family. It was just me and Bruno against the world. I shared my living quarters with four other girls who paid their rent, but were negligent in paying other bills like electricity and gas. They also didn't like Bruno. He smelled too musky, one of the girls said.
I checked my pocket. The smart phone that I always carried was gone. Whoever had locked me in this small room had wanted to make sure that I couldn't call 9-1-1.
The last thing I remembered was a big boom. I think I was drinking a beer. That left me somewhat confused. I didn't remember who handed me the beer.
So here I was in a locked room. I searched the area, looking for a way out. Someone had been thorough. There was only two ways and both were barred. I checked the hinges on the door and yes, they were inside the room. I looked for something to pull up the pins. Everything in my pockets including ID and my pocket knife that my late boyfriend had given me were gone. I tried pulling the pins, but they ripped my hands until I could smell the slight metallic smell of the leaking blood.
I sat on the edge of the bed petting the ferret and when he tried to bite me from too much affection, I set him on the bed. If there was a hole anywhere in this room Bruno could find it. Besides Bruno was hungry because I was hungry. I needed to pee. There was a small door off the room and a toilet. I sat on it and wondered who and what. I was just a waitress at a small diner and barely made enough for Bruno and me. Why would anyone decide to kidnap me?
Of course, the one thing that came to mind was sexual. There had been girls stolen as sex slaves. they were luckier than the girls who were raped, killed, and buried in an unmarked grave. The thought of not surviving caused me to be more frenetic in searching for some way out.
As I was searching, I heard footsteps slowly come up to the door. My heart started to beat out of my chest. This is it, I thought. I prepared to run past whoever came in. Maybe I could escape.
There was a knock on the door. "Are you decent?"
The voice was warm like a cup of rich dark chocolate. My heart calmed just a little. "Come in." I said.
He unlocked the door. At first glance the man was tall and broad. If I had dream lover, it would have been him, come to life. My first thought after wow was "why would he need to kidnap some random female?" He was dark and I couldn't help but feel a little weak and very female.
I straightened my spine some and hoped there wasn't any drool on my face, and said. "Why am I here?" I was very proud that my voice wasn't shaky.
He bowed deeply. "Forgive me for these extreme liberties. We have been looking for you for years. We didn't want to lose you."
"What do you mean?" Bruno ran up to him and sat on his boot, and then licked his whiskers. I relaxed. I knew if something was wrong with this person, Bruno would be hissing.
The man straightened. "Let me introduce myself," he said formally. "I am Vladamar Huntsman, former member of the Summer Court and now the leader of the Wild Hunt." There was a little flourish in his introduction.
"We lost you many years ago."
"I am no fairy," I said tartly. "I don't have pointed ears and I don't have magic."
Vladamar smiled. "I don't have pointed ears either." I noticed he didn't mention magic. "But Naimh, the Queen calls you."
By Cyn Bagley (c) 2021