| << Chapter 5 | Chapter 1 | Chapter 7 >> |
Madi woke with a groan, her head pounding, the taste of blood sharp in her mouth. She blinked, her vision hazy, the dim light making it hard to focus on her surroundings. Her body felt unnaturally heavy, her limbs stiff and awkward. She tried to shift her weight, but something was wrong. Her arms wouldn't move.
Confusion gave way to panic as she glanced down and saw thick ropes biting into her wrists. They were bound tightly to the armrests of a wooden chair. Her legs, too, were secured at the ankles, tied to the chair’s legs, keeping her firmly in place. The rough fibers of the rope scraped against her skin, already rubbing it raw with each small movement.
Her breath quickened, the weight of her helplessness crashing over her. She instinctively tugged at the restraints, but they held fast. No matter how hard she pulled, the ropes dug deeper, sending waves of fear through her.
The small room was dim and suffocating, the same one where she had woken up chained to the bed days ago. But the bed was gone now, leaving only the chair she was tied to. The walls were as bare as before, the paint peeling and cracked. There was no window, no sign of the outside world.
She was alone.
Her breath quickened as she fought against the rising tide of panic. How had she ended up here again? The last thing she remembered was the crash—Sid slamming into the car, sending her spinning into darkness.
A noise outside the window snapped her attention back. She could hear it—grunting, the sound of something heavy being dragged across the dirt. Sid. Madi’s heart pounded in her chest as she strained to listen. His deep grunts were mixed with the unmistakable sound of a shovel hitting the earth, rhythmic and deliberate. He was digging, close to the cabin, maybe just outside this very room.
The air felt thick, and a sickening dread settled in the pit of her stomach. What was he doing out there? What had happened to the young man who had tried to help her?
Madi swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. She couldn’t let her mind spiral. She needed to stay calm, needed to think. But the sound of Sid digging made it impossible to focus. Each thud of the shovel felt like it was pounding through her chest, reminding her of the danger she was in.
Time dragged on, and the noise outside finally stopped. Madi’s ears strained for more sounds, but there was nothing except the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant chirp of birds. Then, after what felt like hours, the door creaked open.
Sid entered the room, his massive frame blocking out the dim light from the hallway. His face was twisted with rage, his eyes dark and wild as they locked onto her. Dirt smeared his hands and arms, and his clothes were streaked with soil. He stared at her, his chest heaving with each breath, the anger rolling off him in waves.
"Look what you made me do," he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. His fists clenched at his sides as he took a step closer.
Madi shrank back against the chair, her heart hammering in her chest. Her throat tightened, her breath shallow as fear gripped her.
Sid’s eyes narrowed, and his expression twisted with fury. "That boy... the one who picked you up. He’s dead. And it’s your fault." He spat the words, his voice trembling with rage. "All you had to do was stay put, be a good girl. But no. You had to run."
Madi’s stomach churned, bile rising in her throat. The young man was dead? Her mind raced, images of the crash flashing through her head. She hadn’t seen what happened after they went off the road—everything had been a blur of pain and confusion. But Sid had been right behind them. He must have...
She felt sick.
Sid leaned closer, his breath hot on her face. "Now I gotta get rid of his car. Gotta clean up your mess. You know what that means?" He grinned, but it was a horrible, cold smile that made Madi’s skin crawl. "It means I’m leavin’ you here. And you better behave, or you’ll end up in the same hole I dug for him."
Madi’s blood ran cold. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t find the words. She was too terrified to do anything but stare into his cold, furious eyes. Sid took a step back, wiping his hands on his pants.
"I’m goin’ to get rid of that car now," he said, his voice eerily calm. "You stay here. Don’t even think about trying anything, or you’ll be next."
With that, Sid turned on his heel and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Madi heard the lock click into place, trapping her inside once again.
For a long moment, she sat in stunned silence, her mind spinning. The young man was dead. Sid had killed him, and now he was out there, disposing of the evidence, covering his tracks. And she was next if she didn’t find a way to escape.
Madi’s hands shook as she tugged at the ropes around her wrists. They were tied tight, the knots biting into her skin, but she couldn’t give up. She couldn’t let herself stay tied to this chair, helpless and waiting for whatever Sid had planned for her next.
She twisted her wrists, wincing as the ropes burned against her skin. The chair creaked under her as she tried to work her way free, but the bindings barely budged. She needed to think, needed to find a way out before Sid came back.
Her eyes darted around the room, searching for anything that might help. The room was as bare as it had been before, but the ropes around her ankles were sloppier than the ones at her wrists. If she could just get her legs free…
She leaned forward, her fingers fumbling with the knots, her nails digging into the rough fibers. The ropes were tight, but after several minutes of tugging and pulling, one of the knots loosened, giving her just enough slack to wiggle her foot free.
Hope surged in her chest as she freed her other leg. She shifted in the chair, her movements slower now as she worked on the ropes binding her wrists. She had to hurry, but she couldn’t make too much noise. The last thing she wanted was for Sid to hear her struggling and come back early.
The ropes around her wrists were tougher, the knots pulled tight and secure. But Madi didn’t stop. She twisted and yanked, ignoring the pain shooting up her arms as the fibers dug into her skin. Minutes passed, and her wrists were sore and raw, but she finally felt one of the knots loosen just enough for her to pull one hand free.
Breathing hard, she quickly untied the other wrist and stumbled to her feet, her legs wobbly and weak from being bound for so long. She had no idea how much time she had before Sid returned, but she knew she had to move fast.
She glanced around the room one last time, looking for anything that might help her, but there was nothing. No weapons, no tools—nothing she could use to defend herself. She would have to rely on speed and instinct. There was only one thing on her mind now: escape.
Madi crept to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening for any signs of movement outside. It was quiet, too quiet. She couldn’t hear Sid, couldn’t tell if he was still outside or if he’d already left to deal with the car.
Her pulse raced as she turned the doorknob, hoping against hope that Sid hadn’t locked it too tightly. The door creaked open with a soft groan, and Madi stepped into the kitchen, her heart pounding in her chest.
The house was silent, but the memory of Sid’s threat hung heavy in the air. She had to move, and she had to move fast.
She darted toward the window to see if Sid's truck was still there. But it was gone. She hadn’t heard it start when he left. He must have left it at the crash site.
She tried the front door, but it was locked. So she made her way to the same window she had used on her first night here. The sense of déjà vu, and the memory of how it ended last time, gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach.
The difference this time was that she still had plenty of daylight left to get far away.
With a quick tug, the window slid open without resistance this time. Madi wasted no time, slipping out easily and standing up, her heart racing as she scanned the yard for any sign of Sid. There was nothing but eerie silence.
She moved swiftly toward the garden at the back of the cabin, her breath shallow with fear. Reaching the far end of the garden, she vaulted over the short fence that enclosed it, her movements quick and deliberate.
The woods loomed ahead, and after only a few steps, the landscape dropped sharply. Madi gripped the trees to slow her descent, her feet sliding on the loose soil and leaves. She navigated the steep hill like a Klinko puck, bouncing from tree to tree, trying to control her momentum as she hurried downwards, desperate to put distance between herself and the cabin.
All of a sudden, the ground gave way to a sharp drop-off. Below, a river snaked through the valley—she had stumbled onto the Buffalo River. Madi found herself standing on a bluff, about ten feet above the water. Without hesitation, she jumped. The impact sent a shock through her body as her feet hit the rocky bottom of the river, but the water was just deep enough to prevent injury.
The swift current swept her downstream almost immediately, dragging her through the cold, rushing water. The river quickly became shallow, revealing rocky islands scattered across the waterway. She managed to stand but didn’t stop—she ran downstream as fast as her legs could carry her, pushing through the exhaustion.
The river alternated between shallow pools and rocky outcrops, forcing her to swim when the water deepened and wade when it receded. The rushing current seemed relentless, but Madi pressed on, her eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of escape.
The river narrowed into what was little more than a creek, tumbling quickly downstream. The isolation was complete—no signs of life, just the wilderness surrounding her. But Madi knew that this river eventually reached the highway that led back to Ponca. If she could just make it there, she’d be free.
Hours passed as she trekked on, running purely on adrenaline. The river widened again, and the roaring rapids behind her began to fade. She stopped, listening carefully. Was that the sound of cars? She strained her ears and heard the distant hum of engines on a highway. Her heart leaped with hope.
Madi scrambled out of the water and up the embankment, her body aching from the effort. She listened again. Yes—she could hear the occasional car passing nearby. She sprinted toward the sound. After a few minutes of running, she found herself standing in the middle of a small, two-lane highway.
To her left, a bridge loomed. She hurried toward it, hoping it was the same bridge she had passed when she’d first gotten lost. But the sign read "Smith Creek." She didn’t recognize the name, but the direction felt right, so she kept going. The twilight was beginning to set in, and she prayed another car would pass by soon.
Just then, a small black car came into sight behind her. She frantically waved her arms, and the car slowed to a stop. Madi rushed to the door, yanked it open, and jumped in.
"Please, drive fast! Get me out of here! Someone’s after me—he killed the last guy who picked me up!" Her words tumbled out, breathless with panic.
The middle-aged man behind the wheel blinked in surprise, his calm demeanor at odds with her desperation. "Nice to meet you, too," he said, almost jokingly, but quickly realized the gravity of the situation. He gunned the engine. "We’re not far from Ponca. Let’s get you to the police."
Relief began to flood through Madi—until she saw it. A truck appeared out of nowhere in the rearview mirror, speeding toward them.
"It’s him!" she cried, her voice trembling. "Go faster!"
The man’s expression hardened, and he floored the gas pedal.
| << Chapter 5 | Chapter 1 | Chapter 7 >> |
