Dear Diary Chapter 9
The Marina.
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Before I even opened my eyes I realized three things.
One, my head hurt. Like hell, too, a throbbing pain seeming to make my head feel like my heart was in it. Hey, it was pulsing somehow.
Two, I was no longer in the car. Actually I was in a stuffy room, but I didn't dare open my eyes to deduce this, no I could smell it. The air was heavy and I could hear fan blades running somewhere. I was on what felt like a slick leather couch, the kind you find in the principal's office.
And three, I was so incredibly happy that Nick was not here too.
While my eyes were closed I listened. I couldn't yet open them because my head was still throbbing and I was sure it would hurt. I could hear the slicing of the fan blades through the air. And maybe, when I held my breath I could make out muffled voices or a radio somewhere in the distance.
That was all. I could hear nothing else and I felt that something was odd about the utter silence. Then I realized that the past few days I had spent in Chicago I had slowly become accustomed to the bleating of horns and people. Nowhere was silent in the city. I panicked. Maybe we weren't in the city, where was I?
I sat up, wretching my eyes open even though I didn't think it was wise. I was surprised that my head didn't throb even more, but there was no light in this room, and I thanked heaven for that. But sitting up so fast hadn't helped either. And, as I tried to stand, I had to grip something hard and wooden to keep myself from falling on my face. That was when I realized that my hands were bound together. After steadying myself I pulled both of my hands to my face and ripped at the knot with my teeth.
After a few minutes I was able to loosen it and threw it to the ground. Then I tried to examine my surroundings. It was night outside but I could see a small amount of light, from either a streetlight or very large moon, shining through the cracks in the boards covering the one window. I went to the boarded frame and tried to see through. I found the biggest crack and pressed my eye to it.
It seemed I was on the second or third floor of a decrepit building. The light I had seen was actually a mixture of streetlights far below and a large but cloud muffled moon. The part of the street I could see was filthy and stone, trash tumbling in the wind. Then I heard birds, specifically gulls. And the musty smell finally dawned on me. It had been a mixture of dust and saltwater. I was at the docks of Chicago.
Turning away from the window, I put my back against the wall, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor. I put my head in my hands and began to cry. I was being so stupid. I needed to think about my situation and decide what to do.
I had been kidnapped while eating at a restaurant, that may or may not have been a cover for gang operations, while dining with my boyfriend's Uncle, who may or may not be a mobster. Then I was knocked out using a chemical of some kind, that may or may not have been toxic, taken to what may or may not be the Chicago docks, and put into what appeared to be a ratty old office in the second or third story of what may or may not have been a warehouse. Hmmm... So, in short, I know only two things for sure. I had a boyfriend, and he had an Uncle. I started crying again.
After a while I was able to regain control of myself. I stood, shakily, and walked to another window, this one I could not see through because it was made of the glass like you see on the door of the lawyer's office only this one was missing a name, so I fumbled along the wood frame, trying to find a nob. I found one but hesitated before turning it.
Rats, it was locked. So I was back at square one. I made my way slowly back to where the wooden thing (desk maybe?) had been and felt around on top of it. Bingo, I almost jumped for joy when I found the light and pulled the chord, the room lighted up.
I heard a noise from what sounded like the floor below. The scooting of a chair possibly. Uh-oh. Had someone seen the new light? Ugh! If Nick were here he would have thought of that. I needed him.
Next, I heard footsteps on stairs and someone fumbling with keys. The keys to the door that stood between me and... the door that stood between me and... whatever was on the other side of the door. (Hey! don't blame me, we already established that I only know two things for sure! And I distinctly...don't remember one of them being what is on the other side of the door.)
The nob turned and the man from the table looked in at me. He smiled, that was the second time today I had seen someone smile who obviously needed to be taught how. Then it hit me. What if this guy was another gangster. It made sense, he was mad at Uncle Jhon for something (A deal gone bad?) And so he had kidnapped me as ransom, okay so he may or may not have kidnapped me for ransom, depending on if he was really a gangster, which he may or may not be.
"I'm glad to see that you've finally woken up. How was your rest?" He asked, almost pleasantly but if you looked deep into his eyes you could tell that he didn't really care.
I asked him a question in return. "Where am I? Why am I here? What do you want with me?"
"I am afraid that I am going to have to ask to you please calm down." At his request I laughed in his face.
"Answer my questions and I might." I glared at him.
He frowned. "You are far from home, here because I like this spot and I want nothing with you, only someone you have the misfortune of knowing. There happy?" I glared even harder at him. He was mocking me.
"You Asshole, you have exactly ten seconds to let me out of here or so help me I'll-" He cut me off.
"You'll what, scream? Go ahead, this isn't exactly the best part of town, all the better to carry out business in because no one will care. No one will come, and until Jhon Altobelie comes through on his side of the bargain, you will be calling this room home. So be my guest. And I hope you don't mind rats." He closed the door and locked it back.
I began to cry again. I wanted Nick. I wanted to go home. I wanted someone to talk to, even if it was my diary.
I now knew three things, I had a boyfriend, he had and Uncle, and I did not like that man.
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