“Help me; help me, why did this happening to me? I just want to die; I don’t want to suffer anymore”
It was 10:30 at night with a new moon in the middle of a July evening; the temperature had only dropped down to a smoldering 89 degrees. Michael, with sweat dripping down his face now covered with freshly open cuts and contusions on his left cheek, the bridge of his nose and his chin. Between the dripping of the sweat and blood, it completely saturated the front of his shirt. He screamed out with a quiver in his voice into the heat of the night, only falling on deaf ears from the dried out basin of the well. The deserted area sat miles from the closest small community of rundown trailers.
The small rocks and leaves were the only thing that broke his fall laid beneath him, causing more damage than good. Bruises throughout his body were more noticeable now from scraping and banging on the well walls as he tumbled down to the bottom. He began to rub his tender swollen legs. It was so dark Michael couldn’t see his hand as he held it up in front of his face. The screech of a field mouse cried out, as it falls prey to a larger animal from up above. This causing even more fear in Michael, he curled up into the fetus position, rapping his arms around his body and closing his eyes, he began to cry, hope for someone to hear him escaped him as he drifted off to sleep.
Just one day before Michael and his girlfriend Julie were sitting in Café Logo, just off the square of downtown Inverness, fl. Unaware to Michael and Julie, outside the café across the lawn, a young slender man with a hoodie sweater draped over his head and dark shades stood next to the side of the old court house.
He was on his phone talking with an agitated voice, yet never taking his eyes of Michael and Julie. Julie reached over and caressed Michael’s face causing the young man to slam his phone shut and sliding it back into his pocked. He took one more puff off his cigarette and flicks it across the lawn. He storms off toward a small parking lot. He reached for the door of a 1979 ford f150 with dents and worn oxidized paint throughout the body, and continued to watch.
Julie leaned forward and kissed Michael on the lips. Michael begins to smile. The young man in the truck still within view, puffed away at his cigarette as he stewed at what we was witnessing. He began to scheme at what his next move was going to be. He knew he could not do it alone. He dug his phone out of his pocked and flipped it open and began to dial, he talked briefly. He hung up and made another call. He finally started the engine and drove away. Michael and Julie finished up, gathered their things off the table and paid their check.
The next day as Michael had no idea what was in stored for him, woke up and started the day off like any normal day. Having coffee with Julie in the kitchen and talking, not aware of the ford sitting three houses down, just waiting and watching. Julie looked at her watch and got up first, having to be at work an hour earlier then Michael. She grabbed her purse leaned over and kissed Michael and said goodbye.
“That will give you something to think about till I see you tonight.”
She smiled, shook her keys and kisses him again.
Michael finally got up and grabbed his keys and exited the house as well. Michael works as an associate in one of the smell law firms in town. As he walked out to the street the ford eased up behind his car. He could not see who was in the truck, between the residue and the crack that spread to the drives side on the windshield. He entered his car and adjusted his rearview mirror, hoping to get look at the person in the truck behind him. He started his car and drove away. He looked back once more in relief as he realized the truck was not following him.
About two O’clock the phone rang at Michael’s desk. He answered the phone.
“Michael Hudson, how can I be of service to you?”
The phone went dear,
“Hello, hello, is anyone their?”
He looks at the receiver, than places the phone back on its cradle. Not giving it a second though he goes back to work on some legal document he needed to finish before the day was out. An hour later the phone rang, he can now hear breathing on the other end.
“Who is this, this is not funny?”
The phone goes dead again. Michael was a little uneasy this time not knowing who was playing games with him. He put the phone down and picked up his pen. He knew he needed to finish his work but the last distraction drew him away as he pondered the phone call. Who was doing this and what did they want? He finally gathered himself and put his mind on his work.
As he was finishing up, the phone rang once more. He jumped up from his chair and grabbed the receiver.
“What the hell do you want, whatever sick game you’re playing, stop or I’ll call the police you bastard.”
“Michael what’s wrong it’s Julie, is everything ok?”
“Oh. I’m sorry honey. I’ve been getting phone calls all day with no one on the other end of the line; I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
“I understand, do you know who might be doing this?”
“If I did I would call the police on them.”
“I’m ok, is there something you need’
“I was just about to leave work and I was calling to see if you would like to meet me for dinner before you came home.”
“That sounds great, but I have a little more work to do, give me about an hour and I’ll meet you.”
“Great, I’ll see you in an hour at Ruby Tuesday’s; it sounds like you could really use a drink. I’m sure it’s just some kids messing around on the phone. Hey, I love you”
“I love you too.”
Michael closed the folded in front of him, got up and looked out the window while he was slipping his suit coat on. He turned the light off as he exited his office and shut the door.
He walked down the walkway leading over to the parking lot. He reached his car and fished around for his keys in his pocked. He pressed the button on his key controller when out of nowhere a set of arms came around him from behind, locking his arms to his sides. He began to struggle, as he did a hood was placed over his head and the last thing he remembers is a sharp blow to the bridge of his nose. Michael finally pasted out, falling backwards already in the arms of one of the attackers behind him. There were three men in total that were part of this plot. The other two came around and lifted his legs to carry him; they shuffled over to the ford parked around the corner. The streets surrounding the area were deserted at this late hour. They tossed his Raggedy Anne body into the bed of the truck. One jumped in back with Michael, the other two jumped into the cab and they drove off.
Julie was sitting in Ruby Tuesday’s sipping on a martini at the bar. She kept looking towards the front door, only to be disappointed. He was over dew by an hour and a half. She picked up her phone and dialed Michael’s number; the phone rang till the answering service picks up.
“Hi, this is Michael Hudson, I would love to talk to you but I’m not available right now. Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I can.”
Beep.
“Hi Michael, please call me as soon as you can, you’re starting to worry me.”
Michael begins to come around in the bed of the truck. He opened his eyes slowly and couldn’t see a thing. Not knowing where he is he begins to struggle. His hands were tied behind his back and his legs were tied together now. As he wiggles around a second blow catches him on the left jaw bone and chin opening up another gash on his face. He tries to scream but the tape across his mouth was too strong and muzzles any sound no matter how loud he screamed.
Julie got up and walked outside, she scanned the parking lot hoping to spot Michael’s car. She walked back inside sits down, takes a sip of her drink, picks up her phone and looks at it.
The truck comes to a stop. Michael hears two doors open.
“Push him over this way.”
An unfamiliar voice shouts out. They pull him out of the truck and stand him up. Another blow to his right cheek almost knocks him over; screaming goes unheard with the tape still covering his mouth.
Who are these guys and what do they want? Michael’s mind is trying to figure this out. Michael screams out once more from a blow of a two by four slamming into both of his knees. They pick him up and carry him again. His hands somehow become free but he is too weak to resist at this point. The only thing he could do is try to stay awake.
Michael felt his feet hit a wall. They backed up a little to heist him up higher. He could feel the back of his legs slide over the other side of a wall, all of a sudden a final push from behind, he found himself free falling and banging side to side as he descended into the well. He finally hit the bottom with a horrifically force, knocking himself unconscious. The three men leaned over the well. One of them shined a flashlight on Michael. They did not see any movement and felt satisfied he was dead.
Michael finally came around. He felt pain throughout his body. He reaches up and pulled the hood off his head. Then he pulled the tape off his mouth. He reaches down and unwrapped the taped bonding his legs. He screams out in pain,
“Help me; help me, why did this happening to me? I just want to die; I don’t want to suffer anymore”
Julie can’t wait any longer and leaves Ruby Tuesday’s. She decides to drive over to his office. She pulls into the parking lot and notices Michael’s car still sitting there. She pulls up next to it and walks around the driver side. Julie spots his keys and briefcase sitting on the ground. She is fortunate that the car was sitting under a street light. His briefcase had popped open and all the papers scattered under the car and in the bushes behind the car. She reaches down to pick up his keys and spots blood stains on the ground. Julie pulls out her phone and call 911.
This is 911, how can I help you?”
Hi, this is Julie Pearson. I’m in the parking next to the office building on 325 South Apopka Av. My boyfriend’s car is sitting here and his keys and briefcase are sitting next to his car. There is blood on the ground as well.”
“Slow down mam, is there anyone else with you.”
“No, there isn’t I’m by myself.”
“I have dispatched a car to your location. You need to get in your car and lock the doors and stay on the line. Can you do that?”
“Yes, but hurry please I’m really scared.”
“Julie I need you to get in your car right now.”
“It’s ok, can you hear the sirens.”
“Yes I do, I think I see the lights coming.”
“They’re pulling into the parking lot right now.”
“Julie you did great, officer Williams will take it from here. You tell him everything you told me”
Michael feels something wet and thick hitting his body like mud. He reaches down and wipes it off. More and more keep falling on him. He smells his fingers and screams out once more.
“No, please don’t bury me alive.”
He realized it was cement coming down. They were trying to cover up the body so no one could find him. As the chamber filled he began to disappear. One last cry and……………
The alarm went off and Michael woke up in a bed of sweat. He jumped out of bed and was breathing heavy as he looked around the room. He just sat down on the floor exhaling in relief.
“I need to stop eating late at night.”