ABDUCTED: Property of Julianna Rowe
She was taken hostage at gunpoint by two men near a
convenience store. Blindfolded and taken to an underground location not far
outside the city. There were two of them, a man and I was the other person who was going to be
used for insurance leverage with the FBI as getaway pawns. The blindfolds were removed, and we were left
in an empty room with one window. I immediately went to the
window, only to see heavy vines blocking the view of a brick wall opposite the vine. Just then, the lock on the door
clicked and opened. A shorter man with a
bandana hiding his face entered with a tray of food. Actually, decent food. Two plates filled with hamburgers, french
fries, and apple pie. Another basket of fruit, soft drinks, napkins, and seasonings. I said out loud to the other prisoner.
“What is going on here?”
But no one spoke. Food was the last thing on my mind. Instead, I went back to the window and tried
to open it. It had been painted
shut. Where were we? I recalled riding in an elevator, but did we
go up or down? There was obviously a brick building very close and what was with the
thick vines. They looked like the vines in the children’s book “Jack and the
Beanstalk.” But that couldn't be.
Our captors had left utensils with our meal. I grabbed a bite of food, took the dull
knife to the window, and began loosening the years of dried paint holding
us prisoner. I knew they would be
returning soon for our dishes, so I continued vigorously pursuing our
escape to where I had no idea. If I got the window open, would I climb up or
down? There wouldn’t be much time for decision-making. I might as well have been climbing
into the abyss but at least it was freedom from what appeared to be imminent
death. I never was one to settle or go out without a fight.
When I finally got the window loosened all the way around
and began to lift the heavy wood it groaned as though pain were surging thru
it. Like it was feeling the same opportunity I hoped to sense once I got it moving enough, but once again, it was stuck. I ran back to the food tray and grabbed the
squeeze bottle of catsup, squirted it onto each side of the window frame, and jiggled it to release the liquid into the side sliding crevices, and BINGO! It opened as it released one final groan feeling
its own personal freedom while allowing mine. I turned to my friend and said,
“Come on!” To which he just stood there
frozen.
I slithered out, looked down to see darkness, looked up and
saw light, and began climbing. I was not
in the best physical condition, but it didn’t matter. I was putting one foot in front of another
and when there wasn’t a vine in ladder formation, I grabbed and pulled myself
up until I found one. This truly did appear to be a Jack Beanstalk. I could only hope the ending would be as good
as the well-known old book. That is when my wandering mind was thrown back to
its pitiful dangerous senses by hearing a man’s gruff angry voice shouting for
the others that I had escaped. I could
feel the vibration of the presence of another human on my thick vine to freedom.
Fear was in great pursuit of me. I went faster and faster until I was gasping
for air. Stress gripped my throat like I was being strangled, and my lungs were
responding in pain but I could see the light from above coming closer. Maybe it was heaven, and I was dying? Would I die getting away from anyone holding
me against my will for their own benefit? I had lived through difficult life situations and
come out of them before and would again, even at my own death. Behind me only the crackling of the vines and the harsh heavy deep grunts of a
killer in pursuit of me. Why me? What
was the purpose, or was I simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? It didn’t
matter at that point.
My mind came back to reality when I jumped off the vine and
hit a real city cement sidewalk. No one was in sight and I was still gasping for the breath of life I needed to continue. There were buildings all around that
looked somewhat familiar, but there was no time to ponder it, only run, but I
couldn’t run. I saw two buildings with a small alley between where I
scurried to, stood, catching my breath
for a few seconds, and then onto and through the alley to a street with more
activity. I asked a passerby if I could
use their cell phone as I had been abducted.
I must have frightened them because they were gone in a flash. I asked the next person I saw and they handed
me their phone. I called my cell phone
number, hoping for an answer from someone I knew. I believe I was delirious or I would have dialed 9 1 1. And then I heard a voice on the other end answering my
phone. It was my abductor telling me
there was no escape, they had put trackers on my phone and everyone on my
contact list. If I tried to reach out
to anyone, I would be found. I handed the phone back to the stranger and began
running. I had no money, no vehicle, no
contacts. At this point, I knew where I
was and continued toward my home.
I woke up. That was a scary dream!
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