chapter 2

She crossed the threshold of campus and turned to take her usual route to work. She was really looking forward to the weekend. As it was Friday, Danika and Iris were only working until four and afterwards they had plans to go to Zoya’s. There really was nothing like getting pampered with drugstore products with the girls.

It was only when she was halfway there that she noticed a car following her.

A car was following her! Why? Who? What the actual hell?

Iris had never thought that something like this could ever happen to her. It was always on the news: shootings, gang violence, kidnapping rings, and modern slavery. She knew it happened but it always happened to other people, those on the other side of the world and she had never even considered that she would be the victim of something like this. The thought had never even crossed her mind.

Her heart thudded in her chest. Every possibility ran through her head, one worsening as they came and went: kidnap, organ harvesting, ransom, murder, torture and on and on it went. She fought the subconscious urge to freeze as the last thought was considered and tried to remember everything she has been taught about stranger danger.

Keep calm. Don’t let them know they’ve been spotted.

Look calm.

Identify. Black car. Fancy. No number plates. Tinted windows. No people to be seen. Most probably men.

Why here? Especially when the area was known to be well off.

Iris was wearing her school uniform.

A Crawford Academy uniform.

They probably thought she was one of the rich kids that attended.

Iris loosened the straps of her backpack, casually removing one strap from her shoulder. Self defense. Use whatever is on you to right off your assailants. She had very limited options. Her keys jingled in her pocket.

Keys!

Ever so slowly she reached into her pocket, being extra conscious to make it seem like a casual gesture and grabbed her bundle of keys and gripped them tightly, a key between each finger.

Keep walking.

Where was she? 1km away from the school. 3km away from the restaurant. Too far and in an unknown part of town. She’s never wandered from her path. No one to run to.

Tears gathered in her eyes. No, don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry. Keep your head straight. Do not look back. One foot in front of the other, keep walking. Don’t stray from your path, you might get lost. She tugged on her skirt. It was only four centimetres above her knees! Only her knees were showing!

She turned right at the next crossing. The car followed.

Man or woman, she remembered her father saying, kick the crotch. Then go for the throat. Grabbed the closest thing and beat them until their down. Don’t stop until they stay down.

She turned again, left this time, noticing the car stayed behind. Subtly, she sped up. She didn’t see the car. Instead, two big men came around the corner.

“Stop!”

“Girlie!”

Iris ran.

She dropped her backpack, feet hitting the ground at a ferocious speed. Men were generally faster. She couldn’t outrun them. Her eyes moved frantically from one spot to another.

Hide! Run into any open yard. Pretend it’s yours. Call for help.

She just happened to be in n area where the gates may as well have been as tall as China’s.

Tears ran down her cheeks, blurring her vision. The men were catching up, the steady rhythm of their footfalls getting closer.

God, please, she prayed, don’t let this happen.

Oomph!

“No!” she shrieked. “No! Let me go! Somebody! Help me!”

She fell harshly as arms wrapped around her in a tackle. Quickly, she twisted onto her back, crossing her legs at her ankle. Before he could register the change of position, Iris punched him with the keys, digging into his flesh, twisted it and harshly ripped it out, screaming as she did so.

“Shit!”

She did it again.

She will not go down without a fight.

She will not be another victim!

With her other hand, she clawed on everything piece of skin available. She could feel it digging under her nails. He grabbed her thin wrists with one hand and place the other over her mouth.

“Would you knock her out already?” the man on top of her asked his partner. “She won’t come with us while she’s hysterical.”

She screamed into his palm for good measure. Then bit him.

“Shit!” he still kept his hand there. “Quickly! I don’t want to be seen like this. I did not sign up for this kind of shit. He said she was a threat to him. I never thought her would take it this far.”

Identify! Who were they? What do they look like? Through her blurry vision, she saw the men, not recognizing either of them.

Both were older, well built and caucasian with dark hair. Both were clean-shaven and dressed neatly.

Why? If only to attack someone?

The one above her was bleeding from 8 separate small open wounds and the scratches on his neck. Small but deep cuts dug into his skin as well.

Good.

If they are difficult to differentiate them from others, leave a mark. Make them stand out of the crowd for all the wrong reason.

His partner gave him a white and slightly wet cloth. It had a sweet smell to it. With fast motions, he replaced his bleeding hand with the cloth. He kept it there firmly.

Chloroform, Iris thought in the back of her mind. Hold your breath! her father’s voice shouted in her head. She tried to hold her breath for as long as possible - she really did - but gave in within twenty seconds. Her body went slack but she was still conscious

“I don’t blame her,” the partner said. “I did not want to do this. I just needed extra cash, you know? I know saying sorry won’t change anything but...”

Iris’s eyes rolled back into her head just as the man who tackled her lifted her gently into his arms. Strange, she thought again.

“I really am sorry,” he whispered.

It was the last thing she heard before she blacked out.

Her last thought was of her family, Zoya, and Danika.

Hoping to see them again.