SEVEN YEARS AGO
"Mom.." I say as I turn toward the kitchen, my mother holding her now slashed throat, blood spurting from her mouth
I scream, only to have my mouth covered by the man who had done it just seconds after. He holds an equally blood-soaked knife to my throat, moving a strand of hair behind my ear. I let out a muffled scream in between sobs. I watch as my mother had bled out. The light had left her eyes as I watch in terror. I move his hand from my mouth. Only for him to hook his arm around my throat
"What did you do?" I asked, my voice shaky as I turn to face his cold dark eyes
"She refused me, but I see you still have your virtue.. ..intact. How about we get you upstairs and get cleaned up. I'll know if you lock the door to the bathroom."
I hear a click as we head up the stairs. Stopping half way, I see my brother step inside
"Hey, sis! I got your message. Is any one here?"
"Brandon, get out!" I yelled over sobs
"What the hell is going on? Where's Mom?"
"Brandon, no!"
He had placed his hand over my mouth before I had the chance to scream. My hands on his wrist as I try to pry his hand from my mouth
"Who the hell are you? Take your hands off my sister."
"The name's T-Bag, boy. What about your lovely young philly of a sister? She got a name?" T-Bag asked, yanking my hair so I fell backwards into his chest
Brandon had charged at T-Bag, when he had taken the hilt of the knife hitting Brandon as he had passed out, hitting his head on the hard countertop
"No!"
He had then used plastic ties to restrain me to a kitchen chair. Both wrists and ankles restrained. He digs through a drawer and pulls out an unused roll of duct tape
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, looking over at him restraining my brother
"Hush now. Everything's gonna be just fine. It's a shame I gotta gag you now. I won't get to hear that pretty voice of yours." T-Bag said, stroking my hair and then wrapping the tape over my mouth
I had tried to break the restraints, thrashing my body upwards while grunting muffled. I thump as I hit the seat of the chair as T-Bag had turned to face me, he slowly approaches me the tip of his blade is cold against my flesh as he uses it to lift my chin. My brother slowly starts going in and out of consciousness
"Glad you're waking up, boy. I think you wanna be awake for this. I want you to meet the new future Mrs. Bagwell." T-Bag said, placing his lips on my forehead as I let out muffled sobs and screams looking over to my brother with frightened eyes
"Don't do this. Take whatever you want, just let my sister go." Brandon said
"Is that any way to treat your brother-in-law-to-be?" T-Bag chuckled, sniffing my hair
He exhaled deeply while turning to my brother without taking his hand from my shoulder. He chuckles, as he begins running his bloody fingers through my hair. I turn my head pulling away from his hands, causing me to fall backward and hit the floor. I struggle to free my wrists as he drags me by my feet down the hall, pulling me up by my hair to my feet. He clutches me tightly, cutting the restraints on my ankles shoving me out the screen door as I fall down the porch steps rolling on the grass he jumps from the banister, pulling me up by my hair leading me to his car, buckling me in and locking the car door
"You stay there. I'll be right back."
"Jenna? Is that you? Call the police. That asshole is insane!" Brandon called
"Still me, boy." T-Bag said, punching Brandon in the face
"Where is my sister?" Brandon asked, after spitting blood out of his mouth
"Little Jenna is fine. We're just on our way to City Hall." T-Bag said, spotting a hammer on the counter he picks it up, slamming it against Brandon's legs, snapping the bones leaving him in his own blood as he takes the money out of my dead mother's wallet
"You won't get away with this, you sick son of a bitch! Jenna!" Brandon called
I had struggled looking for something to cut my hands loose. I was trapped, restrained and gagged in a criminal's car. I had wriggled my hands toward the visor above me where a set of keys attached to a pocket knife fell into my lap. I hold it between my legs, blade facing up as I stick it between the ties. Within moments, I cut myself loose, removing the duct tape on my mouth, I stick the keys in the ignition as T-Bag runs out to the sound of the motor sputtering. I was gonna get caught. Dammit. I had removed the pocket knife from the keys as I pocket the knife and a cellphone in the cup holder putting the keys back in the visor above me I place my hands behind my back as he buckled into the drivers seat, not acknowledging that I had cut myself loose.
"I'm sorry about keeping you. I had a little unfinished business with your brother." T-Bag said, stroking my face without looking at me
I moan as if I still had the tape over my mouth, he starts the car, driving toward City Hall. I hold the folded pocket knife behind my back, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Within a few minutes, you will be Mrs. T-Bag.."
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE HOUSE
"Hang in there, Jenna. I'll send help."
Brandon said, digging for his cellphone
"911, what's your emergency?"
"Yes, my name is Brandon Peters. I need the police and paramedics. This guy, hours ago, he broke into my house, killed my mom, broke my legs and he kidnapped my sister. He said his name was-- God, what was his name--? T-Bag. T-Bag. He said he was on his way to City Hall. You have to help my sister, please."
"Okay, someone is on their way, Mr. Peters, just try to keep him on the line and we can trace when he calls."
"Please, hurry."
I had squirmed, acting as if I still had the ties on my wrists, thrashing as he had stopped. He looked seeing that his cellphone was missing.
"What did you do with my phone?" He asked
I had flipped the knife, stabbing him in the wrist, unbuckling my seatbelt and dialing the phone as I ran
"You get back here, little girl. Goddamn bitch!"
"Hello?" Brandon asked
"Brandon..?"
"Jenna? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?" I asked
"No, that son of a bitch broke my legs before you two took off for City Hall. I already dialed 911, they're on their way to get you."
"I'll tear him a new one."
He was running from behind as he covered my mouth, making me drop the phone. He clenched me tightly to him as he picks up the phone
"Jenna? Jenna, you still there? Jenna!"
"I'm sorry to tell you that Jenna is unable to come to the phone right now, but I would be more than happy to take a message for you." T-Bag said
"Don't you put your goddamn hands on her. I already called the police. They're on their way to get Jenna and throw your ass in prison."
"Oh, are they now? You send the police our way, and your sister will be hurt."
"It's too late, asshole. I already made the call and told them where you were headed. They'll be at City Hall before you even pull in."
"You shouldn't have done what you did, boy. Poor Jenna may have to pay the price for your little mistake. Now, we are going up south to stay with my mother for a few days, call the police again, your sister will pay." T-Bag said, hanging up the phone
"What do you want from me?" I asked, ripping my mouth from his hand
"Looks like we'll have to get married in my mama's church. Your dumbass brother sent the police to City Hall." T-Bag said, slipping a ring on my finger
I had heard sirens nearby, I kneed my captor and had run toward the sound. Waving my arms as they slowed down. They approach me slowly as I fall to my knees in tears they load me into the back of an ambulance as I look over to see my brother's legs bandaged
"It's okay, Jenna. He can't hurt you. It's over."
I had the feeling that wouldn't be the last I'd seen of T-Bag. I sit next to my brother, seeing T-Bag being cuffed. He had taken a long look at me, licking his lip, and biting the air as I look in terror. I would never forget what I had gone through that day.