Foto
by Sam Lakes
Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved
Chapter Seven
I knew Dad took Michael’s absence hard and he ended up spending long hours at work. I took it hard too. From being mildly depressed at leaving Paris I became numb and despondent.
Dad wouldn’t tell me what he and Michael argued about. We got into an argument. I told him I wish it was him that left. I said a lot of hurtful things and he slapped me across the face. It hurt. I ran into my room, locked my door and refused to come out.
“Bastian, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please – please let me in. I promise I’ll never do that again,” he was crying. I turned up my mp3 player volume, but I could still hear him. After a few minutes he gave up and I fell asleep.
The next day Dad knocked on my door and said he was leaving. I waited for thirty minutes after I heard the outside door close. I made myself some coffee and grabbed a sweet bun. Went into Dad’s room and started up his laptop, got on the internet and ordered one first-class ticket to Denver. The earliest flight was two days away.
Going to Denver was my only choice. I had no clue where Michael would go and all I knew was my mom was somewhere in California. I’d go stay with Edna until I could find Michael. I longed to see Brady, but he was away at college somewhere.
I worked out my plan. I would play it cool with Dad. Let him think all was fine. My flight was at seven. I’d take my bags to the airport earlier in the day because after dinner with my dad, I’d “go for a walk” and grab a cab to the airport.
Everything was going according to plan. I checked in my baggage and had a few hours before dinner with Dad. I decided to go down to the marina and take some photos.
I saw a couple of guys on a yacht. One looked kinda rough. I wondered if he was the captain of the boat and the other looked like a businessman or something, because he was holding a briefcase. It looked like a good shot – one Edna would like because I had it framed nicely.
Click.
Both men looked at me. The rough looking guy jumped on to the walkway and ran over to me.
“Give me the camera kid.”
“No.” I said moving the camera out of his reach.
“I’m not going to ask again. Now give me the camera.”
The next thing I said was so stupid. “Why? Are you guys doing something dishonest? My dad is a cop.”
I did not expect the fist-in-my-face that he gave me. BAM!
The next thing I knew I was lying on a bunk in a boat and my jaw hurt something awful and I had a splitting headache. I was beginning to enjoy the gentle rolling of the boat until it dawned on me that the boat was moving.
I looked out the porthole to confirm what I knew. I was at sea on a boat. I soon discovered that I was securely locked in the small cabin. I pounded on the door.
“Hey! Let me out! I was kidding. My dad isn’t a cop he’s a – a –a shoes salesman. Do you hear me?”
All I heard was the splashing of water as the boat cut through the waves. I lay back down on the bunk trying to think. I had really screwed myself this time. By the time Dad would check the airlines the plane would be over the Pacific Ocean.
My bags would be stuck in US Customs and Edna would be waiting for me to get off the plane. I had sent her an email that I was arriving. She knew the upset I had with Dad and that I was looking for Michael. She’d probably think because I didn’t turn up I changed my mind.
Dad would check the planes manifest and realize I never made the flight. But the trail would end there. No one knew where I was except my kidnappers. I began to cry. All I could think of is I’d probably never see Michael or Dad again. I was going to die.
I guess I cried myself to sleep.
Sometime later there was a knocking on the door; “You awake?” said the voice.
“Yes.”
“Okay on the bed is a black hood. Put it over your head. I’ll let you out. You take the hood off and you’ll be shark food. I can’t risk you seeing my face. I don’t want to kill you but I will if I have to. Got that?”
“Y-yessir.” I put the hood over my head. “It’s over my head.”
I heard the door open and he grabbed my arm gently and led me up on deck. To say the least I was really scared and I was sniveling.
“You need to piss?” he asked.
I nodded. I knew this was not the rough guy that had hit me but I had no clue as to who he was.
“Okay, I’ll lead you over to the side and you can take a piss.” He did and I did.
“Look kid the guys you took a picture of don’t like their picture taken. They ain’t good guys. They’ve paid me to dispose of your body.”
That really turned on the water works. “Please,” I cried, “I don’t want to die. I’m too young. I haven’t even had sex yet.”
“Hey, kid! I don’t kill kids. Did I say I was going ta kill ya? Come on did I?”
“No,” I squeaked.
“Look they paid me to dispose of the body, and that’s what I’m going to do. I know this island. Almost no one ever goes there. I’m going to leave you there. In a couple of months, I’ll anonymously send someone to this island and they will find you and take you home, Alright then?”
I nodded. “Do you have my camera?”
He laughed, “You’re a right one ain’t ya? Yeah as a matter of fact I do. They was going to throw it in the water. I told them to give it ta me. They did after they erased the pictures.”
My stomach rumbled and growled.
“Ya hungry?”
“A bit.”
He had me turn around facing away from him and he took off the hood and then blindfolded me. It was much better I could smell the sea air and feel the wind on my cheeks.
He told me not to move about because he’d hate to throw me overboard. I sat as still as I could. Strangely, I felt safe with him. He didn’t seem like that bad a person.
A short time later he handed me a sandwich and held a soda for me. After I ate he returned me to my cabin.
I really didn’t have any sense of time. I suppose it was several days that we were at sea. During that whole time he was nice to me. He never yelled or anything. I guess you could say he was a good bad person. He was bad because I was being kidnapped but he was kind. When I’d start crying he’d hold me and try to comfort me. I knew his voice but not once did I see his face.
When we got to the island he put me ashore. I was blindfolded. He’d built a fire. It was night. He placed my camera in my hands.
“Now don’t take the blindfold off until you hear me say ‘goodbye’. Okay?”
“I promise.” I was crying again because I was so scared.
He pulled me into a hug. “Bastian, I wish we’d met under different circumstances. I think we’d have been good mates. You’re an amazing kid. You’ll be okay here and it won’t be too long before some one will rescue you. I promise.” He kissed me on the cheek and left.
When I heard him say goodbye I took off the blindfold. He was too far away for me to see him clearly.
“COME BACK! PLEASE COME BACK! DON’T LEAVE ME! I LOVE YOU!”
It was no use, he either ignored me or he didn’t hear me.
I was alone.
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