JULIA

The next morning, I slowly regain consciousness. As my eyes struggle to adjust I take in my environment.

I'm in a hospital bed in a starchy white hospital gown that feels itchy against my skin.

Confusion washes over me as fragmented memories of the night before begin to flood back. My graduation. Finding the bar and drinking shot after shot. Leaving the bar. Bumping into the stranger.

Panic sets in as I recall the events that transpired after meeting the enigmatic man with the deep jasmine cologne and the buttery soft leather car seats. I wonder why I allowed myself to indulge in such reckless behavior, feeling a deep sense of regret and shame.

My self-loathing was reaching an all-time high if I was going around sleeping with strangers. Once again I blamed my father for being such an ass.

A nurse approaches with a small smile. She's wearing a pair of purple scrubs and looks beyond tired. Her brown hair is in a haphazard bun.

“Good morning dear,” she greets as he takes out a tiny flashlight which she shines into both my eyes. “How are we doing this morning?”

I croaked in response. “My throat is a bit sore and my head hurts.”

The nurse hums. “Here,” she hands me two pills and a plastic cup from the bedside table. “These should help. But I think you should stay away from the alcohol.”

I ignore her judgmental frown and swallow both pills with the water from the cup.

With my throat soothed my brain finally begins to work logically.

“Wait, how am I here? How did I get here?”

“You were brought in passed out by some man. He gave a fake name and address and said to give you this when you woke up.”

She produced a cellophane bag and dropped it on my lap.

“The doctors have cleared you, by the way. You're free to go if you want to.” With that she tucked her curly brown hair behind her ear and left me alone in the room.

I open the bag on my lap and find a bundle of cash and a note left by the man that dropped me off, addressing me as if I were a mere transaction. The note reads, 'payment for last night,' exacerbating my feelings of humiliation. Clutching the money tightly, I leave the hospital and head home, feeling a whirlwind of emotions.

Once at home, I take a long, soothing bath, trying to wash away the remnants of the previous night. After eating a modest meal, I lie down, my mind still haunted by the memories of my encounter with the stranger in the car. Lost in the swirl of my thoughts, I begin to touch myself, attempting to find solace in my own pleasure.

I remember how he pleaseured me with both his mouth and his dick and the speed of my fingers increase.

In my vulnerable state, I glance at the mirror, catching sight of a man standing beside my wardrobe. My heart skips a beat as I turn around, finding the man from the night before silently observing me.

I let out a scream and scramble to get up. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to be here. This is not... I mean, it's none of your business!"

Embarrassment floods through me.

“I'm curious, is this something you do often?” he asks as he casually leans against the door jamb, his hands deep in the pockets of his dark slacks.

“No, and even if it is it's none of your fucking business,” I repeat, unable to get over what I was just caught doing. “What are you doing here? And how did you get into my house?”

Attempting to cover myself, I move to grab my towel, but Alonzo swiftly intervenes, his demeanor shifting from curiosity to annoyance.

"Clearly, it is my business if you're involved in my affairs. But that's not why I'm here right now. I need to know where the flash drive from the car is.”

I am taken aback, unable to comprehend his accusation. "Flash drive? I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't steal anything from your car."

"You expect me to believe that? I don't think so. I know you were involved in taking something that belongs to me."

"I swear, I have no idea what you're talking about! I don't know anything about a flash drive."

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changes. Alonzo's eyes narrow, and he reaches for something inside his coat, pulling out a gun and pressing it against the side of my head. Fear grips me, my eyes meeting his cold, emotionless gaze.

"I'm not playing games, Julia. You either tell me where the flash drive is right now, or you're not going to live long enough to regret it. I'll make sure of it."

"Please, I swear I don't have it! I don't know anything about a flash drive! You have to believe me!"

"Believe you? Really? After what you did last night, I find it hard to trust anything you say. Now talk or I'm going to decorate this room with the inside of your head."

His threats are chilling, and I realize that I am entangled in something far more sinister than I could have ever imagined.

My tears fall freely as I plead with him, my voice shaking with fear and desperation. Alonzo remains unfazed, recalling the vulnerability he witnessed in my eyes the night before. He clicks his tongue, calling out to his men, who swiftly enter the room.

"Take her,” he orders. “We're going to find that flash drive one way or another."

My screams echo through the space as I struggle to break free, but it's futile. A sack is thrown over my head, plunging me into darkness, leaving me at the mercy of these unknown men.

As the world becomes a muffled haze, my mind races, trying to make sense of this nightmarish turn of events.