Real Life Dramas: Boxed Set Collection

By Darren G. Burton

This digital boxed set contains all 3 volumes of the popular Real Life Dramas series. With 23 gripping stories spanning more than 600 pages, the reader is guaranteed many hours of reading pleasure.

There are no more enthralling stories than those that are true....Real life scenarios of danger, suspense and intrigue that involve real people. These accounts have been dramatized in story form.

Inside this boxed set of short inspirational true stories:

Volume One

•Mauled
•Captive
•Shallow Grave
•Firestorm
•Outplayed
•The Other Side of Darkness
•Murder At Midnight
•Bad Moon Rising
•Nowhere Man

Volume Two

•Hunted
•The Mysterious Cave
•Eye of the Storm
•Blizzard
•Treasure Trove
•Crash
•Shadows from the Past

Volume Three

•Broken
•Clawed
•Hold Up
•Betrayal
•Flood
•Road To Nowhere
•Fire and Ice

Real life drama stories of triumph, survival, greed and tragedy. Read them if you dare...

BUY NOW!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Darren G. Burton
• Release date: Sep 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310366703

Darren G. Burton

I have been a writer for over 30 years. I've written numerous full length works of fiction and non-fiction, as well as many short stories and [e-mail]

Book preview

Real Life Dramas

Boxed Set Collection

Darren G. Burton

Boxed set published by Darren G. Burton on Smashwords

This boxed set edition Copyright © 2014 Darren G. Burton

Copyright © 2010, 2011, 2013 Darren G. Burton

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

The Author asserts the moral right to

be identified as the author of this work

Cover Design by: Darren G. Burton

Foreword

The following stories are based on real life situations experienced by real people. The names of all those involved have been changed to protect their privacy. All contributors have been compensated for their generous input and the author extends his gratitude. Their real life accounts have been dramatized in story form to make them more readable and engaging.

Contents

Real Life Dramas: Volume One

Real Life Dramas: Volume Two

Real Life Dramas: Volume Three

Real Life Dramas

Volume One

Mauled

The sun was dropping behind the mountains in the west, the bright yellow-white orb succumbing to the late afternoon hues of vibrant orange and red. Seagulls glided through the clear sky and gathered on the warm sand. They chatted amongst themselves, searching for a feed. Some probed the shallows for baitfish, while others scavenged for food scraps left over by beachgoers.

A gentle, cooling breeze stirred the air, helping to dissipate the heat of the day.

Belinda Somers’ eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head off the towel. She blinked a few times as she casually gazed around. As she looked over her bikini-clad body, she pressed her fingers against the skin on her stomach. The imprints the pressure left behind turned white, then a pinkish-red.

I got a little burnt, she announced, her flowing brown hair dancing lightly in the breeze.

Stretched out on a towel beside her was her boyfriend. His body was tanned a dark brown that accentuated his short blonde locks.

Steve Bailey barely moved. He angled his head slightly in her direction and eyed her slim, curvaceous form appreciatively. Looks good, he commented. You needed a bit of colour anyway. You were a bit pale.

There’s nothing wrong with being pale, she countered. The last thing I want is skin cancer.

You’re being paranoid. One little bit of pinkish sunburn isn’t likely to kill ya.

Paranoid? People die all the time from melanoma these days. It’s the ozone layer or something.

Steve sighed, but refused to enter the debate further. Belinda could really sink her teeth into any subject and not let go. He knew better than to get too deeply into it.

I’m only twenty-one, Belinda went on. I have to take care of myself now so I don’t suffer later.

Steve closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation of the cool breeze against his bare skin. Maybe you should sue the sunscreen company?

Huh?

He opened his eyes again. Well, you had sunscreen on. Obviously it didn’t do the job properly.

Hmm, she responded, pondering that suggestion.

Hopefully that shut her up, Steve thought.

He sat up then and gazed out at the surf. The ocean was smooth and glassy, its surface reflecting the colours of the setting sun. One metre high waves peeled off banks left and right. Quite a few surfers and swimmers were still out there enjoying the summer twilight.

Steve glanced to his left, where his bodyboard lay on the sand beside him.

Belinda propped herself up onto her elbows. Can we go now? she asked.

He looked at her, then back out at the ocean. The smooth, clear water and peeling waves looked inviting. He subconsciously started shaking his head.

Belinda said, Is that a no?

Huh?

I want to go now, she repeated.

Yeah...soon. I just want to go for one more quick surf.

She sighed. You shouldn’t go out in the water this time of the day. It’s dangerous.

He shot her a look that said: What the hell are you talking about?

It’s almost twilight, Belinda said, as if that statement explained everything.

So?

So that’s when the sharks come out to feed.

You’re kidding, right? Steve scoffed. How many years have I been surfing and swimming in this ocean for? Fifteen? Sixteen? I’ve never even seen a shark out there.

Doesn’t mean they’re not there, she returned.

Look, I know you want to go. And we will...soon. I’ll only be twenty minutes, half an hour tops. It’ll be dark by then anyway.

Belinda shrugged her slender shoulders. Whatever. You win.

Steve got to his feet, snatched up his bodyboard and headed down to the water’s edge. Once in the shallows he strapped on the Velcro wrist band that was attached the leg rope. He waded out into the shore break. The water was a nice temperature, cool and refreshing after the heat of the day. He passed several swimmers and boardriders who were on their way out of the water. A few surfers remained out the back, awaiting the next set of swells. Steve jumped over some whitewater and paddled out toward the surfers.

A faint moon was already appearing over the horizon. Behind him the sun was steadily being consumed by the mountains.

Steve duck-dived under an oncoming wave. He broke through the back of the swell and kept paddling. Further out to sea he could see the water undulating. The next set of swells was on its way. He paddled harder, wanting to reach the bank before the swells arrived.

He didn’t quite make it. A wave started to peak thirty metres in front of him. He watched as a surfer paddled onto the wave, stood up and rode it most of the way into shore.

The next wave broke right in front of him. Steve pushed himself and his bodyboard under it and emerged out the back. He’d now reached the bank just as another wave peeled through. He went to paddle for it, but a boardrider had already beaten him to it. Steve pulled off from the wave’s lip. Instead he made a dash for the next swell. Paddling hard, he slid down the face of the four foot wave. Following it right, the breaker arced over him and formed a barrel. Steve shot out of the tube, performed a re-entry and then, as the wave died out, flicked off the back of it.

Feeling exhilarated, he quickly paddled out in time to latch onto the next swell. This one he got onto a little bit late. He felt himself being caught by the lip. Next thing he knew he was flipped upside down, the wave pitching him out and slamming him down heavily into the trough, the force of the swell proceeding to pummel him under the water.

Steve eventually broke the surface. He felt like he’d just gone a few rounds with a washing machine.

By now the line of swells had subsided. Only three other surfers remained, the rest having gone into shore.

Steve paddled over to them and floated on his board a few metres away. He looked out to sea. The moon had risen well above the horizon now and had evolved into a glowing yellow ball, reflecting the remaining light of the dying sun. By the time the next set of swells rolled through it would be almost dark.

Letting his arms and legs dangle in the water, Steve let the gentle current carry him. He slowly drifted away from the other three surfers. He felt relaxed, serene. The ocean had that affect on him. It was fun, exhilarating at times, yet pacifying as well.

Suddenly there was a commotion. Steve looked over toward the boardriders, who were now some twenty metres away. One of them spun round and made a beeline for the shore, his arms churning through the water with powerful strokes.

Probably just a dolphin, Chris, one of the remaining riders called after him.

Chris glanced back over his shoulder.

Maybe, was all he said and kept stroking for the beach.

Steve was looking all around him, scanning the water. Obviously the guy making for shore had spotted something. A shadow of something big. He saw nothing. The water was dark now with the absence of sunlight. He couldn’t make out anything.

Suddenly Belinda’s concerned words popped into his head: Twilight. That’s when sharks come out to feed.

He pushed his chest up off the board and propped himself up on his hands. There he scanned the water again, trying to spot something but at the same time hoping not to. Steve gently paddled over to the other surfers, deliberately trying not to splash too much and attract the attention of any predators lurking below.

Did you guys see something? he asked them.

Both men shook their heads respectively.

One spoke. Chris saw a shadow or something pass under his board, the guy explained. Probably just a dolphin. We see them out here all the time.

Now the other man piped up. Chris panics a bit. Has a bit of a phobia about sharks. He often thinks he sees them.

Really, Steve said. He looked all around him once more, scoping for shadows. Again nothing. So you guys didn’t see what he saw? Basically he repeated his earlier question.

Again shakes of the head.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it, the first man said.

There was a splash. All three of them snapped their heads in the direction of the sound. Steve saw ripples spreading out in concentric circles a few metres behind the second surfer. He was about to say something when he heard another splash; a sound like the flick of a fish tail breaking the surface.

Then all went dead silent.

The three men searched the water all around them, each man looking and feeling as uneasy as the next. Steve’s heart was racing. He could feel his pulse beating away rapidly at his temple. Quick, shallow breaths escaped his lips as fear started to escalate.

The second surfer spoke, It was probably just the dolphin swim-

His sentence was cut short when his surfboard suddenly lurched out of the water from the rear. It crashed back down on the surface with a slapping sound.

What the fuck? the second man exclaimed, startled.

Dolphins don’t usually do that, said the first surfer.

All three of them were shaking with nerves and fear now. Heads darted erratically left and right, front and back; all scared of what might be below them.

Time to head in, Steve said, almost in a whisper.

Both the surfers nodded silently.

The trio started paddling slowly for shore, trying not to stir up the water too much and cause vibrations. If there was a shark down below they didn’t want it to get a fix on them and home in for an attack.

They’d only managed to travel about five metres when they all heard a splash behind them. Then there was a flurry of splashes as the second surfer’s board was hit from beneath and lifted out of the water. The guy tumbled off and into the sea. Steve and the first surfer paddled to his aid. It was as they were helping the second surfer back onto his board that the monster struck.

Steve felt something slam into the side of his right leg, just below the hip. The impact was like being struck by a missile. He was propelled through the air and into the water, a tremendous weight hanging off him and pulling him under. Pain seared through his right thigh. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing his flesh all at the same time; a burning, intense prickling sensation.

The leg rope snapped hard against his wrist as he was pulled several metres below the surface, the bodyboard’s flotation fighting against the battle below. Steve felt himself being thrashed from side to side like a rag doll locked in the death grip of a savage dog. Frantically he felt down his right side with his hand. He touched something rough and rubbery and big.

There was no mistaking the snout of a shark.

It had its powerful, unrelenting jaws locked around his entire upper leg. A sticky, viscous substance oozed from around those jaws. It was his blood.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

What if there are more of them?

The shark continued to thrash about, side to side, twisting and turning, as if trying to separate Steve’s leg from the rest of his body. With agonizing pain, he felt a big chunk of flesh start to tear from the bone. Steve was also running out of air and his lungs burned. He never had a chance to take a breath before the shark took him under, and the impact had knocked most of the air from his lungs.

He pulled against his leg rope in a vain attempt to haul himself to the surface. The shark was extremely heavy, even in the water. He had no idea how big it was. He couldn’t see as the water was far too dark. The shark had the advantage too; it was in its natural environment, Steve was not. The leg rope stretched, the board bobbing around on the surface like a buoy.

Something changed then. Steve felt extra pressure on his wrist. The leg rope was pulled taut. Slowly he felt himself rising through the water as he was raised from above. Momentarily the shark had ceased its wild movements. It just clung to his leg as they both came to the surface.

Steve’s head broke free of the water. He quickly sucked in air. The two surfers were floating on their boards next to him, both men clutching Steve’s rope.

It’s got my leg, Steve managed to utter.

Then, with a violent burst of aggravation, the shark thrashed its powerful tail and rocketed Steve through the water. His head skimmed momentarily along the top, then the shark dove and he was dragged under once more.

The tension on the leg rope eased as it was obviously torn free of the grasp of the surfers. There was still drag from the bodyboard, and in a small way, the bodyboard was helping keep Steve from being dragged too far under.

He didn’t feel much in his leg now, it had grown numb. He wasn’t sure if the numbness was from severe nerve damage, or just his brain switching into defensive mode and shutting down the pain sensors. What he did know was that he had to get free of the beast’s iron-clad grip or he would surely die.

He tried punching it but the water resistance slowed the blows down to a pathetic and feeble effort. Next he searched out one of the shark’s eyes, feeling along the sandpaper-like skin until he found it. Probing hard with his thumb, he pushed inward with all his strength and felt a jelly-like substance pop and give way.

That action served to put the shark into a frenzy. It thrashed wildly a few metres below the surface. The pain in Steve’s leg returned in full force. He cried out in agony, but only precious bubbles of air came out of his mouth. Next thing he knew he was on the surface again, being tossed back and forth like a rodeo bull rider. In the remnants of twilight and the luminance of the moon he could see the water was coloured with his blood.

Steve was beyond fear now, was fully in survival mode and running on pure adrenalin. He had to get away.

The now one-eyed shark slowed its movements a little and remained on the surface. Steve seized the opportunity to lash out with a flurry of quick blows to its angry snout. He could see its teeth glinting in the moonlight; some ivory white, some blood red.

By now the two surfers had paddled over to the scene and were also raining blows onto the stubborn predator from the deep.

Steve felt the grip of the jaws slowly weakening. He didn’t know if they were truly weakening the shark or whether it was just getting tired of it all. At any rate it was working. The creature twitched and thrashed a couple more times, then finally let go of Steve’s tattered leg and slipped back down into the depths.

The men grabbed Steve under the armpits, dragged him out of the water and laid him across their surfboards.

Panting and bleeding profusely, Steve said, Is...it gone?

Think so, said the first surfer.

The second surfer kept his eyes on the water, searching for shadows or telltale ripples.

The drone of an outboard motor reached their ears, and moments later two surf lifesavers pulled up beside the trio in an inflatable rescue craft.

We got word from someone on the beach of a possible shark attack, said one of the men.

Both lifesavers eyed Steve’s ravaged leg briefly, then gently brought him aboard the rescue craft. His bodyboard was still attached to his wrist by the leg rope.

The second lifesaver spoke, You two guys better jump aboard as well, he looked all around at the water, in case it’s still out there.

The two heroic surfers didn’t need any further persuasion. They climbed into the rubber craft, surfboards and all. Once everyone was aboard, the craft motored full-throttle back to shore, where the flashing lights of an ambulance waited to greet them.

* * *

A distraught and frantic Belinda had met the boat in the shallows. She’d cried with despair when she’d seen the injuries to Steve’s leg and had to be treated at the scene for shock.

The ambulance officers worked on Steve immediately upon his return to the beach. They managed to stem the flow of the bleeding somewhat and gave him a morphine injection for the pain. He was then rushed to the nearest hospital for emergency surgery. Belinda rode with him.

The two surfers met up with their mate, Chris, back on the beach. It had been Chris and Belinda who had alerted the off-duty lifeguards to the possibility of a shark attack in progress. An ambulance had immediately been called and the rescue craft dispatched.

* * *

Two Months Later:

Steve was hobbling around on crutches. He’d just finished a physiotherapy session, something he had to do on a daily basis for the next several months at least. His right thigh had been badly damaged. He’d lost a considerable amount of muscle from the hamstring and quadricep, as well as receiving some damage to the femur. Arteries, tissue and nerves had been reconstructed, followed by a series of skin grafts. The leg looked lumpy and a weird shape, but it was working. Soon he’d be walking without the aid of crutches, though he’d always have a limp, he was told. And the leg would never be pretty.

However, he hoped to regain as much strength in the limb as possible so as to lead a relatively normal and active life. Maybe even venture back out into the surf; though probably not at twilight. He had to pay Belinda on that one.

The car pulled up to the side of the road and parked. Belinda went around to the passenger door and helped Steve out onto the pavement. Together they walked toward a cafe where three young men rose from a table laden with cappuccinos. Steve greeted each man with a hearty handshake and a masculine hug.

Steve and the surfers now shared a special bond. These men had helped save his life.

Captive

It was Thursday night and Ruby King was working late. The last day of the month was always stock take time. Her supervisor had asked her if she could work back, so together they could get the chore done before opening for trade Friday morning.

At seventeen Ruby had only recently finished school. She’d decided to defer her university studies for a year in favour of working and earning some money. This was her first job. She worked in a warehouse that sorted and distributed video games for PC, Xbox and Playstation. Being an avid gamer herself, she thought the job might be cool for a while. And there was the added bonus of discounts on her own purchases.

She checked her watch as she counted the stock levels of the latest Need For Speed offering for Xbox. The luminous hands had just passed midnight. She yawned and wrote down the figure on a sheet of paper.

Her supervisor, Jackie, a forty-something year old woman with short platinum blonde hair, looked at her and smiled a weary smile. You getting tired, Ruby?

Ruby nodded and yawned again. It’s past my bedtime.

At least you’re not rostered on until midday tomorrow. Give you a chance to sleep in. We’re not far off being done here now.

Ruby counted the Need For Speed copies for PC. Again she yawned, then attempted to rub the sleep from her eyes. She scrawled the figure on the page in the appropriate column.

Jackie glanced at her once more, thinking. She put down the handful of games she’d been counting.

Hey, why don’t you take off, she suggested. I can finish up here.

Are you…sure? Ruby said with another yawn.

Jackie nodded. I’ll be fine. With all the caffeine I consume, I’m a bit of an insomniac anyway.

Ruby just nodded. She put down the sheet of paper she’d been recording the figures on, picked up her handbag and headed towards the side door to the warehouse. When she opened it, she turned back toward Jackie and said, I’ll see you at twelve.

Thanks for tonight, Jackie said. Take care.

Closing the door behind her, Ruby stepped out into the night.

The air was chilly. Winter was almost upon them. A stiff breeze swirled through the empty car park, stirring up dried leaves in tiny whirlwinds. The whirlwinds swept around the car park as if looking for something to consume. Ruby pulled her denim jacket collar up to cover her neck. She folded her arms in a vain attempt to ward off the cold, then set off across the car park toward the street, her exhaled breaths white against the dark backdrop.

Once she reached the dimly lit road she turned left. Two blocks down and around a corner was the bus stop.

She couldn’t wait until she had enough money to buy her own car, she mused as she walked. Ruby had recently got her licence. Now she just needed sufficient funds to put down a decent deposit and finance the rest. Sure would beat the hell out of public transport, not to mention being really cool with her friends. Most of which had cars already. Wealthy parents and all that. Her own parents weren’t doing too badly themselves, though far from wealthy, but they’d instilled in her character at an early age to earn the things she owned. Ruby didn’t mind. She liked it that way. It gave her a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

The street was deserted at that hour of the night. Barely even a car parked on the road. The warehouse was located in an area that was semi-industrial and part suburban. Houses were interspersed among warehouses; though no real manufacturing went on in the area. More storage places and distribution depots than anything.

At the end of the street she took the left turn and approached the bus stop fifty metres away. It, too, was deserted. Ruby perched herself on the uncomfortable wooden seat and rummaged through her bag for her cigarettes. She lit one, cupping the flame against the breeze, then sat back and smoked. Every now and then she glanced down the road to see if the bus was coming. The odd car or truck drove past. This particular road was busy during the day, but pretty quiet late at night. After smoking a second cigarette, Ruby got up to check the timetable, housed inside a protective plastic casing bolted to a pole. She perused the schedule, then sighed heavily. She’d been waiting there for nothing. The last bus had departed over half an hour ago. The next bus wouldn’t be until six AM.

Shit, she cursed under her breath.

She sat back down on the seat and withdrew her phone from her bag. She flipped it open and went to type in the number for a taxi when the phone beeped twice and died.

Shit! she said again, only loudly this time.

The battery was dead and she realised she’d forgot to put the damned thing on charge last night. Actually, it was a bit of a bad habit of hers; forgetting to charge her phone. Her friends were always having a go at her for not having her phone switched on, when in fact it was dead.

Ruby thought for a moment. How was she going to get home if there was no bus and no way of calling a taxi? It was too far to walk. She lived twenty kilometres away. Maybe she could walk around looking for a public phone?

It was then that she remembered something. A few blocks away, on a busier street, there was a taxi rank. She could get a ride from there. It would only take ten minutes to walk there.

Feeling happier now that she had a firm plan, she got to her feet and started walking. Just to be sure, Ruby flipped open her phone again. The screen lit up briefly, beeped twice, then went blank.

Yep, definitely flat, she decided.

Ruby took a left turn, walking past some darkened warehouses. She crossed the street and went right onto the next road. This street was lined with houses. The occasional light still burned in a couple of windows, but for the most part the homes were dark, the occupants retired for the night. The street ended at a T intersection. She crossed to the other side and went left along the footpath.

This particular road ran parallel to the main road that the taxi rank was situated on. For the next kilometre or so there was only one side street that linked this street to the main one; a long, narrow alley way. Ruby reached the entrance to the alley way and hesitated. She glanced down it.

In the distance she saw lights and heard traffic noise. In between this street and the next was a long corridor of darkness.

An involuntary shiver crawled up her spine and her head tingled with apprehension. The breeze picked up and tugged at her hair, sending an icy chill through her. She contemplated taking the long walk around the block instead. Ruby checked her watch. Almost one AM. She just wanted to get in that taxi and get home to bed.

Another yawn escaped her lips. Once it passed, she took a deep breath, plucked up her courage, then took a step into the dark alley.

Sheer brick walls rose on both sides. The road sloped towards the centre like a shallow V, and drains covered in heavy metal grates were spaced throughout the alley. Ruby’s footsteps echoed in the hard surrounds. The further she ventured into the alley, the darker it got. Shapes up ahead materialized into industrial rubbish bins. Every so often she would pass a closed doorway. No one stirred.

Ruby looked over her shoulder, suddenly feeling paranoid that someone untoward might be creeping up behind her.

She saw no one.

The sounds of life emanated from the far end of the narrow lane. She couldn’t wait to reach those sounds. She didn’t know why, but her heart was pounding and her flesh was tingling with nerves.

What was she so afraid of? she asked herself. The dark, maybe? The unknown?

You’re just being stupid, Ruby, she quietly chastised herself.

A rat scurried out from under a bin and ran between her legs. She jumped and shrieked in fright, then watched as it ran off in the direction she’d just come.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and continued on. She hurried her step now, wanting get out of that dark alley and into the light at the other end as quickly as possible. She was about half way down when she passed a messy cluster of industrial bins. Rubbish was strewn on the ground and the area reeked of decaying vegetables and meat.

It was then that she really sensed a presence behind her.

The skin on her neck prickled when she felt hot breath on the back of her head. She went to spin around. As she did so a strong, leathery hand wrapped around her face. It was smelly and unwashed. Virtually in the same movement, another hand grabbed her left wrist and twisted her arm behind her back.

Ruby screamed, but barely a stifled whimper came out due to the hand cupped over her mouth.. She flailed with her right arm, attempting to hit her assailant in the head. She felt one rather feeble blow glance off the side of a skull. Her next vain effort was to try and elbow the attacker in the ribs. The only result she achieved was her attacker twisting her left arm further behind her back, causing excruciating pain to shoot through her shoulder.

She tried to ignore the agony and lashed out with her legs. Using his grip on her as leverage, she lifted both legs off the ground and swung her heels back hard into the man’s shins.

There was a satisfying grunt of pain from her assailant.

However, his grip only got tighter as he was further aggravated by the blows to his legs. Ruby felt herself being dragged back down the alley way, through the putrid rubbish. Unexpectedly, she was suddenly let go and propelled forward. She sailed through the air like an uncoordinated superman and crashed head first into the unforgiving side of a metal industrial bin.

There was a resounding clang as bone clashed with steel.

Ruby fell to the ground amid the garbage. Bits of it found its way up her nose and inside her mouth. She tried to spit it out, but she was heavily dazed and on the verge of passing out. Her head was spinning like a top out of control. The sensation oddly reminded her of being way too drunk. She collapsed on the ground and groaned, only semi-conscious now.

Two strong arms picked her up by the armpits. She was literally hauled to her feet again in one powerful movement. She staggered, feeling nauseous. Her attacker kept her on her feet. She felt too weak and disoriented to fight back any more. The blow to the head had taken its toll.

She was conscious enough to register being led to the alley way wall. A decaying wooden door was opened and she was thrust through it. Ruby heard it slam closed behind them. A concrete staircase led down into the bowels of the old building. She felt herself being guided down it. Each step down the stairs felt like an effort. Her legs were rubbery and her head just wanted to loll forward. They went down what seemed like about four flights of stairs, though she wasn’t really counting, and they emerged through another door into an underground car park.

From what she could see through dazed eyes the car park was empty, except for one car. She was dragged towards it. The car was old, dark green in colour and looked to be some sort of Ford. A hand left her and opened the rear door. Then, like a sack of potatoes, she was bodily picked up and tossed into the back seat. She slid along the vinyl and cracked the top of her head on the opposite door.

Sharp pain exploded through her brain yet again, only this time it was worse due to the previous damage. Her head spun, her eyes went fuzzy, the nausea increased, and she could feel something warm and sticky dripping through her hair and down her face. She assumed it was blood.

Ruby’s eyes closed. She was still conscious, but only just. Her mind and body hung on by a thread.

She heard the door close and the driver’s door open. The engine fired to life with a loud rumble that reverberated around the car park. The old car lurched forward and commenced winding its way up to the outside world above.

As the car exited the car park, Ruby finally passed out.

* * *

Ruby stirred. She thought for a moment that she was awakening in the comfort of her own bed, that she had to get up and go to work. When her eyes fluttered open however, and the pain in her head returned with a vengeance, reality struck her like a Biblical revelation.

For a moment she couldn’t focus. Her eyes were filled with sleep and the pain in her brain added to the blurred vision. The first thing that occurred to her as she slowly regained her faculties, was that she was not lying down. She was indeed on something soft and cushioned, but she was in a seated position with her hands behind her back. Ruby tried to move her hands, but they were secured to something behind her. Her wrists burned. They were tied with a coarse rope.

With a stiff neck she looked behind her and saw she was lashed to an upright wooden beam. Her back rested uncomfortably against it and her lower body sat cross-legged on a dusty, mouldy old mattress.

Thoughts from the night before came flooding back to her in a torrent. She briskly shook her head to try to bring herself fully alert. The action only served to send a sharp pain through her skull.

Not a good idea, she deduced.

Keeping her head movements slow, Ruby surveyed the room.

She was in what looked like an old shed or ramshackle cabin. There was a window on the opposite wall. It was covered in grime and stained with rust around the edges from the ancient metal frame. Outside the light was dull, probably early morning. The sky was gray and a light drizzle was falling. From her position on the bed she could make out the tops of trees, and in the distance, through gaps in the trees, a hill.

The interior of the place was basically just a single room. She couldn’t see any doors leading off into bathrooms or adjoining rooms, just the exit door located beside the dirty window. Apart from the mattress she sat on, the only other piece of furniture in the room was a rickety old wooden desk situated in the left hand corner. On the desk was nothing but a thick layer of dust. The ground was covered in bare floorboards, the old timber stain worn off in most places. Through gaps in the floorboards she could see the ground underneath.

Where the hell am I? she said quietly.

And where was her assailant?

Ruby ran through the events of last night in her troubled mind. She didn’t really understand what had happened, or why. Only that she’d been attacked and obviously kidnapped.

A terrifying thought suddenly seized her. She looked down at her lower body. Her pants were still on, and she felt no pain or discomfort in her private parts.

She hadn’t been sexually assaulted, she was pretty sure. Not yet anyway.

Her pants did feel a little bit damp though, and an unpleasant smell, an unmistakable smell, registered for the first time. At some stage throughout the night she had wet herself.

Gross, she thought, but given the circumstances, understandable.

She studied the rest of her clothing. Her shirt and jacket were still on, but her shoes had been removed, leaving her feet covered only in white socks.

Where was her handbag?

Ruby swept her eyes around the room. It was nowhere to be seen. He’d probably dumped it, she figured. It wasn’t much use to her anyway. Even if it had been in the room, and she could somehow untie herself and get to it, the only useful item in it was her phone. And she wasn’t that delirious from her head knocks to forget that the battery in her phone was stone dead.

What to do? Wait for her attacker to come back and find out what his plans were for her? Not a comforting option. For all she knew he planned to rape her or kill her. Or both. The other possibility that occurred to her was that he wasn’t coming back at all. That he’d just left her there to slowly starve to death and rot.

That possibility wasn’t overly comforting either.

What to do? she said out loud this time.

Ruby tested the bonds that secured her hands to the wooden upright. They were pretty tight, but there was enough play in them to wiggle her hands around slightly. As much as it hurt to do so, due to the rope burning her wrists, she decided to keep on wriggling her hands and see if she could gradually loosen the bind.

An hour passed and she grew tired of the effort. She had managed to loosen the rope ever so slightly, but not yet enough to even contemplate trying to get her hands free. Ruby decided to rest for a bit, but not too long. Freeing her hands might be her only chance at survival. She dreaded the thought of her captor returning. It made her skin crawl with dread. There was a good chance he might kill her when he came back. Why? she had no idea. But then, why does anybody murder anyone? Often there is no logical thought process or reason behind it. Some people just kill people.

She resumed her effort to free herself.

Despite the cold that seeped through the floorboards in a damp mist, Ruby found herself working up a lather of sweat. It ran down her face and dripped from her nose and chin.

Another hour passed, and yet another. She was drenched in sweat. Her wrists stung. The skin was red raw. Still she couldn’t get her hands free.

Again she rested and thought about what to do.

This isn’t working, she decided. She’ll never loosen the knot enough to free her hands.

Think, she urged herself. Think.

As the rope was tucked behind her she couldn’t really see it. It felt as if it were made of some sort of cotton cords, three or four strands of them, entwined together. Her mind was thinking more clearly now. Sharper. Stretching out her fingers, she felt along the wooden beam. The edges of the wood were quite sharp. Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to cut through the rope with them? It would take a while, and be a difficult and painful task with her wrists so sore, but she was fresh out of options. It was worth a try.

After a few more minutes rest, Ruby set to work trying to sever the rope.

She didn’t have much freedom of movement, only a few inches up and down. The action not only hurt her wrists, but it made her shoulders ache like hell. Despite the discomfort she kept going.

Some hours later she had made some headway. Bending her fingers around to feel the rope, she was pleased when she felt one of the strands had been cut right through.

In spite of her situation she smiled. It was working.

Morning had moved on into afternoon. Outside she could see that the rain had intensified, a fact backed up by its pounding on the corrugated tin roof. The roof leaked in places, one of the incessant drips landing on the mattress beside her. The mattress stunk enough without being damp as well. Cold, dank air continued to seep up through the old floorboards. The chill served to increase one of her natural urges, and she felt the pressure quickly rising in her bladder. She needed to pee.

There was no choice. As disgusting as it felt to do so, Ruby emptied her bladder and wet her pants again. The hot liquid drenched her jeans and soaked into the mattress. It was a weird feeling experience, and it grossed her out no end.

Gradually the urine pool dried out somewhat, but it left her feeling even more damp and cold.

Throughout the afternoon she periodically worked on the rope. As raw as her skin was, her wrists were becoming somewhat numb to the pain now. She would methodically work in twenty to thirty minute periods, then would rest for five or ten minutes. By the time the scene outside was descended upon by twilight, Ruby had managed to sever through a second strand of the rope. She wasn’t far away now, and the closeness of impending freedom gave her the impetus to keep going.

When it was fully dark outside, she saw a shadowy figure move past the window. It was soon followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock.

Ruby sat dead still, not knowing what to expect. It felt as if she’d tried to swallow a tennis ball and it was stuck halfway down her throat. Every nerve ending in her body tingled as the cold wave of fear and apprehension coursed through her.

The door slowly swung open, revealing a dark, heavyset and ominous shape silhouetted against the backdrop.

Suddenly the room burst into light and Ruby involuntarily jumped. Her captor had switched on the light; and for the very first time Ruby got to see him clearly.

The man was tall and of solid build. He looked to be late thirties or early forties, with at least three days of dark stubble covering his chin and cheeks. His hair was short and dark brown, slightly receding on the forehead, below which were two piercing dark green eyes. He wore denim jeans, muddy leather boots and a red and black flannelette shirt.

A cigarette was jammed between his lips. Moving over to the desk, he perched himself on the edge and sat there looking at her.

Ruby half expected the flimsy desk to collapse under his weight. The man had to weigh well over one hundred kilograms.

Her captor just sat there, smoking his cigarette and staring at her intently. Suddenly he got creative and commenced blowing smoke rings in her direction. When he’d finished his smoke, he dropped it on the floor and stomped on it with a muddy boot.

Ruby found her voice. Do you have another one of those?

He eyed her blankly.

A cigarette. Do you have another cigarette?

There was no real ploy attached to the cigarette request. She was hanging for a nicotine fix. She also figured that it was probably to her benefit to create some sort of conversation.

The big man nodded. He pulled a crumpled pack from his back pocket, produced a lighter from a front pocket and lit the smoke. He then got up, thudded across the wooden floor and jammed the butt between her lips. Ruby puffed on the smoke and drew some back into her lungs. She watched as the guy returned to the desk and resumed his previous position.

Who are you? she asked while exhaling smoke. The question sounded dumb, she knew. But what else was there to say?

Her captor didn’t bother replying. Instead, he lit himself another cancer stick and seemed content to continue watching her for now.

Ruby decided to persist. What do you want with me?

Still no response. Just more smoke rings.

She finished the cigarette and spat it out onto the ground. The man looked at it for a moment, then got up and stamped it out. He was yet to say a word.

Ruby was still big time scared, but she was trying hard not to show it. She also didn’t want to let on in any way that she’d nearly succeeded in severing her bonds. She looked up at him as he returned to the desk. Was he going to speak? Was he going to do anything? What did he want? Just to sit there and stare at her?

She hadn’t had any food or water for nearly an entire day. Her stomach rumbled but yet she didn’t really feel hungry. Hard to have an appetite in the circumstances. She was desperately thirsty though.

Do you have any water? she asked.

Again a blank expression was her only reply.

I’m dying of thirst.

She instantly wished she’d used a different choice of words.

No response once more.

Ruby stared down at the mattress, not sure what to do or what to expect. Was he going to kill her or rape her? Was he just planning on toying with her for a while? Enjoying some stupid game of delayed gratification? She didn’t have the answers. And she wanted to get out of there before she found out.

They both sat there in silence while the guy smoked yet another cigarette.

The rain had ceased for the past hour or so. Now it started to fall again in a steady shower. The rain drops hummed almost melodically on the corrugated roof.

Without warning, the man abruptly pushed himself off the desk and stood up. He looked down at her for a moment. Ruby was sure he was about to lash out at her and she cringed. Instead, he turned on his heel, opened the door, switched off the light and left, locking the door behind him.

After what seemed like a full two minutes, Ruby let out her breath and sucked in several deep lungfuls. She was suddenly shaking with nervous tension.

What the hell had that all just been about?

She shook her head in bewilderment. At least the pain in her brain had subsided.

The guy was a fucking freak, she decided. She had to get out of there, and soon. The man would return, she knew. And maybe next time he’d take action. He might just have been deciding exactly what he wanted to do with her...or to her.

Ruby burst into a flurry of action. She scraped the rope back and forth against the beam as quickly as she could. The pain seared her wrists again, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to get out and get free. Sweat poured from her face once more and she grunted with the effort. Her shoulders burned like they had earlier. Still, she moved faster and faster, desperate to cut the rope that stood between her and freedom.

Suddenly her hands were free. She slipped the remnants of rope from them and tossed them aside. Instantly she was on her feet.

Her legs felt rubbery and her head spun from the sudden movement. She gave herself a moment to come right. When she had, she searched in the dark for her shoes, not willing to risk switching on the light. She couldn’t find them. Just like her handbag, they weren’t there.

Damn, she quietly cursed.

Moving over to the window she peered out into the night. She couldn’t see much, it was too dark, and due to the rain there was no moon. All she could make out were the faint outlines of trees. Water dripped from the glass pane, forming grimy rivers. There was no way to open the window. It was one solid piece of glass. No sliding partitions, no hinges. The only way through there was to smash it.

Too noisy, she decided. That would have to be option B.

She moved on to option A instead. The door. Ruby tried the knob, which was the old brass variety. It turned, but wouldn’t open. Locked from the outside with the key. She peered through the keyhole to see if the key was still in the lock. All she was greeted with was complete blackness. Probably wasn’t in there. She seemed to recall the sound of the key being removed from the lock anyway.

What to do? What to do?

Smashing the window would be an easier task than trying to smash through the door, especially since the door opened inwards and not outwards. Both options would be extremely noisy. If her captor was around, she didn’t want to alert him unnecessarily. Sneaking out of the place was the more attractive option.

Ruby paced around in the darkness, trying to figure out what to do. It helped to chill her mind out so she could think straight.

Should she just say to hell with it and take her chances on smashing the window? What would she smash it with? Her fist? There was nothing in the room to hurl at it. The desk was too big and heavy. The only other item in the room was the mattress. That wouldn’t do anything.

How long had he been gone anyway? she wondered. Half an hour? An hour, maybe?

As she paced, several of the floorboards creaked under her weight. One or two even bowed a little. A thought occurred to her then.

She began moving methodically around the room, testing the boards with her feet. They were quite old and on the verge of rotting. When she’d circumnavigated the room she decided to move the mattress and try there. The old mattress stunk of a mixture of urine and accumulated dust as she slid it away from the wall and into the middle of the floor. She almost gagged from the stench.

The very first floorboard she trod on where the mattress had been was loose.

Ruby got down on her hands and knees and tried to lift the board with her fingernails. That didn’t work. She couldn’t get a good enough grip. Instead she trod on one end with an outstretched heel. When it lifted an inch or so, she slid her hands under it and pulled it away, where she tossed it onto the mattress. She discovered that the board next to it was loose as well. It was quickly removed and she peered down into the hole.

The ground was only about three feet below. She examined the size of the hole by feeling it with her fingers. Too narrow to slip through. She’d have to remove one more board.

One of the boards was nailed on tight. She couldn’t budge it. The one on the other side of the hole was loose, but tougher to remove than the first two. Ruby was forced to twist it this way and that in an effort to wrench the nails free on one end. Eventually she succeeded and the floorboard was deposited in the discard pile on the mattress.

She wasted no time. Thrusting her legs down into the hole she slipped through the floor and fell in a heap on the ground below.

The earth was wet and muddy and smelled of decaying leaves. She peered out from under the shed. Way off in the distance a light burned in a house, its glow diffused by the light rain. Her immediate thought was to make a run for that house. But then a realisation struck her. What if that was her captor’s house?

Bad plan.

Just as she prepared to slither out from under the shed, a shadowy figure appeared silhouetted against the distant light. She could tell by the figure’s bulky outline that it was him. Her captor was returning.

Shit! she thought desperately. Should she make a run for it now? He would see her for sure. She couldn’t go out the other side, it was all boarded in.

There was no more time in which to contemplate the situation. The man was only fifty metres away now and closing the gap fast. Ruby hunkered down so that she wouldn’t be seen. The man loomed closer, his shadowy outline larger than life. Ruby waited. The man walked around to the other side of the shed. His boots thudded up the two wooden steps. There was the sound of the key turning in the lock. The door creaked open.

When the light was switched on Ruby made a dash for it. She didn’t run in the direction of the house. Instead, she headed left where she could see a dense line of trees and shrubbery in the misty gloom.

Wearing only her socks, Ruby sprinted across the muddy earth toward the relative safety of the forest. She slipped countless times and twice fell down in a heap. The rain was hammering down now. Everything was rendered just indistinct shapes and shadows. Even the ground beneath her feet she could barely see. It was too dark and too wet.

She reached the edge of the forest. Well, fell into it really. A one metre high shrub sprang out of the ground in front of her. Ruby didn’t see it. Instead, she ploughed right into it, tripped and lunged forward. She skidded through a bed of mushy fallen leaves. Clumsily she stumbled to her feet, her sodden socks now half hanging off. Quickly she pulled them back on again. The action caused her to stagger backwards into a tree. She bounced off the trunk and fell to the ground once more.

Peering through the bushes from her position on the ground, Ruby looked back in the direction of the shed.

She spied a light bobbing up and down, coming in her direction. Behind the light she could make out the spectral shape of her captor.

Shit, she cursed under her breath.

He was less than eighty metres away and closing the distance. He had two distinct advantages: A torch so her could see, and he was familiar with the area.

Shit, shit, she repeated.

Frightened that he would spot her, Ruby remained hunched over and almost crawled through the forest. With her vision severely hampered by the conditions she constantly bumped