“Leanne, I’m going out now!” I yelled up the stairs.

“Okay. Don’t stay out too long after dark and remember to lock the door on your way out!” Leanne yelled back.

I always did, but she never failed to remind me.

I put my earphones in and started stretching as I walked down the street. I started jogging down the hill and past my neighbors who had hearing issues. That was the only reason I could think of as to why they would yell so much. Most of the time, they weren’t even arguing, they just yelled for the heck of it. In that big house with little furniture, their voices echoed off the walls.

Getting to the park, I started to speed up. I ran around the park a few times until I got too tired. It was a big park with a hiking trail that led to a lake, a fountain in the middle of the picnic area, scattered trees, and dozens of picnic benches. There were also three different playgrounds for kids of different age groups. The hiking trail was hardly used anymore. No one really knew why, but I’d heard stories ranging from someone dying on the trail to it being haunted.

Whether or not I believed in ghosts, there was something about running in the park at night that gave me the creeps, so I headed back home. The sun had already started to set as I was coming home from my run. Usually, I would’ve done it in the morning, but I was swamped with homework and decided to run later in the day. I slowed gradually while passing an alley, because I saw something move in the shadows caused by the setting sun.

“Is anyone there?” I called after I heard shuffling. I cautiously walked to the entrance of the alley. “Hello?” I heard a grunt and whispers. It was probably a homeless person, but there were never any this close to the neighborhood. When silence met my ears, I started back towards the street. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm and shoved me roughly against the slimy, wet wall of the alley. I tried to scream, but before I could mutter a word, a grimy hand covered my mouth.

“Ever heard that curiosity killed the cat?” a rough voice asked. “Try anything funny and I’ll cut you,” he threatened pressing a cold metallic object to my neck as soon as I opened my mouth to scream. “Come.” He pulled me deeper into the alley where I could make out two burly figures in the darkness with masks. “Who’s she?” one of them asked.

“Some girl I found walking in the alley,” the one holding me said.

“What are we going to do with her?” guy number three asked. “She looks young.”

“Do whatever you want with her. I don’t care. Have some fun with her if you like. She’s a beauty,” guy number one said. He opened a door at the end of the alley and led me inside. “I’m going to remove my hand but you’re not going to scream. Heard me sweetheart?” I nodded and forced the tears back as I shook in fear.

I felt a pair of rough and calloused hands on my waist. I froze uncomfortably and he laughed. “You like that?” he whispered in my ear, hands moving down to my butt that he grabbed and squeezed. I raised my hand to push him away, but he grabbed my wrists tightly, his glare a warning. Once he pushed me into a chair, he barked out orders to the other two men to tie and gag me.

They walked out laughing and locked the door. I scanned my surroundings. There was a flickering bulb above me and a table in the middle of the uncomfortably small room. In two corners were broken shelves overflowing with bags of white powder and papers. I didn’t have to imagine what the powder was. The smell from the room was pungent, and made bile rise in my throat.

I whipped my head around when something flashed in my peripheral vision. My chest tightening, I started hyperventilating. “Sshh… Calm down,” a voice whispered. I looked around again frantically, wanting to see who was talking.

“You have to calm down,” the voice said again. I could barely make out a dark figure in the shadows. The figure started walking towards me slowly. The person was so close to me now. I saw it was a man, but I couldn’t see his face because he was wearing a large hoodie as he stepped in front of me. The dim lighting wasn’t any help either.

“Please don’t hurt me,” I begged.

“I won’t hurt you. Against my better judgement, I’m here to help you. What’s your name?” he asked. Though I couldn’t see his face, I saw his long jet-black hair poking out from under his hoodie.

“N-Nina,” I stuttered. I probably shouldn’t have told him my name, but compared to the three men outside, he seemed more decent.

“Well, Nina, I’m going to get you out of here, okay?” he said softly. He got up, walked behind the chair and started to untie me. A thought crossed my mind. What if they came in and saw him trying to help me? They’d hurt him and probably turn on me next. They threatened me, so they sure as hell wouldn’t hold back on this Good Samaritan. He removed the gag and wiped my tear-streaked face with his soft thumbs.

“No, stop. They’ll only turn on you,” I said. “You need to go.”

“I saw him touch you,” he said through clenched teeth. I turned away and bit my lip. “I’m not leaving,” he said. Soon, my arms were free. The men had tied the rope so tight around my wrists that it had bruised my skin. He ran his fingers over the pink lines now on my wrists. “Nina, listen to me. I’m going to lead them in here, and while I take care of them, I want you to escape. When you get out of the ally, I want you to run as fast as you possibly can okay?” he said. “Don’t look back. When I open the door, you’re going to close your eyes and you’re not going to open them until I tell you to.”

I nodded. Why was he helping me? Wasn’t he a part of these group of people? How did he get into the room undetected? “Why are you helping me?” I asked as I rubbed my sore wrists.

I could see him smile where the faint light shone on the lower section of his face, including his lip piercing. “Call it a random act of kindness. I will come and check if you are okay later. Don’t mention anything to anyone, and don’t call the police.” I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut. I shivered a little when his hand caressed my cheek. I heard the door creek open and soon after, the sounds of grunting and yells erupted from around me. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. “Go, Nina,” I heard his voice say at my ear.

I opened my eyes and ran out the door at full speed, stepping over an unconscious body by the door. Adrenaline flooding my body. Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Don’t look back! I chanted mentally as I ran with everything I had back to my house. I shakily let myself in, panting and wheezing. Leanne came out of the kitchen and looked at me in horror.

“What happened to you, Nina?” she asked in concern. “Hey, breathe.”

When I finally calmed down a bit, I tried to compose myself, slowing my breathing if only to stop Leanne from panicking just as much as I was.

Don’t mention anything to anyone.

His voice rang clear in my ears. “I wanted to see how far I could push myself. It was a stupid idea. I’m sorry,” I lied.

“Please don’t you ever do that to me again. You scared the crap out of me,” she cried and hugged me tightly.