The Stranger

Her eyes opened slightly, slowly revealing the sliver of light peeking out from under the window shade.

“Hello sleepy head” the cheery voice boomed.

Blurry images danced around her. She tried to focus ...on her dad, standing at the foot of her bed but he was just a , dark, giant mass of nothing, confusion filled her brain.

He seems way too cheerful this morning, she thought. And now my head hurts.

“Time to get up , we have so much planned for today!” He said happily.

She tried to move, to get up but paralyzation came over her. “Oh god” she thought “What the hell did I do last night?”

Every bone in her body felt immobile, like she was stuck or being held down. She was so exhausted she hoped that she wasn’t coming down with the flu.

“I brought you some breakfast! You need to keep up your strength.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed and laid the tray beside her.

Her eyes closed in exhaustion, giving up looking for the clarity she wanted.

She noticed a heaviness in her arms and legs and feet and thought her dad must be crazy to think she’s going anywhere today. She’s just too sick!

She tried to speak but nothing but gurgling sounds came from her throat! “What the?”

She tried again. But nothing. Did she lose her voice? “What’s happening?”

Suddenly she found a little strength left in her and lifted her head and neck ever so slightly to look down towards her body and feet covered in a flowered comforter.

Then she noticed a rope nestled tightly across her chest and arms. She pressed her body against it to test how tight it was. It was tightly wound. She focused on lifting her feet up, one by one. Then leg by leg. She could feel the rope wrapped around her down there as well.

She was tied to the bed! She looked up at her dad in total confusion. The once blurry figure was suddenly starting to become more clear. The fog disappeared, clearing the way for her to get a better view.

His dark-graying beard was as no longer, now just dark stubble appeared on his face. The thinning hair on top seemed somehow thicker than it ever was before. And his jawline didn’t seem as strong as before.

She looked up into his eyes expecting to see the crinkly sparkling blue eyes her father looked at her with every morning. But soulless darkened eyes stared down at her accompanied with a very creepy smile. She gasped!

“Who are you?”