30 days in captivity

Sometimes, life doesn’t happen the way we want. There are critical situations we find ourselves in and most times we strive, struggle, and fight our way out of them. But not every situation feels the same, there are some in which fighting could be futile, and at such times, we just have to accept whatever comes in our path, embrace it, and live with it. My name is Cassandra and this is my story.

As a child, I lived in the beautiful city of Santiago with my parents. We were a happy wealthy family. Being the only child, I had a life full of fun and liberty. My parents gave me everything I wanted, and I was treated like a princess in a big castle.

My mother was a nurse and my dad, when all I could say was he is a simple contractor, so I thought until the night of my 20th birthday when I found out who he truly was, not only that, I got the biggest birthday surprise of my life.

***

It was evening, and my 20th birthday was at hand. Usually, I prefer to spend my time out with my friends Tyler and Camila, having fun throughout the night, but this time I decided to spend it with my family. My mom and dad have always been the ones there for me, they’ve given me everything I had wanted and I am yet to spend the night of my birthday with them since I turned fifteen, the year I got into high school.

 Of course, I did that in my childhood days but since I turned thirteen, I was given the privilege to live my life the way I wanted. At seventeen, I moved out to my apartment, so I barely stayed with my parents and that was the reason why I decided to make an exception for tonight, the night in which I would clock 20 and begin my adulthood.

Just as I lay down on my bed. I heard a knock on my room door. “Honey, are you awake?”

“Yes mom, I just need a few more minutes and I will be right down with you,” I replied.

“Okay, honey.” I could hear her footsteps as she walked away. My phone notification popped up, I took it and turned it on. It was a message from Tyler.

Tyler is my boyfriend. We met when I was sixteen in high school, I had a great crush on him and that crush grew into something I never thought it would. He is a cute sweet little guy, a bit romantic. He was everything I wanted for a guy, including his physique and structure.

“Happy 20th birthday to the one girl who turned my world around. Thanks for making my life special, I have gotten a special birthday present for you which will be given to you when we meet at your place later tonight.” My face was all red as I smiled while I read his text.

“I wonder what birthday present he would have prepared for me,” I muttered.

 Well, that doesn’t matter as I have also presented my surprise for him and that was to give him the one thing I have been keeping to myself for quite some time, my virginity. Tyler and I have been in a relationship for three years but we haven’t touched each other sexually, nor have we engaged in foreplay or sex. The only things we’ve done were kisses and cuddles.

With a smiley red face, I made it out of bed as I was set to join my parents for a birthday dinner. I left my room and though it was my special day, it felt like a normal day. I thought my parents would decorate the house like they used to but this time they didn’t.

I made my way to the dining hall, and at the table was a cake with just a candle at the top. The light was out and the candle was the only thing left lighting.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday happy birthday, happy birthday to you🎶🎶”

“Wow, dad…mom.”

“Happy birthday darling.”

“Thank you so much dad, thank you so much, mom,” I said and embraced them in the darkness. “I love you both so much.”

“My darling, we love you too honey.”

“Want to blow out your candle?” my mom asked. I broke off the embrace and turned around to the cake in the middle of the table.

Walked close to it, I blow out the candle and my dad quickly switched back on the lights. From the sight of it, I could tell it was a strawberry banana-flavored cake, my favorite.

“Sorry, we didn’t make preparations. We had no idea of what you might like and it’s been ages since we’ve gathered as a family to celebrate your big day so we thought it would be best not to upset you, that’s why we decided to make it a plain family dinner.” My mom said.

“Its okay mom, I love it.”

“Well then, we should celebrate. For tonight, my big girl is coming off age. Soon she will be thinking of settling down with somebody’s son.”

“Dad.” I chuckled. “We should probably eat first, I’m famished.”

“Alright, dinner coming right up.”

It is indeed a blissful night, seeing both of my parents happy, gave me a certain type of joy. One that I could not explain.

My mom brought out dinner, she not only prepared my favorite cake she also prepared my favorite dish of pernil and cazuela

Dinner was served. I was delighted and could no longer wait to dig in, we shared grace and just as we were about to commence with dinner, we heard a sudden knock on the doors.

I looked backward at the entrance which was quite visible from the dining hall. Who could possibly be the one at the door by this time? It can’t be Tyler for we agreed to meet at my place tonight.

“Are we expecting anyone? Or is this a surprise package?” I asked in curiosity and inherent joy.

“I don’t think so honey.” My mom replied. “I didn’t order anything. Did you honey?” we heard the knock again and this time it was aggressive and louder than the first.

“I will be right back, let me check who’s at the door.” He left my mom and me alone in the dining room. On his arrival, he switched on the CCTV at the entrance of the door to see who it was.

There he stood still. I noticed his hands were shaken but my mom had no idea, he caught on cold feet, and with fear, and trembling, he stretched his hands out for the door knob. As soon as he opened it, he began to step back. Ten men in black walked in with a man in a white suit. Just from the looks, I saw how frightened my father appeared to be. I took a closer look at the man in white, and at that moment I could tell who he was, the notorious criminal that the entire city of Santiago has ever known, Mariano Alexander.

My mom and I both stood up, as we had no idea of what was going on. Curiosity rose in my heart as I could not understand what the world’s most wanted man is doing at our home at a time like this.

My mom walked to meet my father and I followed suit.

“Mr. Anderson, you are indeed a hard man to find aren’t you?” he spoke. His eyes made contact with mine. “Who would have thought you were a family man? I smell something delicious, I must have interrupted a family’s dinner.”

“Please Mariano, I beg of you to spare me.” My father pleaded on his knees in fear, shaken.

“Honey, what is going on? What’s this all about? Why are they here at our home?” my mom was asking a lot of questions. She didn’t seem to be a bit surprise when the men walked in.

“So Anderson, is my money ready?”

Money, what could he be talking about? Now I was lost in the midst of it all. What money? Why would he walk into our home demanding for his money?

“I promise to pay it back. I will by….”

“By when? When you die right?” he said with anger in his voice. “You said the same thing after I found out about my missing goods. Or did you think you would come work for me, thereafter steal from me and go scot-free? Not a chance.” He said

Work for him? Why would my father work…..at that point, it became clear to me. I thought my father was a simple contractor, but I guess it was all a lie.

TBC…