The Vacation

Chapter 27

Brenna counted the passing moments by the tick of the car cooling down around her. Her cell phone was dead now and she had no source of light. The surrounding darkness and claustrophobia of the small space was beginning to wear on her.

It was getting noticeably cooler by the minute. She couldn't know exactly how long Herrick had been gone but it seemed like a long time. Her fingers ached and she'd broken a nail which in her attempts to find a way out. The sharp smell of coppery blood filled the small compartment.

Despite her best efforts she had failed to gain her freedom. She'd managed to kick out the back taillight and now had small 6" in diameter window to the darkness beyond. For twenty minutes she'd tried to reach the trunk lock in hopes she could somehow jimmy the lock with the nail file but was unable to get that far.

She'd briefly thought of yelling for help from the hole but in the solitude of the park at this time of the night and season she risked only alerting Herrick to her escape efforts. Consequently the only thing she'd accomplished was creating a greater entrance for the cold air to invade her prison and make it even more uncomfortable.

Currently she kept watch through her small window with her ears cocked for Herrick's return. If he didn't notice the taillight damage immediately she might be able to stab him or harm him enough to give her a chance when he opened the trunk. She prayed someone else, preferably Mac, would get there before he returned.

She'd relaxed a bit in the fetal position, really the only position allowed in the tiny space, watching out the window when she suddenly heard a twig snap in the darkness. Brenna sprang into full alert straining her ears to be ready for any further sounds.

To the right of the car she heard more twigs snapping and movement of someone approaching. The noise would lead her to believe they were coming from the woods and not any road. The foot steps grew louder as they grew closer and she heard the instant whoever it was stepped onto the dirt of the roadway from the brush.

"Please be Mac, please be Mac," she prayed silently inside her head as she tried her best to be absolutely silent and still. Her breath sounded loud around her and her heart thumped crazily inside her chest. If they kept coming from that direction they'd pass directly in front of her access hole and she'd have her chance.

Then again, if it were Mac or some other deputy out looking for her, she'd risk stabbing her rescuer in the leg instead. Her resolve wavered but then solified. If it were Mac he'd more than forgive her understanding the circumstances she was in.

The steps closed in on the car and whoever it was began to whistle. Brenna's blood chilled. She felt confident no one out searching for her would be so nonchalantly whistling as they did so. No, this unusually upbeat whistling seemed to point toward her abductor and confirmed for her more than anything prior that he was a very dangerous man.

She heard the crunch of gravel just beside the car and stilled herself further waiting for the exact moment. She'd only get one chance at this and she'd need to do as much damage as possible but not lose her weapon in the process.

 A jean clad leg came into view and Brenna jabbed. There was some resistance and then it pushed further. The leg immediately pulled from her as it's owner began to scream obscenities and took her weapon with it.

"Damnit!" she couldn't help but exclaim.

She could hear the man still moving a lot and yelling profanities directed at her a few feet away. Considering he knew who to blame he likely had a hand in putting her there and wasn't some innocent bystander. Funnily enough this gave her comfort but not for long as someone was not shoving a key into the lock of the trunk.