Obsession


There it was again. Scarlet stopped and looked over her shoulder to
see...nothing. Again. She sighed, turned her attention back to the sidewalk
before her and continued walking. She tried to forget what just happened, but
that wasn't easy. Especially considering that was the fourth time now on her
way home from the store. But it wasn't just that. That vague feeling of being
followed, being watched, that stinging look of carefully observing eyes she
felt in her neck - she had been having it for weeks now.

Of course, maybe she was just imagining things. But still, it was creepy.
Every time she turned her head she expected someone standing there, staring at
her. He didn't do anything. He didn't talk. He didn't move. He just stood
there, his eyes...The girl shook her head. That man was just in her head.
Maybe she subconsciously remembered a horror movie and got all freaked out
because of that. Yeah, maybe that was the case. Or at least Scarlet hoped so.
She didn't dare to imagine anything else to be true.

She noticed she was walking faster. She didn't want to admit it, but that
feeling of being watched really got to her. And trying to play it down only
made it worse. Nervously Scarlet ran her fingers through her long, blond hair.
She would buy some pepper spray on the next occasion. Even if the threat was
just in her head, maybe it would help her calm down.

After walking for what seemed hours, Scarlet finally arrived at home. As she
reached into her purse she noticed she was shaking. That wasn't like her. She
was a strong, independent young woman. So why did she feel so scared because
of nothing? She felt anger building up in her - anger at her weak self. The
keys slipped out of her shaking hand and landed on floor. Cursing she crouched
down to pick it up. It just so happened that her eyes met the glass door. And
what she saw made her let out a scream.

There was the reflection of a man hiding behind the hedges! She turned around
while standing up, stumbled and fell down again. She looked up - again,
nothing. Scarlet quickly got up and put the groceries that had fallen out back
into the bag. Then she put the key in the lock as fast as her trembling hands
allowed it and walked in as fast as she could. She didn't dare to go check if
there really was someone on the other side of that door.

The girl rested a bit, leaning at the closed door. She felt her heartbeat in
her throat, she was nauseous...she didn't want to stay right at the door,
somehow she expected a hand to reach through it and clamp over her mouth. She
gulped and made a run for the staircase. She didn't consider the elevator for
a second, the last thing she wanted now was being trapped in a small space.

Finally she reached the top floor. The keys were still in her hand. She
unlocked the door, slipped inside and smashed it behind her. Then she put the
key in the lock and turned it until it wouldn't move any further. She pulled
it out, dropped it on the floor along with the bag of groceries and went to
her bedroom. Now she felt a little more comfortable. This was her home, on the
seventh floor. The only door was the one she got inside, and that was locked.
Here she was safe. Or at least, so she thought...

Scarlet turned on the TV, trying to forget the fears that had tormented her
earlier. But no matter what channel she tuned in to, everything made her feel
uneasy. The crime movie about a celebrity being kidnapped by a crazy fan
didn't help her calm down at all. Even watching animal documentaries - which
Scarlet hardly ever did, she thought they were boring - made her feel like the
antelope being carefully observed by the prowling lion.

Sighing she turned the TV off again. It was like everything was conspiring
against her, trying to freak her out. Tossing the remote aside, the blonde
grabbed a pillow and curled up on the couch. It had been a tiring day for her,
she could use some sleep.

Scarlet's rest was uneasy. She had strange nightmares - elusive, yet
terrifying images. She remembered the sound of footsteps behind her...A cloth
being pressed over her face, covering her mouth and nose. ..The already
distant memory of a sweet stench...The trunk of a car...An overwhelming
feeling of helplessness...

Slowly, the girl opened her eyes. It was still dark, in fact her surroundings
were pitch black. She tried to lift her head, but immediately regretted the
decision. She had a terrible headache. She waited a second for the stinging
pain to fade, then she cursed - or at least she tried to.

"Ghwd dhwmnhd!"

Instinctively Scarlet tried to pull whatever was blocking her speech out of
her mouth, but she already knew what would happen next: Her hand was stopped
after a few inches. Now wide awake she tried to move her body, but all she
could do was wiggle on the soft ground she was lying on. Realizing the images
she had dreamed up in her slumber hadn't been nightmares, but horrible reality
she screamed into her gag.

"HHHLPH! HMWHN - HLLPH MHH! PHLLF, HLLPH!"

She struggled against her bonds, knowing deep inside that it was futile: She
was helplessly tied to a bed in a spread-eagle position - and something told
her it wasn't her bed.

After a few minutes she gave up. The ropes were tightly wrapped around her
wrists and ankles, there was no way she could ever break them. No one would
hear her with that gag in her mouth - and she feared that even without it, her
cries for help still wouldn't reach anyone's ears. She couldn't even see her
surroundings, being blindfolded like she was. She sobbed. Why was this
happening to her?

Almost like to answer that question she heard a door being unlocked and
opened. Scarlet tried to back away from where the sound came, but of course
the ropes held her back. Knowing she was trapped she just whimpered into her
gag.

"Are you awake, my love?"

Scarlet didn't even know what to think about what she just heard. 'Love'? She
didn't even recognize that voice...

"Please forgive my methods, it's the only way I could see you."

The girl was confused, but very much knew that she didn't like the sound of
that. And the fact that she heard footsteps approaching her didn't make things
better. She squirmed on the bed, even though she knew it was useless, but she
felt like she had to do something - she couldn't just lie there and wait for
god knew what to happen.

"Calm down. I'll just remove your blindfold."

Scarlet started ferociously struggling and screaming as she felt her captor's
knees push in the mattress next to her waist.

"NHG! NNHHGH! HWHHD HWH 'H!"

He pinned down her arms and kept her like that for a few seconds before saying
"Hush now. I won't hurt you. I couldn't. Now lay still and let me remove that
blindfold."

Scarlet was breathing heavily and hot tears were soaking the cloth over her
eyes. She didn't want that man to touch her but at the same time she knew she
was in no position to do anything about it. She took a deep breath and tried
her best not to move, although she was still shaking.

She flinched as she felt two large hands reach around her head to untie the
blindfold.

It took a few moments until Scarlet's eyes adapted to the light again. Then
she could finally look at the face of her kidnapper: The peacefully smiling
face of a relatively young man, maybe in his thirties, but his eyes seemed old
and tired. If he wouldn't had put her into this predicament he would look
pitiful. But crouching over her, having her at his mercy he looked terrifying.

Scarlet just couldn't keep looking at him, she turned her head away - and
moments later she wished she hadn't. The wall was plastered with photos,
showing her in everyday situations. They all looked like they were taken from
some sort of hiding spot, mostly from behind her. There were also pictures of
the apartment complex she was living in and some of her Facebook profile
pictures.

Her kidnapper was the guy who had been stalking her for weeks! It had never
been her imagination, it all had been real! Scarlet felt so stupid - she
should have told the police, but instead she just had to tell herself she was
imagining things. And now she was here, bound and gagged without a clue about
her location.

"So I don't have to explain to you anymore, I guess."

Scarlet looked at her captor again. For a second she had forgotten he was
still in the room. He was right, there was no need for explanation. This guy
was for whatever reason obsessed with her. He was insane! She was in the
clutches of a madman!

He reached into his pocket. The bound girl's eyes widened in fear as he pulled
out an unlabeled bottle, opened it and poured some of its contents onto a
piece of cloth. She tried to turn her face away but he grabbed her head and
pressed the cloth over her face. She felt the now familiar of Chloroform enter
her nose. She tried to resist, but she already felt dizzy. As her heavy
eyelids closed only one thought was on her mind:

'Why? Why me?'

Scarlet didn't know how long she had been out cold. Her head was still
spinning when she opened her eyes. At least she wasn't blindfolded, so she
could see her surroundings, albeit still blurry.

She was sitting on a chair (a pretty comfortable one actually, if it wouldn't
have been for her overall situation). Her ankles were shackled with padded
leather cuffs which were connected to the front legs of the chair, keeping her
legs spread apart. Her arms were trapped behind her back inside a leather
armbinder, which seemed to be connected to the backrest of the chair, making
it virtually impossible to even slightly move them. The ballgag in her mouth
still felt the same, although her jaw was considerably more sore by now.

Scarlet shivered. She was almost naked, wearing nothing but a black set of
lace bra, panties and stockings. That alone wouldn't have been too bad, it was
something else that concerned her: That lingerie wasn't hers! That bastard not
only knew her size but also had changed her outfit while she was unconscious -
meaning he had seen her naked!

That was it - she had to get out of there! She didn't even dare to think about
what that guy might do to her...But she was securely restrained - there was no
way she could ever break loose - she had to think of some other way. And that
better quickly.

The sound of a door being opened behind her made her realize just how quickly
she should come up with something. Scarlet tried to get a glimpse of her
captor, but the chair she was cuffed to was facing away from the entrance. She
whimpered into her gag and struggled in her leather restraints as he came
closer. Of course it was futile, but she had to put up an act. If she looked
really desperate to tell her kidnapper something he might just remove the gag.
She just had to get the message across somehow.

And obviously it worked, he moved behind her and said "Now, my love, please
don't scream. I'd hate to have to punish you."

His words - especially the 'my love' - sent a cold shiver down Scarlet's
spine. But at least he buckled the gag a bit looser and pulled it out of her
mouth - however he still left it dangling around her neck in case she decided
to scream.

She coughed a bit and pressed out a quiet "Thank you."

As the girl regained her breath she thought about what to say next. Every word
would have to be carefully planned. She didn't know anything about this man,
except he was obsessed with her for whatever reason - a fact that didn't weigh
in her favor.

"Why are you doing this?" Scarlet didn't have to act much to sound insecure
and scared.

Her captor, who was still standing behind her, put his hand on her shoulder
and whispered into her ear:

"From the day I've first seen you...I knew you were - how should I put it
...the one. I've tried to tell you...but it was as if I didn't exist in your
world. You were always being with other guys, the only way I could see you was
from the distance, unnoticed. But I couldn't bear it...It was ripping me
apart. I had to get close to you...Look into your eyes...smell your sweet
scent...feel your soft skin..."

With that last few words his hand sensually slid down Scarlet's arm. The girl
was shivering. She would have called him a sick pervert, if she wouldn't have
been at his mercy. She had to escape this freak's clutches!

"You don't have to do this to me, you know..." Scarlet whimpered "If...if you
want to see me, I can...we can just go on a date together. Please, let me go,
I won't tell anybo-"

"NO!"

Scarlet fell silent as he cut her off, yelling like that. It was like his
personality just had turned 180°. Up to now he had been creepy, but still
caring, almost loving. Now it felt like an aura of anger surrounded him. It
gave Scarlet goosebumps.

He reached for the ballgag again.

"No, please don't ghhhh...hwwph! HWWPH!" the girl couldn't do anything to
prevent him from shoving the rubber sphere behind her teeth.

"I won't fall for your cheap lies - actually, I won't give you a chance to
tell them! I've been through so much to get to this point...I won't let you
run away! You belong to me now! To me, and NOBDOY ELSE!"

Scarlet ferociously screamed into her gag as he wrapped a leather blindfold
around her head.

"You belong to me now, and I'll make sure you understand that."

Scarlet felt the cold steel of a collar being locked around her neck.

"There, maybe that reminds you of who's in charge here. I'll give you some
time to think about it."

He stomped out of the room and smashed the door shut.

Scarlet just sat there for a few seconds, motionless. She had screwed up. Not
able to keep her feelings inside anymore she burst into tears. How long would
she have to endure this nightmare?