Chapter 12:
A Pile To Remind Us
I went to turn the doorknob to my freedom. I jiggled the handle but it wouldn't
open.
No! this can't be happening come on come on! I
looked behind me when I sensed that Joe would be breathing down my back.
Luckily it was just my imagination. I couldn't understand why the door would
not budge when I looked down and found my answer. There was a combination lock
built into the keyhole.
Dammit! Okay I said in between deep breaths, what do I do now? Stay calm Nick
come on think you can do this. You are so close.
I kept trying different combinations but no luck. It wasn't moving. I decided
to try my luck and find another exit. I ran back towards the kitchen only to
see no backdoor. I body slammed my back into the wall in frustration. Resting
my head against the dull wallpaper I needed to come up with a plan and quick.
Then I remembered the cell phone.
He was talking to Trish on a cell phone. I rushed all around the kitchen
looking for it. Under the table, in the drawers even in the fridge. When I was
sure it wasn't in there I moved on to the dining room and living room. Still
the phone was nowhere to be found.
God I bet it was on him. Dammit!! I contemplated on going back downstairs to
retrieve it from him but I decided to just move on. If I absolutely had to I
would. My heart was beating so hard that I was having difficulty breathing. I
had to sit down for a minute and pull myself together.
Taking long deep breaths I managed to slow down my pulse. I stood up and walked
up another flight of steps. This was where they slept. There were three
bedrooms up there. I entered the first one and noticed there was no windows at
all. I quickly scanned the room and when no cellphone showed up I went into the
next room. This one smelled like freshly cut flowers. It was yellow and very
bright. It was as if I stepped into 1970. A huge picture of the BeeGees hung on
the wall. This had to be Trish's room. I looked in the closet and shuddered
when I noticed that all the clothes were for a little child. It was definitely
lived in and I briefly found myself wondering if there was a child in this
house. Until I saw a picture of Trish as a small kid. She was wearing one of
the outfits that was tucked away in the closet. I don't know why but I suddenly
felt sorry for her.
A banging on the door brought me back to my situation. It was him! he was
yelling something. I couldn't really hear him that well but he was mad. Mad and
awake. I was running out of time. I ran out of Trish's room into the next one I
found. It was full of stuffed animals and a bunk bed. This had to be Jacob's
room.
A huge bang made me jump! he's out! I listened carefully hoping I was wrong
"Nick! Where the hell are you?" Oh my God he did get out! I slowly
backed up feeling so small. He was frantically running through the first floor
screaming my name and cursing under his breath. He was banging and clanging things.
I realized that if he caught me I was dead. I started to cry.
"Come out come out wherever you are! I like games Nick I can keep it up as
long as you can." I backed myself up against the wall when I heard him
starting to climb up the steps.
"You know there is no way out buddy so just give up" I tried to crawl
under the bed but my body was too big. I stood up using the wall to balance
myself when suddenly...
The wall moved. It was a secret door. I pushed through it and climbed into the
little room. Quickly shutting the door behind me right before he entered
Jacob's room. I scrunched in to a little ball and didn't even allow myself to
breath. He was going through the room humming a Backstreet song.
"Come on Nicky my patience is wearing thin, come out come out!" I
heard his heavy breathing inches away from my hiding place. Then just like
that...he was gone.
I let out a heavy sigh and buried my head in my lap and silently cried. So much
for being strong.
When I was finally able to relax a little I ventured deeper into the room. It
was very small. I had to duck my head to keep from hitting the rafters. The
corridor opened up to a bigger and taller area. I gasped when I saw what I saw.
Me everywhere. My pictures lined the walls and the ceiling. Every picture taken
for every magazine ever! Private pictures of me and my family. Me and the guys
on my boat. Manda and I. There were pictures of me sleeping and eating. One of
me in the bathroom, they were everywhere.
I walked over to the table that lay in the center of the room and found all the
current papers about me missing. He's getting ready for the next one. I said
aloud. I sat and rummaged through everything. The guys offering exuberant
amounts of money for my return. Mom crying for my safe return on the front page
of Time magazine. Fans having candlelight vigils.
"Do you like what you see my young friend?" I was afraid to turn
around. How could I have not heard him come in.
I quickly turned around and there he was just watching me read. I wonder how
long he was there. I stood up on my shaky legs. Every part of my body was
shaking and I backed up slowly. He echoed every step I took with one towards
me. Smile never leaving his face.
"I asked you a question Nick, do you like what you see?" I gulped before
answering.
"What is all of this?" he picked up one of the many articles and
continued to approach me slowly.
"You're Galeed of course"
"What?"
"Galeed, Nick haven't you been reading the Bible?" I just shook my
head no.
"Silly boy! you were probably an awful student. Your Galeed. From the book
of Genesis. Jacob made one for his brother Laban."
"I still don't understand"
"It's a pile to remind us"
"Remind us of what?" I grabbed a scissors off of the table. I don't
think he saw I was moving very slowly.
"Remind us of YOU! After you're gone of course." I decided not to
stick around for the rest of the conversation. I charged at him with all of my
might holding the scissors in my hand....
***
