Juliet tossed her purse and Biology textbook onto the passenger seat of her car, her mind lost in the seemingly insurmountable pile of homework she had to get done that night.
Sophomore year was such a bummer.
Way harder than Freshman year.
She sighed and started the engine, listening to the familiar popping and hissing sounds it made as it purred to life.
She threw it into reverse and started to pull away, still thinking about the three papers she had to write and the two tests she had to study for.
Suddenly, she heard another sound.
A sound that wasn't a comforting pop or hiss.
A sound that came from the back seat, about two inches away from her right ear.
A sound something like a harsh, metallic click.
She held her breath as she slowly turned around, but she didn't have to see it to know what had made that noise.
It was a gun.
She only got her head about halfway around before she heard the voice, low and hoarse.
"Don't turn around," it hissed.
She froze, all the blood draining from her face.
"Okay."
She tried to sound calm and in-control, but her voice went up a few octaves on the "ay", blowing her cover just a little.
"Drive," the voice from the backseat ordered.
"Okay."
Her voice was steadier this time, but still higher than normal.
Of course, the man in the back seat wouldn't know that…
She pulled away from the curb and began to drive.
"Where am I going?" She asked after a few minutes of silently staring at the road ahead, not even daring to check the rearview mirror.
"Just drive."
"Okay."
He's going to kill me…she thought to herself.
He doesn't want the car…
If he wanted the car, he would've taken it by now.
"Turn here," the voice suddenly commanded, indicating a dark road that Juliet recognized immediately.
It's the back road to the reservoir…
Oh, God.
He's going to dump my body in the reservoir.
Her heart began to pound as she slowly turned down the street.
"Can I put my high beams on?" She asked, feeling slightly stupid. "I can't see anything."
She knew she had to keep him talking.
She had to stall somehow.
"I don't care."
"Okay."
She flicked the high beams on and continued driving, frantically searching for something else, anything else, to say.
"You can take the car," she finally told him.
"I don't want the car," the voice answered coldly.
"I don't have any money."
"I don't want your money. Stop here. Now."
She hit the brakes, her heart leaping into her throat.
"Get out of the car."
She could feel the gun being pressed against the back of her head.
Slowly, deliberately, she climbed out of the car and stepped in front of the headlights.
She knew it was stupid, but she somehow felt safer standing in their soft, glowing light.
She heard the back door slam right behind her.
She could hear his heavy steps crunching through the gravel, always just one step behind her.
She still didn't dare to turn around to look at him.
"Keep walking."
"Okay."
They walked deeper and deeper into the woods.
Juliet knew they were getting closer to the reservoir. She could already hear the rushing water ahead.
She began to listen to his marching steps, always in perfect time with hers.
Always left, right.
Left, right.
Left, right.
She tried not think about how each step…left, right…was bringing her closer to dying…
She memorized the rhythm, chanting the cadence in her mind…
Left, right.
Left, right.
Left—
As she heard him set his right foot down again, she suddenly changed her stride, bringing her heel down directly on the top of his foot. She ground into his toes with all her strength until she heard him groan in pain, then whirled around and swung wildly with her fists, screaming at the top of her lungs. She felt them connect with face, heard him grunt as his nose shattered in a spray of blood.
He was stunned.
Too stunned to fight back.
This was her chance.
Still screaming, she charged at him, hoping he was stunned enough to not be able to use the gun. She plowed into him, knocking him to the ground.
She just kept right on running.
She didn't stop running until she reached the car.
And she didn't stop driving until she reached the closest police station.
An hour later, she was still there, telling a uniformed officer about her narrow escape for the fifth time.
"You took on an armed kidnapper?" He asked her, looking impressed.
She just nodded, still shaking.
"Yeah."
"That was quick thinking, Kid."
"I guess," she shrugged, just wanting to go home.
"No, really," the officer insisted. "I know men twice your size who couldn't have done that. You ever think about going to the Academy?"
"What? Like the Police Academy?" Juliet asked, honestly surprised at the idea.
No one had ever suggested she become a cop before.
A teacher, maybe.
A nurse…
The usual "girl" careers…
But a cop?
"No," she shook her head, almost laughing at the idea.
"Why not?"
"Me? I'm not a cop…"
Then again, she thought to herself, looking down at her knuckles, still raw from the fight…
Why the heck not?