Chapter Ten: What You Learn
Hyde and Eric entered the dreary basement and saw the looks of failure upon their friend's faces. Eric sat beside Donna on the couch while Hyde sunk into his chair he looked at his friends and never realised how much they needed Jackie. He looked over at Eric tracing slight circles on Donna's back to soothe her. That is what he wanted to do, right at that instant he just wanted to hold Jackie and feel her beneath him and the fact that he may never feel that again ran through his mind. He sharply leaned forward and motioned for Donna to explain where they went and what they found out if anything judging by the looks on their faces.
Donna noticed the looks on Eric and Hyde's face and immediately asked them what they had found out instead of sharing the information Kelso, Fez and she had got.
Eric just remained silent.
" Come on tell me……Do you know anything about Jackie, where she might be?" Donna asked.
Hyde's face fell and Donna took notice. " Hyde I know you know something and if you do you owe it to us to tell us. We are her friends too!!!"
Hyde drew in a breath the fact that he had to tell Donna that Jackie was missing and in a bad why brought the reality of it to a crashing halt.
" Ok we went into Jackie's house and went into her room…….It was in a bad way……Stuff thrown around." Hyde paused. " It looked like a struggle….There was some blood on the door frame and I followed a trail that led out of the house."
Hyde closed his eyes as he didn't want to see his friend's faces; if they broke down he would as well.
Donna sniffled a bit and clung onto Eric's arm. " So what you're saying is that she was……Kidnapped!!!! Who would want to do that?" Donna asked everybody but was met with blank faces.
Kelso just slid into the couch from his position on the arm of it. His face looked stunned. He opened his mouth and for the first time what came out sounded logical.
" Then why the hell are we sitting here!!! We need to find her!!" Kelso yelled.
Everybody looked at him.
" Ok Donna, Fez and I went to check out all of Dawn's hangouts and we couldn't find her!"
Eric nodded. " So do you think Dawn has something to do with Jackie's disappearance?"
Donna spoke. " We don't know until we talk to her. We can't just barge into her house and say that she kidnapped Jackie! We need to be logical and talk to her first and see if she lets anything slip!"
Hyde was getting angry. " Screw logic. Forman I know Dawn had something to do with it!"
Eric was in two minds. On one had he knew what Hyde felt was true he too felt that Dawn was involved but he also believed like his girlfriend that they should be sure in case Dawn panicked and did something to Jackie.
" Ok this is what we should do. We need to find Dawn and get her to admit that she took Jackie, but we can't let her know what we think as she may do something to hurt Jackie."
Hyde was now pacing up and down the basement behind the couch. " Forman that is gonna take to long. We need to find her now. I need to find her now!"
Kelso, Fez and Donna had never seen Hyde's emotions spilling out into public view before and they all knew that he loved her. They all wanted to break off and retreat into an atmosphere of doubt and sadness but they knew if they wanted to see Jackie again none of them could break down and spiral into that world especially Hyde cos if he did he probably wouldn't come out.
" So we are gonna find Jackie yes?" Fez asked breaking the silence. Everybody turned around.
"Yeah we are Fez!" Donna said as all the gang filed out of the basement and into Kelso's van.
Kitty and Red sat by the phone in hopes that one of the kids would ring them and tell them that she was found. They were not told about the possible kidnapping but just that Jackie was MIA.
Kitty paced the kitchen. " Oh Red I feel so bad. Jackie shouldn't have found out the way she did!"
Red came up beside her. " I know honey. But at least she knows about her scumbag of a father. Trust me she probably just wants to be alone. When I found out about Eric I really needed to be alone!"
Kitty slapped him on the arm. " Yeah well it took you a couple days to come around!"
" Yeah and look what a disappointment Eric is, can't even play football! But I love our kids!" Red smiled.
" Oh Red you big softy!" Kitty exclaimed. She hugged him again.
" Yeah. Hmm so Jackie is just taking some time for herself. By the end of the evening she will be eating our food along with the other 5 kids that think they live here!" Red grumbled.
Kitty leaned up and pecked him on the cheek. " You really now how to cheer me up!"
"Well after 20 years of marriage I am glad to get something right!"
Kitty laughed.
" Yeah me too!" She said with a sly grin and they raced to the stairs, completely forgetting about the phone.
Jackie caught the sun starting to set out the corner of her eye and slammed her head back onto the bed. She had been in the position she was in for so long that she no longer felt the ropes cutting into her. She felt numb all over it was too much effort to cry and scream. She heard the front door creak and a shiver was sent up her spine she knew Dawn was back. Jackie heard the screeching of the floor boards as Dawn stepped closer and closer towards the tiny room. The door flew open and just as Jackie knew it was Dawn that stood before her. She carried a large paper bag filled up with groceries and was in her cheerleading uniform. She set the bag onto the floor and walked towards Jackie.
" Hey Jackie. Had a nice nap?" She asked.
Jackie just mumbled something and if she was able to speak Jackie would have cursed Dawn into next week. Dawn lifted her hand and placed it on Jackie's head.
" Well I'm sorry if you were staying here longer than I would have made up a better bed for you!" She said sweetly as if what she was doing meant nothing.
Jackie flinched at her touch. She was beginning to think that Dawn had major psychological issues. Even when they were friends one moment she was talking nicely and the next minute she jumped down your throat. Jackie's eyes widened when she felt Dawn's grip get tighter.
Dawn dug her fingernails into Jackie's scalp and pulled at her matted hair. Jackie struggled but because of the restraints was able to do much. With her other hand Dawn removed the gag that was in Jackie's mouth. Jackie's mouth erupted in a loud scream that pierced through the walls. Finally Jackie was able to make some sort of sound that alerted people of her presence.
Dawn laughed and released Jackie. " You can scream all you want but there is nobody around to hear you. I made sure of that!"
Jackie took a deep breath and allowed the cool air to circulate in her mouth. The air brought on a coughing fit and ragged cough's ran through her body and shook her violently. Jackie finally stopped coughing and licked her dry lips.
" Where am I?" Jackie defiantly asked. Even though Jackie was tired and weak she didn't want Dawn to know what she had done to her.
Dawn looked down at Jackie. " As if I am gonna tell you. But I will let you in on a little secret!"
Jackie just stared at Dawn considering that was all she could do.
" Your father and I made love here!" She swooned as she said this. Which made Jackie's stomach turn, she hated the fact that he had slept with her.
" Yeah guys will do that with anything that can walk and talk at the same time!" Jackie bit. If she was gonna die she at least wanted to put up some sort of a fight.
Dawn's eyes saw red and she lunged on top of Jackie and slapped her across the face.
" Your father loves me. And we will be a family." Dawn said as she composed her self and got off of Jackie who still felt the sting of the slap she had just received.
" Jack, me and the baby!" She said while rubbing her belly in a circular motion.
Jackie screamed. " Shut up, shut up. Shut up! It isn't true!" Jackie couldn't take it anymore. She now had a little brother or sister and no way in hell was she gonna let that nutcase look after them.
" Jackie it is true!" She lifted up a pregnancy test and waved it in the air. Jackie could just make out the colour of the stick it was blue.
" See if the patch turns blue it means that I am with child!"
Dawn began to dance around the tiny room. Jackie looked on as she saw Dawn parade herself probably to music only she heard.
" See Jackie we are gonna be a family but there is only one teeny weeny problem which can easily be fixed." Dawn grinned looking at Jackie.
Jackie already knew what she was gonna do and felt her ears close off as Dawn continued to speak.
" Sorry Jacks but the only girl that is gonna be in his life is me! See he told me that the only reason he is with your mom is cos of you!"
" Well if he is only with my mom for me…..Doesn't that tell your stupid bimbo brain how much he loves me. He doesn't want me to come from a broken home!" Jackie growled.
" Yeah well that is all gonna change. See I am gonna kill you and sure Jack is gonna be sad but he will be so preoccupied with me and the baby that he will only grieve over your terrible death for a little while. And of course I will be right by his side and he will divorce your bitch of a mother and then we will be married and I will be Mrs. Jack. Burkhart!" Dawn said with satisfaction as she unveiled her plan.
Jackie began to laugh. Even though it hurt her chest she couldn't help it. Dawn looked at her with a perplexed expression.
" That is the dumbest idea I had ever heard!" Jackie laughed. She needed to get Dawn mad, so mad that she will hopefully loosen the grips on the bed just to finish her off.
" How are you gonna kill me Dawn…Are you gonna shoot me here, don't you think that will be a little too easy!"
" Ahhhh Jackie do you have little faith in me! If I make it look like a murder than it will be murder and everybody is gonna point the finger to me but I am gonna make it look like an accident."
Jackie stopped laughing and listened to Dawn's descript and detailed plan of how she will die.
" See it is gonna be a terrible road accident. You will be driving under the influence cos you were so upset at finding out that your father was having an affair with your friend. You then start to cry momentarily taking your eye off of the road. Just long enough for you to veer off the road and crash your car. And in true Wisconsin style the car will blow up. And your body will be a pile of ash! Now what do you think of that plan?"
Jackie was stunned but she tried to remain strong and knew deep in her heart that she wasn't meant to die that way. She was supposed to die an elderly yet still beautiful woman with Steven right beside her.
" Seems that you have everything worked out!" Jackie spat.
" Yeah I do!" She said as she took out a revolver and pointed the shiny gun at Jackie.
" I thought you weren't gonna shot me?" Jackie asked.
" This is just a precaution!" She said as she pushed the fire-arm into Jackie's jaw.
Dawn eased off the ropes on Jackie's feet and hands. She saw the bruising on each of her wrists and ankles and smiled at the pain and marks she had caused. Jackie eased into a sitting position and drew in a sharp breath when she felt the pain that was now entering all her limps. Dawn handed Jackie a mirror while still pointing the gun at her.
Jackie gingerly took the mirror and at the instruction of Dawn looked at herself. And she hardly recognised her self.
There was a great big gash on her forehead and dried blood mixed with her hair. On her cheek was a scrape. Her face was stained with tears and mascara and her complexion was pale.
" See you learn something everyday, there are times when you are not beautiful!" Dawn teased.
Jackie stared at her reflection and down at her wrists they were covered in thick bruises that looked like bands. Jackie looked at Dawn and the gun and had to get this right down to the second. If she was gonna get out of here she had to be patient.
Dawn took the mirror from Jackie and by doing so she had put the gun on the bed. Jackie swiftly picked up the gun and hit Dawn over the head with it. Jackie accessed strength she never knew she even had. She felt the edge of the gun hit Dawn and a surge of power ran through her. She saw Dawn collapse on the bed she kicked her just to make sure that she was knocked out. Dawn's leg moved lifelessly.
Jackie sprinted from the bed and ran out of the room in search of a phone. She didn't wanna leave and live the rest of her life in fear of Dawn coming back for her she needed to get Steven and finish this once and for all.
Hyde, Donna, Kelso, Eric and Fez walked in the kitchen and hopelessly sat down at the table. They had had no luck they spoke to the cheerleading squad they hadn't seen Jackie but Dawn turned up for cheerleading practise on time. It just turned out that they had just missed Dawn and the squad had no idea where she went.
The room was silent each of them too deep in their own thoughts. Each moment that passed made them more worried and more desperate.
Eric shuffled around the kitchen.
" I wonder where my mom and dad are I told then to keep an eye on the phone!"
" It doesn't matter Forman." Hyde was gonna break and Eric knew it. Just then the phone rang and Hyde darted towards the phone.
" Hello." He huffed into the phone.
" Steven!" Jackie breathlessly yelled into the phone.
Hyde felt the world tumble off his shoulders when he heard her voice. She was ok but she sounded really scared.
" Baby where are you?" Hyde asked. He heard her scuffling around. He heard her whimper in pain and his anger rose.
" I don't know!" Jackie said.
No way was he gonna lose her again. " Baby just tell me anything that might help like buildings or something!"
The phone fell silent and Hyde yelled her name into the phone.
" Steven I think I saw a bunch of small white buildings!"
Hyde kept on hearing Jackie take pauses as if she was waiting for something.
" Ok hold on tight baby we are gonna come and get you, just try and get away from where you are…" Hyde stopped when he heard a scream. It sounded like Jackie and then the phone line went dead. Hyde yelled her name down the phone but she was already gone.
Eric took the phone off of Hyde.
" Hyde man what did she say? Where is she?" Eric asked.
" She said she didn't know……Something about a bunch of white buildings."
" White buildings there were a bunch of those opposite Dawn's house!" Kelso pointed out.
Hyde got up and raced to the van.
" Dude you were at Dawns house and you didn't tell us!" Eric yelled as he slapped Kelso across the head.
" Damn! Donna was there too! But we made her leave, Fez told us to!" Kelso said trying to place the blame.
Donna stood in her tracks.
" Oh my god, she was there, she was there when we were there. She heard us and we didn't hear her! We just left her when she needed us" She cried.
Eric took her by the hand and led her towards the van, where they all got in and Hyde sped away.
To be continued……
I hate doing it to you guys but no matter what I write it always come out as a cliff hanger! There is probably gonna be either one or two more chapters…Enjoy!
