And we're back. Read on.

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After what seemed like forever, Chelsea punched out at around six in the evening. The sun was almost gone. She hopped onto her bike and rode all the way home. While riding, she happened to pass Stan's place. Her insides twisted at the thought of him, but she also felt a bit guilty for saying the things she said. Still, it didn't take her very long to brush the thoughts aside.

Once she got home, she went into her room and took off her work uniform. A sigh of relief escaped her when she unhooked her bra and threw on her sweatshirt. After putting on her black sweat pants and a pair of socks, she had a quick Pop Tart before stuffing her clothes and toiletries into her duffle bag.

Just then, she remembered something.

Oh, shit…I didn't lock up my bike!

Chelsea slipped her sneakers on before running outside. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her bicycle next to the fence where she left it. However, it wasn't secured in place, just as she'd feared. After grabbing the bike chain from around the wiring of the fence, she started wrapping it around the wheel.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, something smashed against the back of Chelsea's head. Before she had a chance to cry out, everything went black.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Stan lowered the wooden board and reached towards the unconscious girl. Fortunately for him, everyone on that street was either not home or already inside. The darkness concealed his actions perfectly.

He took both of Chelsea's upper arms and dragged her around the nearby bushes to where his car was waiting. It didn't take too much effort to lift her into the trunk, as she was fairly small for her age. Once she was sufficiently tucked away, Stan shut the door to the trunk and got into the driver's seat.

As he pulled away and headed towards his home down the road, he had to suppress a chuckle.

I'm really going to enjoy this…

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Everything was dull and blurry.

Chelsea's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she carefully took in her surroundings. Her heart started pounding when she didn't recognize where she was.

She was on a dirty mattress, and it seemed like the room was underground. There was a very small window near the top of the wall across from her. She could see a few blades of grass poking up from the bottom of it, and the morning light was streaming through it. The whole room was made of cement. There was an old-looking toilet in the far corner, and a battered sink stood next to it.

Chelsea spotted a door next to the mattress. However, when she got up and tried to open it, the doorknob wouldn't turn. It was locked, and no matter how hard she tugged, it wouldn't budge.

She backed away as tears of panic filled her eyes, but she made herself take a breath.

Easy. Dad always said never to panic in a dangerous situation. Just stay calm, and think of something…

Glancing over at the tiny window, Chelsea ran over to it. She tried to jump upwards, but it was too high for her. Before she got a chance to look around for something to stand on, the door opened behind her. She turned around, and her heart skipped a beat.

"S-Stan?"

Her older neighbor closed the door behind him and took a step towards her.

"Hello, Chelsea."

His tone was unexpectedly casual, which made the girl even more afraid.

"Where am I?"

"Just in my basement. It's never been this clean, actually. It took me a while to clear it out for you yesterday."

Chelsea blinked, trying to stay calm.

"For…for me?"

"Yes," Stan answered, nodding calmly. "For you."

Confused, Chelsea had to take a shallow breath.

"I don't…I don't understand why I'm here, but…" She looked out the window and carefully moved towards the door. "…my dad's probably looking for me. Can I, you know…go home now?"

As if having read her mind, Stan stepped between Chelsea and the door, slowly shaking his head.

"No, you can't."

The fear intensified within the girl, and her courage started to crack.

"But…why? Please, I really need to…"

She made a dash for the door, but Stan grabbed her shoulders in a surprisingly tight hold and pushed her back. Chelsea was stunned, but she pressed on.

"Stan, I have to go home!" As she spoke, Stan turned away for a moment. "I'm missing school right now, and I'll have to work the night shift—"

Her sentence was cut off as Stan harshly struck her across the face. She cried out, mostly in shock. As she lifted a hand to cradle her throbbing cheek, she lifted her eyes to look at her assailant.

"Don't say another word, you little bitch," he snarled.

Stan's face turned into a ferocious scowl. Before Chelsea could even ask what he was talking about, he took a threatening step towards her and spoke again.

"I may be a freak," he snapped, "but I ain't deaf."

After a moment or two, it finally registered in Chelsea's brain.

Oh…he must've heard what I said about him.

She waited for a little while before speaking carefully.

"Okay. Stan, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff."

Stan's gaze became even more sinister.

"You're sorry?"

Chelsea nodded, trying to appease him. However, something about the look in his eyes made chills go up her spine.

"No. I don't think you're the least bit sorry."

The girl went to say something, but Stan cut her off.

"But by the time I'm done with you, you'll be more than sorry."

Chelsea slowly backed up, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"By the time you're…what's that supposed to mean? What're you going to do?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Stan replied, a maniacal glimmer in his expression.

After a few moments, something in Chelsea snapped.

"Who do you think you are? You can't keep me here, so just—"

She tried to push her way past him, but he was too quick. In an instant, he grabbed the girl's arm and yanked her towards him, roughly fisting his free hand into her hair. Chelsea cried out in pain, desperately trying to wriggle away. But that only made it worse.

"I can't?" Stan asked through his teeth, tightening his grip. "I can't?!"

He dragged the terrified girl towards the small window. Chelsea tried to struggle, but was helpless against his ferocious grasp as he made her look outside. She could see the sign for the crematorium.

"Remember what I do here?" Stan asked, a dangerous undertone to his voice. "Tell me."

Despite knowing the answer, Chelsea didn't want to say it. However, Stan's tightening hold on her hair made her think differently.

"I-It's a cremating place," she said, her voice strained with her fear.

"And to cremate, what does that mean?"

"You…you burn dead bodies."

Satisfied with the girl's submission, Stan pulled her a bit closer to him and spoke into her ear.

"That's right, Chelsea. I burn dead bodies. But it's going to be a little different this time around. When you're truly sorry, you'll be begging me to kill you. And I'll grant your wish…but it won't be a dead body I'll be burning."

At this, a slight shiver of pure horror ran through Chelsea's spine, though she did her best to hide it.

"You…you've got to be joking…"

Stan took her shoulders and turned her around, pinning her to the dusty wall.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Chelsea hesitated, but Stan immediately squeezed her tiny shoulders and shook her a bit. "Answer me."

"No! No, you don't. You don't."

"Good answer."

He let go and started to leave, but the terrified girl took a cautious step forward.

"Stan, please, I'm so sorry! You have to believe me!" Stan slowly turned back to face her as she continued. "Listen, just let me go. If you let me go now, I won't tell anyone what happened. I promise!"

He looked at her for a long time.

She's got the same fear in her eyes that she had when she fell off her bike…no, she isn't sorry at all, she's just scared for herself.

For a brief moment, Chelsea thought he would listen to her. But her hopes were dashed when his face hardened and he continued towards the door.

"I already told you. The day I let you go is the day I feel that you're really sorry. And even then, you won't be going anywhere."

With that, he left, leaving Chelsea all alone.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Okay, well, call me if she shows up. Thanks."

Roy hung up the phone, his hand shaking a bit.

Amanda's mother had just called to say that Chelsea never showed up the previous night. Roy hadn't heard anything from his daughter that hinted at her not going to the sleepover, so needless to say, his worry was starting to spread like wildfire.

She wouldn't just run off like this without telling me. There has to be something wrong…

Not wasting another moment, Roy picked up the phone and called the police station.

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