This is crazy. I have to get out of here, to a hospital!
I knew I only had a few minutes before the next contraction would hit. I looked around frantically, trying to learn what I could from my surroundings.
I’d heard them say we were in a cabin. But where? Was there a resort or campground name on anything? Not that I could see. Maybe it was a private cabin—but if it belonged to the Clark family, wouldn’t there be family photos or other personal touches?That must mean this is a rented cabin, right?
As for the layout of the cabin, I was definitely in the living room. Blinds covered the two big picture windows, and the front door was deadbolted. To my left was a small sitting area with a coffee table and a few armchairs. Off to my right was a small kitchenette and then a hallway that must lead to the bedrooms—at least two, I figured. One where my captors were hanging out, and one where Jenna was lying unconscious. I yanked at my restraints again.
How in the world am I going to get out of here?Then the next contraction hit, blinding my brain to coherent thoughts of any kind.
As the contraction passed, I opened my eyes to see Colleen watching me, concerned.
“Colleen … Colleen,” I said, in between gasps as I tried to catch my breath. “Please.”
She came closer. “You’re alright. I know the contractions are painful, but so far, your labor is going very well, Miss.”
I took advantage of the fact that the other three were out of the room for the moment. “My name is Savannah Mitchell. Listen—everything they’ve been telling you is alie, Colleen.” I tried to lean toward her, but my restraints wouldn’t allow it. “Max and I dated for a little while at the beginning of the year. He lied and told me he and Madison were broken up—then I found out I was pregnant. Now Madison is insanely jealous and wants to take this baby away from me, because shecan’t have children of her own. But this ismy baby. Please—please don’t help them do this.” Tears were streaming down my face.
“They told me you’re their surrogate—that they paid you a lot of money, and now you’re changing your mind and wanting to keep the baby for yourself. But you can’t do that—if you signed the agreement, then it’s not your baby.”
“That’s alie, Colleen. Max and I had a consensual relationship. I didn’t know he was married. They also kidnapped my friend Jenna. She’s unconscious in one of the back bedrooms. They used chloroform on her—”
“They knocked someone out with chloroform?” Colleen flinched in alarm.
“Yes. And Madison has a gun—it’s right over there in that black leather bag.”
Colleen glanced over her shoulder at the bag. As she did, I felt my body tensing up again with another contraction. I bit my bottom lip and took a deep breath through my nose. Though my arms were held down, Colleen put her hand in my right fist and let me grip it tightly, coaching me through the pain with labored breathing. I noticed she was speaking a little more loudly than usual; I realized it was so Nora, Max, and Madison would hear her tending to me and realize they weren’t needed. It worked—they stayed in the other room, away from my screaming. After a moment, the contraction passed.
“Colleen—it’s not safe for you to try and peek in the other bedroom, but go peek in the duffel bag. Please. You’ll see the gun, and then you’ll know that I’m telling the truth. Neither of us is safe. You have to help us both get out of here. We need to get me to a hospital and call the police.”
Colleen glanced over her shoulder again to make sure no one was coming. Then she tiptoed over to the duffel bag and unzipped the outer pockets. I saw her eyes bulge as she obviously spotted the gun.
Visibly shaken, Colleen rezipped the pocket and moved away from the bag, as though she wanted to put as much distance between her and the gun as possible.
“Thereisa gun in there!” she whisper-screamed.
“I told you! Madison said they’ll use that gun on me if I don’t cooperate and let them take my baby.” Tears were falling freely now, in a mix of fear, desperation, and relief that I was finally getting through to Colleen—I hoped. “She could turn on you too, Colleen. We need to get out of here.”
Unfortunately, before I could press the issue any further, Nora reentered the room.
“How are things coming along? Are we ready for my grandson to make his appearance?”
“Progressing nicely,” Colleen answered, masking the fear and concern she had shown a moment ago with a stony expression.
“Boy, I’d forgotten how long these dreadful births take. It took Madisonthirty hoursto show her pretty little face when I was in labor with her,” said Nora. “Well, she and Max are resting in the other room for now. All the screaming is getting to her, I think.”
Irritation bubbled beneath my skin, but it was soon forgotten as another contraction took over. I balled my hands into fists and tried to breathe through the pain like Colleen had shown me. I couldn’t keep the scream in, though. Eventually the noise drove Nora out of the room again. At least there was that.
I’ll scream this whole place down if it will keep her away from me.
As the contraction passed, Colleen approached the bed.
“Where are we? Where is this cabin?” I asked her, spots dancing before my eyes from all the heavy breathing.
“What do you mean? You don’t know where we are?”
“No! That’s what I’m trying to tell you! They kidnapped me. Madison knocked me out with abaseball batback in my apartment. Next thing I knew, I woke up here, tied to the bed. I wasnotin labor when this started—I’m only thirty-seven weeks. My due date isn’t until November eighth.” I laid my head back on the pillow, still reeling from the pain and exertion.
“My God.” Colleen shook her head. “If I had known … I’m so sorry, Savannah.”
