I had just closed my laptop when I noted the time. Sighing, I gathered my belongings, putting everything in my backpack. Quietly as I could, I got up, trying not to disturb the two other students working nearby.
See, I wasn’t the only overachiever.
Heading for the exit, I knew that the dining facility would be closing soon. If I wanted to eat tonight, I would have to run. I hated running. Running led to sweating and sweating was nasty. Yeah, I know. I live in Georgia. Sweat came with the territory. It was just something I tried to avoid like the plague.
The second I walked out of the library, I sighed. The night was stifling. The air was so damn thick, the heat was suffocating. I could already feel the stickiness of the air as my clothes stuck to my body like a second skin.
Great, I would have to peel myself out of these clothes by the time I made it home. It was too late to catch a shuttle to the dining facility, so I was left with my own two feet. Not that I hated walking, I didn’t but in central Georgia in the dead of summer, it was like wading through a tar pit with someone blowing a fan, swirling all the hot air all around you.
I didn’t even make it to the corner of the library before I felt sweat dripping down my back. Stopping under a streetlight, I leaned against the metal post and immediately stepped away as the post burnt my skin.
Alaska.
That was it. I was moving to Alaska
This hot, humid climate was for the birds.
Hefting my book bag over my shoulder, I ignored my hunger and just headed home. There was no way I could eat in this heat and I’d never make it home if I did. Instead, home was the better choice. There I could strip out of my clothes, sit in front of the air conditioner while eating my pint of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.
Dinner of champions.
Walking along campus late at night never bothered me. In fact I felt more at home on a college campus than anywhere else and considering college campuses have been my home for a long time I wouldn’t know what to do in any other surrounding. Besides, I lived in the south for crying out loud. There was nothing to be afraid of except the mosquitos. Those things were deadly.
I had made it halfway across campus when I felt the hairs on my neck stand up. Stopping, I looked around, noting where I was, spotting the Science building and the Drama Theater.
I had just taken another step when two men in suits walked out of the darkness. Neither of us moved as we stared at each other. Refusing to be the one to speak first, I turned to walk away when one of the men called out, “Donatella Stevens?”
Stopping, I faced the men, noting that they were not students. That I was for sure of. They were too damn old. Add in the dark suits and posture, I was leaning more towards law enforcement or government agents. Either way, they didn’t look friendly. “Who’s asking?”
“You need to come with us,” one of the men said, moving towards me. Now that was funny. It’s funny because these two idiots honestly thought I would go anywhere with them. Just because I was pretending to be a young female college student walking alone on campus at night, that didn’t make me stupid. I may be young and void of real-life experiences but I’ve seen CSI. I know what can happen.
Taking a slow step back, I grinned, “Sorry, mister. My momma told me never to talk to strangers.”
“It isn’t a request.”
“Now see there, that’s gonna be a problem. My daddy told me that I didn’t have to do anything that I didn’t want to. And mister, I sure as hell don’t want to go with you. Now, you better leave before I call campus security.”
When the other man tried to grab me, I bolted, running for the first door I came to and ran inside. I told Penny this farce wasn’t going to work. God, I hated being right all the time. Now I was going to have to transfer to another school, which was going to piss me off.
I was so close to that damn A in English Lit.
Praying they didn’t follow me, I ran down a long hallway, turning to see them right behind me.
Shit.
Turning down another hall, I spotted a fire alarm. Wasting no time I pulled the alarm. Instantly the loud screeching warning blurred throughout the building. Heading for one of the classrooms, I entered it and locked the door behind me. I didn’t know where I was but from the looks of the room, I was in some science lab of sorts. Moving to hide behind one of the large stationary tables, I squatted down, placing my backpack in front of me. Reaching into it, I grabbed my phone and dialed my sister’s number. I don’t know why I called her. She was all the way in Chicago but I needed to hear her voice. She was the voice of reason. She would know what to do. She had all the contingency plans. However, when her phone went straight to voicemail, I cursed. I needed to speak with her, like now. I didn’t know who those two yahoos were but I had a really good idea. Of course, I couldn’t be for sure and there was no way I was going to ask them. That would only get me killed.
So, I called the one number I promised my sister to only call in case of an emergency.
This was an emergency, right?
God, I hoped so.
As the phone rang, I tried to quell my beating heart. I didn’t know who those two men were but they knew me and from the banging doors, they were hellbent on finding me.
“Hello?”
“Uh, Mr. Valentinetti?”