Stephen Wallace

Jannie wanted a date.  It was an unusual date for her and the person involved.  There was to be a generous amount of give and take.  When we get involved with someone, we should know where we want that relationship to go.  Guessing or assuming can create lots of problems.  Lots.  Let’s follow Jannie.  Enjoy.

ROUTE 665 TO SOFT WATER PARK, ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND  

PART 1

It’s Beautiful

JANNIE PEIRCE STOOD IN the tall weeds in the dark in Soft Water Park and waited.  It was one a.m.  She was five-four and one hundred and twenty-five pounds.  Kind and shy.  She was no match for anyone aggressive toward her.

Jannie knew a lone female walking through Soft Water Park at night was easy pickings for a criminal looking to harm her.  And that is why she drove Route 665 to Soft Water Park four weeks ago at two a.m. and snuck inside.

The moon was high in the sky.  Moonlight covered most of the park.  But there were sections where the leaves from the large White Oak Trees that dotted the park blocked out all light.  A person could stand in those spots and not be seen by anyone.  Unless, of course, a passerby was on the prowl for the unexpected or unprepared.

Four weeks ago, Jannie had sat down on a bench under one of the huge White Oaks.  The air was quiet and peaceful.  The atmosphere reminded her of Quiet Water Park, just up the road.  Soft Water Park was not as scenic and pretty. 

For Jannie’s purpose, that night, Soft Water Park was perfect.  It was never as crowded as Quiet Water Park.  Less popular was better for her.     

A small creek was just behind Jannie that night down an embankment.  Cobblestones were on the sides of the creek.  It made it easy to walk along the creek. 

Follow that creek and you went under a footbridge.  Go beyond that footbridge and houses were up the embankment on both sides of the creek.  A fence separated the creek and the homes.  But there were a few gates and openings in the fence. 

Those gates and openings allowed homeowners to come and go at night without being seen.  The homeowners had secret entries in and out of the park.  They could do what they wanted in private. 

For example, a homeowner could force a young woman by knifepoint to go with him.  He could force her up the embankment through an opening in the fence.  Then push her into his backyard and inside his house.  Just like that, she could disappear.    

The back of the houses were dark.  No one would see an abductor force the young woman inside his home.  The knife blade jammed against her ribs would be the incentive to get her to cooperate.  One wrong move and the blade would go between her ribs, leaving a nasty gash or killing her.

A young woman in that position would find it best to follow the kidnapper’s instructions.  Then she could think about getting away when she had a chance.  And that is what Jannie did.  Except she did not look for an opportunity to escape.  She was resigned to the inevitable.  It gave her peace.

I hope you enjoyed this part of the short story.

If you did, pass it along to a friend and follow me on my blog.

Thanks,

Stephen Wallace