walking home

Alex pushed past the surging crowd and quickly exited the busy night club. She made her way along the dimly lit path towards the train station, loud music still blaring from the crowded disco and aggravating her pounding headache.
Alex felt dizzy and dehydrated. She was already 5 minutes past her midnight curfew and so decided to take a shortcut down a dark and deserted alleyway.
It was eerily silent and paranoia set in as Alex continued to walk alone, now convinced she was lost. Turning at the slightest sounds and overwhelmed by the deathly silence that was pressing in, she fumbled with her headphones and began listening to her Discman. Her first mistake.
1:00am. With wild music now pumping, Alex did not hear a stolen car come creeping up behind her, she did not hear the door of the battered car slam shut or the heavy footsteps of a cunning man as he followed her into yet another side street.
Upon signal, a second man who sat behind the wheel of the car gently rolled it forwards, he too turning into the shadowed side street.
2:00am. Alex felt a strong hand grip her shoulder, she gasped and turned quickly, her frightened eyes meeting the malicious gaze of her attacker as she struggled to break free. Alex noticed severe scarring on his right cheek and her eyes widened as the hidden car came screeching around the corner at an alarming speed.
Alex screamed hysterically for help but her voice was muffled by a foul tasting material that was shoved violently into her mouth and tears streamed down her bruised cheeks as a twisted grin spread across her attacker’s unshaven face.
5:00am and Alex’s worried father peered hopelessly out of the front window of their small suburban home. He had already tried calling her mobile several times but gathering a final ounce of hope, he dialed once more as the rusty car sped up and roared into the distance with Alex now unconscious in the back seat.