Random Prompt #1 - prompt is underlined
“This is the third time time I’ve been kidnapped this WEEK. This is getting old.”
“Well if you didn’t keep escaping you wouldn’t have that complaint.” I pull the sack of off the man’s head, finally getting a good look of the man I’ve been ordered to once, twice, three times kidnap. I take in his tousled, brown hair, green eyes, tired face and smile...
“I see you staring at me.”
I snap back to reality. “What...?”
“You took the bag off my head. I can see you staring.”
I don’t know how to respond. I don’t have experience with men being so blunt.
Fumbling with the sack, I stick out my right hand. “I’m Jordan.”
The man stares at me. “Okay... so... one, my hands are tied behind my back. If you are expecting me to shake your hand, I don’t know what you are thinking. Two, is it regulation for kidnappers to introduce themselves to their kidnappees?”
I stutter. This man is tied to a chair in the middle of a dim warehouse. He’s talking to me like we’re at a coffeehouse together, and I’m his date, not like I’m the lady who just kidnapped him from his home an hour ago.
“Do you normally talk aloud?”
Oops. I thought I said that only in my head.
“I’m tied to a spinny chair. A freaking spinny chair. How bad can the situation be?”
“You have no idea.” I glance around quickly, hoping this will make him nervous. Boss won’t like him acting so chill about this situation.
“Looking for someone?”
“You know what?” I grab onto the back of the chair, spinning the chair so it faces the big doors in the back. I start pushing that chair in that direction. “I’m gonna tell you what’s going on here.”
“Great, I want to hear this. And you should know, you didn’t give me a chance to turn the stove off before you kidnapped me. My house probably burned down.”
“I turned it off. Calm down.”
“I’d like to remind you that I am quite calm right now.”
“Okay, you know what-”
“Yeah, you know what what? What were you going to say.”
“Okay, this is the deal. I’m the newest possible member of the Black Mamba Gang here in Westpoint. Boss wanted to see the skills I’ve got, so he sent me out to kidnap someone, anyone, bring them here and act like I know all their deep secrets and OOF!” I trip over a rut in the floor, my arms flailing, sending the chair spinning away.
“So! You picked me to kidnap! You apparently aren’t that good at it, considering this is the third time you’re giving this kidnapping thing a try!”
“Okay, yeah I’m not that good. But it’s either this or working at Wendy’s, and I’m not about to do that.”
The chair stops spinning. The man looks like he maybe might be sick. Oh yeah, I still didn’t get his name. But maybe kidnappers don’t get the names of the people they kidnap. Will Boss ask about that?
“How did you ever come up with Wendy’s and the Black Mamba Gang as your two job options?” The man yells across the warehouse.
“Mom’s idea of a job, and dad’s idea. And what’s your name, by the way?” I’m walking toward the chair, with the man simply staring at me.
“Let me guess, dad is the leader of the gang?”
“No, mom is. Dad owns the Wendy’s on Brookster Street.”
“Oh. And my name is Alex.”
“Well Alex, that’s my story. Now when you meet Boss, can you act like you’re scared shitless, and maybe I’ll get to keep the job?” I’ve reached the chair, grabbing it by the back once again, redirecting the chair and pushing it toward the big doors again
“If your mom is the leader of the gang, why aren’t you automatically in? And who is Boss?”
“Mom believes in equal opportunities for all. That means even her own daughter has to go through what every other stranger as to go through in order to get in. And Boss is Boss. Aka mom’s boyfriend. He weeds through all the good candidate, and then mom picks the final people to join the gang.”
“Oh.”
“Yup. So do me the favor-”
“And act scared shitless so you get the job. Yeah, I got it.”
“Yeah.”
“So what happens to me then?”
“You go home.”
“Will we still talk, sometimes?”
“What? What... I don’t know!”
“Okay! Sorry! Just a question!”
“Sorry. I’m just nervous.” We’ve reached the doors. I stop, take a breath. “You ready for this?” I ask, looking down at Alex.
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
“Okay. Here it goes.” I push open the doors, propping them open. “Let’s go and introduce you to Boss.”