Night of Horrible Things

Jayce had spent most of Halloween night on the sofa. Knife near him on as he stared down at the wall. Holding his phone close to his body with a shiver. This whole night was just completely messed up. Someone had kept ringing his door-bell ten times in the past two hours. Ones that he thoroughly examined for bad things. Make sure that no one put nasty stuff inside. It was a good thing that he had. Otherwise, he would have been really hurt.

The strange box of chocolates someone left had a weird powder inside. And the bag of popcorn balls had this off scent on it. Like it had been made with something gross. Then there was the worst gift that had been left to him. And it was the worst one, in Jayce's opinion. An open bottle of wine. Of which he immediately poured down the drain. There were little undissolved tablets of something inside it. Causing his eyes to go wide when he saw them. Not that long later, his phone rang. Not answering it on the first ring and letting it go to voice mail.

But, he did after hearing the threatening message the man left him. The man demanded,'Pick up the phone or I'll come in and slit your throat.'

Jayce picked up immediately after that. Feeling a cold wave of fear wash over him as he checked his home. All while listening to the freaky man on the phone. Double checking his front door lock and his back door lock. Then all the windows on the first floor. As quietly as possible so the man on the phone wouldn't hear him. Who was babbling a lot on the phone. Talking to Jayce like they were old buddies or something. Like he hadn't just threatened his life mere seconds ago. His tone was disturbingly jovial as he said,"You're such a cute kid, Jayce. Shame you're all alone in that big house."

"Especially, with that pretty wife of yours gone. There's no one to help you.",he taunted. Jayce's wife, Elspeth, had gone missing a month ago. She had been on a business trip when it happened. Jayce's stomach dropped as he glared at his phone. Plopping back down on the couch with the largest knife from the block. Eyeing the front door then some of the windows. It was hard to resist the urge to hang up. To not call the police or just escape his home. Drive to his Mother-in-Law's house for any form of help. Anyone in the area that he vaguely knew that could help him out. Frowning, Jayce answered,"I'm not entirely alone. I have a roommate who's coming home anytime now."

"He's a bouncer and he'll kick your creep ass!",Jayce lied. Feeling like a total idiot for doing so. But, he hoped the fear of a giant man would scare the creep off. Instead the man seemed to know that he was lying. Laughing at Jayce as he sat there on his couch. Still laughing as he pointed out,"I know you live all alone, Jayce."

"Just like I know you don't have any friends or family to call on to help you out.",he said. Another cold chill ran down his spine at this. Making his gut twist in anxious knots. Then the man said something that made his blood turn to ice. He added,"I also know you didn't check the second story windows earlier."

"I'll be seeing you soon.",he promised. It froze him to his spot on the couch as the man hung up. His eyes staring at the top of his stairs. A moment later, he saw someone coming down the stairs. It was someone dressed in tattered jeans and an old black sweatshirt. That's all he noticed before he broke out of his fright induced paralysis, dropped the knife, and bolted to his front door. Immediately throwing open the locks and running as fast as he could. Right into the woods that bordered his home. Feeling grateful that he had left his shoes on. But, wished he had ran to his car instead. And a little grateful that he had taken his phone with him as well. Fully intending on calling the police. When it rang with the same unknown number. Instead of answering it, he denied it. Then turned off the ringer to make sure the man couldn't easily find him.

That didn't seem to deter the weird man. As he continued to call Jayce's phone. Which he shoved against his chest as he hid in a hollow tree. Using his free hand to muffle the sound of his breathing as well. Nearly straining his ears to hear something. Anything to tell him where the intruder was coming from. Only really able to hear his heart in his ears. It felt like it was practically stuck in his throat. Nearly choking the life out of him. It wasn't long before he got his wish. As the man walked past his hiding spot. Not once did he slow his pace or stop. Nor did he look towards Jayce's hiding spot.

At first, he felt himself relax. Nearly letting go of the breath he'd been holding for a few minutes now. But knew much better than that. Knowing one little sound could give away his hiding position. Hell, a sneeze probably would give it away as well. And he didn't want to risk anything during this horrible time. Keeping quiet as humanely possible and remaining ready to bolt from the tree. Jayce gave it two minutes before he unlocked his phone. Silently dialing 9-1-1 as he checked his surroundings for the intruder. Soon as he got hold of the police, he heard the man once again. His soft voice calling out Jayce's name. Ignoring it, Jayce whispered,"There's a man chasing me outside of my house."

"He's threatened to slit my throat and I'm scared he'll do it.",Jayce whimpered. Eyes scanning the opening to his hiding space carefully. Fearful the man would come at any second. Chewing his bottom lip as the operator asked him where he was. Of which, Jayce quickly gave. But, was completely unable to give the intruder's full description. Only the clothes he was wearing. And that didn't really help much as he hadn't seen them that clearly. The operator promised him that the police were on their way. To just sit tight and not move from where he was hiding until the cops showed up. Jayce quietly agreed with this idea as he hung up the phone. Silently letting out a slow breath of relief.

The police were coming. They were coming to save Jayce. Put this creep in cuffs and away from him. Never to see Jayce ever again.

That's what he hoped would be happening. Prayed would be happening as well. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to happen. As the strange man pulled him out of his hiding spot by his upper arm. Causing him to scream out in fear and pain. Dropping his phone as the man dragged him almost upright out of the tree. Before he could properly focus on the man, his head was smashed against the tree. Causing him to immediately black out from the force of it.

A little while later, Jayce was dragged back to consciousness by a pain to his gut. It took very little time to realize he had been kicked. The intruder knelt next to him with a smirk on his face. Giving him a better view of the man who had taken him. Who looked taller than Jayce initially thought. Had light brown hair that looked to be graying. A fairly light beard as well. It suited him to a creepy degree. Jayce felt that it made him look appropriately creepy. Shoving this thought aside, Jayce asked,"Wh-why are you doing this? Who even are you?"

"I'm Bastian, Jay.",Basitan answered. Smirking even wider at the younger man who was next to him. Gripping his chin tightly that it hurt a bit. Earning the older man a whimper from him. Bastian continued,"I'm doing this to help you. To toughen you up."

"Make you more healthy and strong than before.",Bastian added. Make him stronger and healthier than before? By what? Hurting Jayce like this? Kidnapping him from his home after terrorizing him like that? None of this added up in his pain addled mind. That was still throbbing with pain from the hit that Bastian gave him. Causing some difficulties in his ability to think. As the pain was muddling up his thoughts. Which, he didn't have time to linger on. As Bastian let go of his chin with a smirk. Jayce was suddenly aware of the fact he was bound with thick ropes. Keeping his arms uncomfortably behind his back. Legs tied in a kneeling position and nearly numb from how tightly they were bound together.

Struggling to look up, Jayce froze in place. Bastian had left the room without the younger man fully noticing. And now he was coming back with a wriggling bag of something. Or rather of someone. When Bastian brought it over to the bound man, his stomach lurched. Nearly making him want to vomit as he listened to the struggling person. Voice sounding very familiar. Almost like...almost like...Jayce asked,"Wha-what's in the bag, Bastian?"

"I think you already know, Jay.",Basitan answered. Not really answering his question at all. It couldn't be. It just couldn't possibly be...Elspeth? How in the world did he find her? Why in the world did he kidnap his wife if it was her?

Before he could linger on it, Bastian pulled his missing wife out of the body bag. Face paler than he ever remembered it being. Fresh bruises nearly covering said face. Duct tape covering her entire mouth. On her wrists as well. And he suspected her ankles were similarly bound. It made his heartache as he stared at her. Wanting to hold her and get her free of what Bastian put her in. To beat the shit out of Bastian for what he'd done. His mouth went dry as he glanced from his wife to the man who was holding her. Swallowing nervously, Jayce questioned,"W-why is she here, Bastian?"

"She's here to confess the sin she's committed against you.",Basitan informed him. A cruel smirk on the older man's face. It...what in the Hell did he mean by that? 'Sin'? What in the world was he planning? What had his wife done so bad that he felt she deserved this? Just what had his wife allegedly done so wrong? Bastian tore the tape off of his wife's mouth roughly. Elspeth crying out, most likely startled than hurt, when it came off. Then immediately shutting her mouth in fear. Seemingly unable to speak as she sat at Bastian's feet. Her bright green eyes glimmering with unshed tears. He couldn't keep her gaze on his as he stared at her. Then up at Bastian. Who gave her curly auburn hair a rather rough yank. Earning another whimper as he demanded,"I said confess you little harlot."

"So CONFESS!",Bastian boomed. Tightening his grip on poor El's hair. Causing her to shriek in pain and fear at this. Then he loosened his grip on her tresses with a sneer. A second later, El answered,"I-I was having an affair with my boss for three months."

"All those nights I was working overtime, I was with him.",Elspeth added. That hurt his heart and made his stomach drop. How...why did Bastian give a damn about this? His wife cheating on Jayce with her boss. Why did it matter to the older man? Bastian gave no explanation for why he was doing this. Instead he just grinned down at Jayce in a way that made his blood freeze in his veins. Then after an uncomfortable amount of silence, no one did anything. No one even really moved. Bastian broke the silence as he said,"This is going to be the last time that she spits on your marriage like this."

"Betraying your loyalty and your trust.",he continued. What was that going to mean? What in the world was he going to do to Elspeth? Was...was the man going to kill his wife? A question he didn't want to speak out loud. And his unspoken question was answered as Bastian started dragging his wife. Smiling as he added,"Papa's gonna make sure of it, Pup."

"You just wait here like a good boy, alright? Alright.",Bastian said. Answering his own question as he dragged his struggling wife by her hair. Her screaming violently for him to not hurt her. Thrashing as hard as she could to dislodge herself. Jayce screamed at the older man to not hurt her. Begging for him to stop and just let her go. Struggling in his own bonds as he watched Bastian drag her out of the room. Ignoring his pleas that Jayce threw at his back.