His voice brought back memories of dark rooms and broken bones. Memories I had so long tried to forget, they all just poured back in like they had never left. I trembled from the force of them, I needed to sit down but I had nowhere to sit. My breathing turned heavy and my heartbeat sped up, this couldn't be happening again.

When I was sixteen I was kidnapped while riding my bike home from school, I had put up a big fight but wasn't able to fight them off. There were two of them, huge burley men that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger look like a little person. They were jacked beyond belief and for unknown reasons except for maybe the fact that they were trying to become the first bionic humans in existence. So I basically never had a real chance of escaping.

They had shoved me unceremoniously into the back of a nondescript navy van – not like the white vans we always hear about, maybe they were trying to break the stereotype, nothing that they did was ever conventional. I looked around the open restaurant where I worked, I had a clear view of him and he was in my section. Walking over to the hostess by door I asked Savanah if she could move the monstrous man to another section, she turned to me confused.

"He asked specifically for you and said you were long time friends," Savanah looked at me pulling her perfectly arched eyebrows down into a look of concern. "But if you want me to I can find an open table in Georgie's section." Savanah was one of the few people I felt close to since moving to Fort Lauderdale and yet I had never told her about my kidnapping as a teenager. When I told someone they tended to give me pitying looks or would walk around me on eggshells like I was some fragile little girl and I was not, nor did I need anyone's pity. I was strong; resilient. I had bounced back from that horrific time of my life and I was all the better for it. When I had struck out on my own my mom encouraged me, even helped me move into my apartment I knew she was worried about me but there's a time in everyone's life where we have to decide if we win or if we let our demons win and I was not letting them win. They had taken so much from me already they wouldn't continue to make me live in fear.

I refused.

"No," I turned and looked at the devil incarnate over my shoulder. "It's fine, I can handle it." I spun on the heels of my black vans and made my way over to the last person I ever wanted to see again. I took a deep breathe and tried to keep my hand from shaking. Before I got to the table I ducked behind a now empty booth and gave myself a pep talk.Why was I even doing this? Savanah had said she would change his table, I already knew I was brave I had nothing to prove. Maybe not to yourself but what about to him? Show him that he never broke you. Show him that even though he broke all the bones in your body he hasn't broken your spirit.

I closed my eyes briefly, inhaled and then exhaled a shaky breath. I got up straightened the uniform the girls were required to wear – shorts and a t-shirt with the restaurant logo – and made my way between the tables to face Sin, – his name even sounded ominous.

When I got there he was smiling up at me, his two front teeth looked black like he never brushed them and he had a mouth full of cavities that could be seen when he gave a hearty laugh which he liked to do. He was the picture of evil, what every child saw in their worst nightmare and lucky for me that I got to meet him in person.

"Rebekkah, it's good to see you again. I bet you thought you had escaped me all those years ago and that I wouldn't be able to find you. Poor, sweet, naive Rebekkah." Sin latched onto my arm and pulled me down into the booth beside him, whispering these into my ear. He was too close for comfort. My skin crawled, my insides turned. If I had had anything in my stomach I know it would've chosen then to come back up but I hadn't eaten yet today, whatever appetite I had was now gone scared away by the sight of this dreadful man. Sin had a patchy black beard that was starting to grey around the sides, he had a bald spot that he tried to hide with a combover but you could still tell he was bald underneath, he was missing several fingers but that just added to his overall abrasiveness. I had a feeling he would still be menacing even with all his fingers intact.

My body screamed at me to get up and move as far away from Sin as I could but I knew he would take it as a sign of weakness, that I was afraid and one thing I wasn't anyway was afraid. Okay so maybe in some part of my mind I was afraid but I would rather lose one of my own fingers than ever let him see that he still scared me after all these years.

"How did you find me?"

"I never lost you Rebekkah, I just wanted you to think that I had. You were always mine and always will be. The only one that ever outsmarted my boys and got away. My little caterpillar turned into such a beautiful butterfly," he stroked my hair and touched my cheek while I tried not to show any emotions. Even one flinch and he'd win. What I really wanted to do was go home climb into bed and curl into a ball and just let the days pass by me until they all blended together but like i said before I was strong and that was the Old Rebekkah, New Beckie wasn't going to let life pass her by because her worst nightmare became a reality. I would fight back starting now!

"Sin," I looked him straight in the eye. "You think that you scare me, you think that you found the same broken girl that you created eight years ago but I'm not her anymore. I won't let you come into my place of employ and break me. I put myself together one day at a time and I refuse to let one visit from you put me back into the hospital but this time as a mental patient. I am stronger than anything you could ever do to me again. You may leave now either on your own or I can have security escort yo out, your choice."

Sin grinned at me. "I like your spunk, it'll be great to break you again. I'll have more fun this time around. Don't worry my little butterfly I'm not letting you go this time," were his parting words.

***

My shift ended at four a.m. and I made my way to my black Jetta, the parking lot was almost deserted but there was a strip club next door that hadn't closed yet and the lights kept out the shadows making me feel safe walking to my car. When I reached it and opened my door to get in I saw something from the corner of my eye on my windshield. I reached over my open door and grabbed it seeing it was a note.

Don't forget about me little butterfly. I'm always thinking of you.

S.D.

Sin Dauvergne.

I crumbled the paper and threw it on the ground, not one to litter I felt slightly bad but i didn't want anything of his soiling my car. When I got to my apartment I headed straight for the shower wanting to erase the days filth from my body and then made my way to the kitchen for my sleeping pills. I didn't take them often but I liked to keep them on hand for moments like these when I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep without their help.

I took down a glass from my cabinet and filled it with tap water putting the pills in my mouth and downing half the glass in one gulp. Then I headed over to my answering machine and pushed the button next to the flashing red light.

"Bekks, it's Mom. I'm just calling to check on you, call me back when you can. Love you."

I moved to the next message sitting in my comfortable fluffy chair and massaging me feet.

"Rebekkah it's Mom, I still haven't heard from you. I don't know why you took a job at that place that makes you stay out till all times of night. You can find something so much better and if you would let me talk to my friend you could be a manager working normal people hours tomorrow. Why won't you ever let me help you?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "because I want to do this on my own Mom." I said to no one because there was no one there but me. I moved on to the next message hoping and praying it won't from Mom again.

"Rebekkah Jane Sweeney!" I groaned and skipped to the next message Mom was the only person who called me by my full name when she was mad so I had no intention of listening to the rest of what she had to say.

"That wasn't very nice," came a deep voice over my left shoulder. His voice brought back memories of dark rooms and broken bones. I drew in a deep breathe, "not so tough now are you without other people around?" His heavy hand came down on my shoulder making me jump. I shouldn't have taken those pills! my head screamed at me. I just made this easier for him now. He could just grab me and no one would ever know what happened to Rebekkah Sweeney, they would just think that I left town the same way I had entered it as dawn was starting to break. No one would look for me except my mom and she wouldn't find me in one piece if they ever even found me.

I wouldn't go without doing some damage to Sin though, no matter what if he wanted me he'd have to work for it. I turned around and looked up at him he was wearing the same clothes I had seen him in at the restaurant. I wonder how long he had been here waiting for me.

"Do you remember how I used to take care of you Rebekkah? I was so gentle until you did something I didn't like," he said noticing the direction my eyes had gone – towards the cordless phone laying by the answering machine. He pulled my head back in a tight fist by my hair and put his lips close to my ear licking it making me shudder. "Don't try to do something you'll regret. Just leave with me peacefully and I'll spare your mother. She's the only living family you have left right? What happened to the rest of them?"

I remained silent refusing to answer. "That's okay I'll get it all out of you soon enough." He stroked my neck and made his way down my chest tears welled in my eyes, it hurt to breathe because I really just wanted to scream and rage at him. How could he do this to me again? Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

I spun around so fast I caught he by surprise his hand still fisted in my hair I could feel some ripped out by the force but i ignored the pounding my head that wasn't there a few seconds before. I had one chance at this, one chance to get the upper hand of him and make my escape because one thing Sin didn't like was being made a fool of and I had already down that to him eight years ago when I had escaped his henchmen.

"Don't touch me you piece of filth! I'm not afraid of you, you can't hurt me anymore and no matter what happens I'm not coming with you. You'd have to kill me to do that!" Spit flew out of my mouth left and right but I was seeing red nothing mattered to me but making my escape from the presence of this vile man. He pulled out something shiny from his pocket and I glanced at it realizing it was a pocket knife.

"I didn't want to do this the hard way but since you insisted, so be it." Before his sentence was even down he was rushing at me but I spun own of his grasp. Maybe those self defense classes I took for the last seven years would come in handy after all. As I spun I kicked out at him with my right leg catching him in the stomach, satisfied when I heard a groan.

"So it's like that huh Rebekkah?" He lunged at me again catching the sleeve of my shirt while I punched up hitting his nose with the heel of my palm. His nose immediately started gushing blood down his dirty gray t-shirt that had seen better days, when his hands flew to his face and he bent over I took the opportunity to elbow him in the back causing him to collapse to the floor. The knife flew from his hand and I scrambled to get to it but he was closer.

"Uh uh ah." He got to his knees wiggling his index finger at me. "Not so fast, do you think if I let every person I ever fight get the better of me that I'd still be alive?" He sneered at me showing me his black decaying teeth, soon he wouldn't have any left because I planned on knocking them all out.

I looked around my apartment for a weapon of any kind that I could use but seeing none I resolved to use the weapons I was created with. I launched myself at him in a karate move I had recently perfected snapping his head back on his neck. I got behind him and put him in a choke hold to cut off oxygen to his brain but he managed to get his knife into my side, drawing blood.

I sagged away from him holding my side as the blood seeped through my fingers, my breathing came in huffs. I needed to end this cat and mouse game before he got the upper hand of me and I had a feeling he wouldn't be so forgiving now that I had broken his nose. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him make his way slowly to his feet staggering as he went, he picked up his knife and made his way over to me. I pretended to have my eyes closed from the angle I was sitting he couldn't tell they were open but I could see him perfectly. I waited until he had made his way to stand over my body before I launched into action kicking him where I knew it would hurt the most. His hands flew up to cup his family jewels letting go of the knife which landed right in my lap luck for me. I kicked him again this time in the stomach launching him back so he fell on his bottom and slid across the room.

I got up slowly albeit purposefully and headed to the cordless phone by the answering machine, when I got there I picked it up listened for the dial tone and then dialed 9-1-1.

The operator answered immediately and I told her my situation, when I was done and turned around again Sin was nowhere to be found but the front door to my apartment was wide open and the sun could be seen making its way over the horizon. The cops were at the door in three minutes and found me on the floor half passed out from the blood loss, the paramedics wrapped a bandage around me and we all drove over to the hospital some officers staying behind to look for Sin.

"Ma'am can you tell me what happened?" Asked one of the officers who had followed us to the hospital after i had been seen and stitched up by the doctor. I recounted the events of what had happened and about our history, the cop who was taking my statement whistled long and low. "That's some story you got there to tell your grandchildren ma'am," the cop lifted his hat and scratched his head.

"She's not telling anyone especially her grandchildren that horrible story officer," said a strong motherly voice pushing her way into the room.

"No ma'am of course not, i meat not disrespect," the officer stammered and made his exit from the room as quickly as possible. Mom had that affect on people, being only five foot five she was a Pitbull, lovable but stood her ground when she had to.

"My sweet baby, what did that horrible man do to you?" Mom sat on the side of my bed and touched my cheek kissing my forehead. "When I get my hands on him he'll wish he had never been born."

"Mom, i'm fine. I hurt him more than he hurt me."

"Of course you did honey, I have no doubt about that."

I was released from the hospital two days later and told to take it easy, that meant I couldn't go back to work or do any that my mom didn't approve of which turned out to be anything that didn't involve sleeping or eating soup. By the time I had recovered if I never saw soup again it would be too soon.

They never did catch Sin Dauvergne but I knew in my heart and soul he wouldn't be coming after me again. I smiled at that thought as I made my way into work for the start of another long shift.