Maggie awoke to the sound of her alarm buzzing. She reached over and slapped the button to make the buzzer stop. She sat up and stretched her arms wide, then pushed her white satin quilt down to the end of the bed and threw her legs over the edge. Her slippers were exactly in the right spot and her feet easily slipped into them.
She rose from the bed, stretched again and then quickly made her bed before heading into the bathroom. As she made her way to the bathroom, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, a chill went down her back. She felt as though someone was watching her, but she knew that was impossible, everyone else in the house was still sleeping and her drapes were closed. She shook off the feeling as she had and went on about her morning business.
She surveyed herself in the mirror, noticing her eyes seemed really puffy today. She'd had a restless night's sleep and had woken many times, though she was unsure as to why. She washed her face and brushed her teeth, swishing the mouthwash between her teeth for a minute, then spitting it out and rinsing out the sink. Walking to her closet, she pulled out her jogging pants, sliding them up her legs to her hips, and then tossing aside her silk night gown, she pulled on her bra and a t-shirt. She sat on the end of her bed, pulled on her socks and sneakers and stretched a bit.
Maggie had only recently taken up running in the mornings. She was adamant about getting back into shape and was now starting to feel better about her figure. She'd watched the few extra pounds she's gained over the prior few years start to come off and she was pleased with herself. "Just a little further to go" she would tell herself when she would stand on the scale.
As she started out the door, she felt that same feeling again, the hair on the back of her neck stood up and she felt like she was being watched. Rolling her eyes at herself once again, she locked the door and headed down the footpath to the local park where she ran every morning.
The sun had just begun to show its self through the night sky as she started her laps around the park. She had a very set routine and never deviated from it. She put her headphones in her ears and turned up her music. She loved to blast her music while she ran; it kept her motivated and moving. After her run, she headed back to her apartment, showered and dressed for the day. A white blouse, black skirt, nylons and sensible heels were her choice clothes for the day. She loved the way the blouse fell over her body, slimming her and accentuating her curves.
Several times during the day, she felt that same feeling, as though someone was watching her. She wondered if she was losing her mind, if the long hours at work were starting to make her paranoid. She'd been chatting on a fantasy chat site for a couple weeks; it must have been that site getting to her. She decided to stay away from the site for a while. Fantasies were all well and good, but it was obvious to her she was spending too much time thinking about them. During her lunch hour, she went to the same Deli she always went to, having the same salad. She was definitely a woman of habits, keeping to her routine like clockwork every day. She was so predictable; she often wondered how she became this person. She used to be the life of the party, always ready to have some fun, shake things up a little bit. Since she'd changed careers, something in her had changed.
The day dragged on and she found herself nearly running behind leaving the office. She always left at precisely 6 p.m. even if she had to take work home with her. She left the office and for a moment, swore there was someone following her. She rushed to her car, quickly jumping in and locking the doors. She revved the motor a little too quickly, out of fear and scared herself. "Girl, you are losing your mind!" She told herself as she put her car into gear and backed out of her parking space. Her drive home was short, but the entire time, she was thinking about her day, work, friends and all her responsibilities. Sometimes it was just all too much to have to be so controlled all the time. There were days she wished someone else would take control, even if just for a few brief moments!
She arrived home, parked her car and headed for her apartment. She was still a little wary of the feelings she'd had all day that she was being watched, so she quickly stepped into her apartment and bolted the door behind her without turning on her hall light. She laid her keys on the table next to the door and went to flip the switch to turn on the hall lights. Nothing happened. "Dammit, the bulb must have burned out" she muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway towards her bedroom.
As she stepped into her room, someone grabbed her from behind, she gasped and tried to get away but his hand quickly covered her mouth, his arm around her waist, holding her body tight against his. She tried to bite his hand, but he held too tight. Her mind was racing, her heart pounding so hard she thought her head would explode.
"Don't make a sound, don't fight me. If you behave, you will live to see tomorrow." The assailant growled into her ear. His hot breath on her skin sent a shiver up her spine. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and began to cry. She began sobbing, but tried to hold back. She didn't want him to know how deathly afraid she was, but she knew it's what he was trying to do, scare her. She'd heard all the stories about men like this and knew she wasn't likely to live through this experience.
"Now listen very carefully. Are you listening?" He growled. She was too scared to move, she couldn't move, she could barely breathe. "Are you listening?" He demanded. She shook her head yes, slowly.
