Trapped With A Killer

Chapter Seventeen

Wheaton started to leave the house for longer periods of time to hunt for his next victims. That meant I spent most of the day chained in the basement. It gave me a lot of time to think about how I would escape. There were a couple options; I could try to overpower him or I could outsmart him. Wheaton was strong, yes, but not insanely so. There was a decent chance I could get the drop on him. I wish I had taken that self-defense workshop that my school had offered, but it was too late to gripe about that now. I knew that there were areas of the body that were more susceptible. If I could strike him there with enough force, then I could finish him off with a blow to the head, strong enough to knock him out at least.

I could also get him to take me out in public again and try to run for it. This wasn't the best case scenario as I had no idea what Wheaton would do when cornered. He might make good on his promise to take down as many innocent lives as possible before he was caught.

I had to be cautious and plan this out, otherwise I risked my own life and the lives of my mom and Quinn. If I messed up, their lives were forfeit. Wheaton had been pretty clear on that front. I paced the basement every day, dragging my chain along with me. I had to come up with an airtight strategy. I pinched my lips nervously. I couldn't afford to fail, but I also couldn't wait forever. Wheaton refused to talk to me about his nightly hunts, so I had no idea how close he was to kidnapping his victims, or if he had even chosen them yet. If I hesitated, it would be too late.

I already figured out that it would be much easier to escape from the house than it would be the warehouse. The house I was familiar with, but he had always drugged or blindfolded me when he moved me to and from the warehouse so I didn't have a clear picture of the floorplan. Plus if I waited until he had kidnapped his victims, that would mean two more people I would need to rescue. No, I would have to make my move while I was still in the house.

Wheaton had deadbolts that locked on both sides on the front door and the door to the garage. So, I would need to incapacitate him and steal his keys. Or escape through a window. Wheaton always kept his keys on him until we went to bed, at which point he put them on the dresser, but Wheaton still locked me to the headboard at night so there was no way to reach them while he slept.

If I could get him downstairs, attack him there, and lock the door behind me, I could trap him in the basement while I made my escape. I could do it while he was unlocking me, then he would have his keys out in the open, and I could grab them quicker. That's it! That's my plan! I looked around the basement for my weapon, and I spotted a heavy, ceramic lamp lying in one of the bins. I would lead Wheaton over here to unlock me, kick him where it hurts, hit him with the lamp, grab his keys, and run like hell.

My heart stopped as I heard the door open upstairs. I had the plan... Did I dare to do it now? I felt my stomach tighten and my guts twist into knots. I couldn't... not right now. I needed a day to psych myself up, I decided. So I walked over to the stairs to wait for Wheaton to come down. I would do it tomorrow, for sure.

He opened the door to the basement and walked down the stairs towards me.

"Ah Reyna, it's good to see you. It's been a long day," he murmured before kissing me. I trembled slightly, still nervous about my plan. "What's the matter? You're shaking," Wheaton asked. My mouth went dry as I tried to think of an excuse, but as if on cue my stomach rumbled loudly.

"Oh, you were just hungry. I know I've been getting home so late this past week, but don't worry. I picked up some food on my way home," he said as he unlocked me from my chain. I silently followed him up the stairs and took a seat at the kitchen table in front of the take out. Tonight it was chili.

"You're being awfully quiet," Wheaton said, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. I was acting too suspicious! If Wheaton guessed what I was up to, it was all over!