A little idea that's been bouncing around in my head for a while... ALL characters are 18…

Breakdown

Susan jerked in her seat at the sudden knock on the car window.

“Fuck mom… chill…” Brittany said from the backseat without looking up from her gamepad.

Still a bit startled, Susan rolled the window down a slit and asked, “Yes?”

“Sorry ma'am, are you having car problems?” A square-faced man with dark slicked back hair asked.

Wearing khaki slacks and a light blue shirt with short sleeves, he almost looked like he’d stepped out of an office park. But his arms, Susan noticed, were thick, like someone used to hauling heavy loads.

“Yes,” she said, relieved that help had arrived. “Is Dave with you?”

The man blinked before replying, “Ahhh, no, we left him at the station to complete the paperwork. There’s also not a lot of room in the van for passengers.”

Susan craned back to see a gray van, oddly shaped, some sort of European model she guessed. Another man in khakis and a button-up shirt leaned against the van. He too looked like an ape stuffed into office attire.

“If you don’t mind, I’ve got a release form I need you to sign, then we can take a look at your car and get you back on the road.”

“Oh, of course,” Susan said and unlatched the door and grabbed her purse. The mechanic opened the door for her and held out a hand to help her exit.

“I’ll be right back,” Susan said as she climbed out.

Britany didn’t bother with a response. Or even look up from the game pad. Her phone had been tossed aside when it was discovered there was no signal out here in the woods. Brittany was already annoyed that her college spring break was being wasted away on a family trip. But daddy paid for college and the family trip was a tradition.

His thick, rough hand easily wrapped around Susan’s, pausing just a moment to turn her wrist showing off the wedding ring.

“I've got the paperwork back here at the van.” He said releasing her hand and gesturing to the vehicle behind hers. He strode to the back of the parked van and Susan followed absentmindedly, glad to stretch her legs and back.

At the back of the van, the man stopped. Turning to look at Susan he nodded once.

Arms wrapped around her. A thick meaty palm clamped around her mouth. The other arms wound around her waist in a vice-like grip.

Susan kicked and tried to scream. No use, she was lifted easily as her legs flailed. Lights exploded behind her eyes as she was slammed into the back of the van. Struggling for breath, dazed, confused, she could do nothing, pinned by a strong body to the hot metal of the van.

The man who had spoken to her picked up the dropped purse. She watched as he opened it and pulled out her wallet. She tried screaming. Only to be shoved hard against the van again.

“Quiet bitch.” The one behind her hissed, hot breath on her ear and neck. Her struggles had amounted to nothing.

Susan’s stomach flipped, butterflies fluttered inside. Unable to breathe she could only watch as the other man fished out her driver’s license.

“Susan Smith, 44, 3245 University Drive.” He looked up from the ID at Susan. Piercing blue eyes, hard, mean, they made her want to melt away. She quaked and moaned into the hand holding her.

“You have a choice now Susan.” He inched up close to her. His pale blue eyes bored into hers.

“We’re going to take you and have some fun with you. We’ll let you go when we’re finished.”

“You can be a good girl, get into the van with us, and leave quietly, just you… or… you can scream and struggle, we throw you into the van… and… we take your daughter back there with us too. What was only going to happen to you, happens to her first. And then to you as well.”

“So, what do you say, Susan? You? Or both of you?”

The one speaking opened the back door. Black curtains hung from the interior completely hiding it from Susan’s view.

Her mind raced. There was no question what they planned to do. It had been nearly two decades since she had Brittany. Sex had slowed then, and gotten more infrequent over the years. Would they really just take her? Would they be satisfied with just her? There was nothing stopping them from going back on their word once she was locked in the van. But if there was even a small hope she could spare her daughter… she had to take it.

Gulping hard, she winced her eyes shut and nodded.

“Good girl.”

The arms released her, and Susan was shoved to the opening.

Her breath came only in ragged gasps. When she reached out to steady herself, she couldn’t believe how badly her arms were shaking.

Susan looked up at the man who’d given her the choice, begging with her eyes, pleasing for any mercy, but afraid to say even a single word. His eyes looked through her. Cold. She wasn’t a person to him, just a thing. All hope drained away.

He leaned forward gripping her above the elbow and guided her to the curtain.

Susan paused, knowing that once she pushed through that curtain her life would be forever changed.