The Secret Apartment

The secret apartment

I didn't think anyone knew about the secret apartment, and I was THIS close to not needing it.

The money was in place, my flight was booked, tomorrow I would be gone. The police had already raided my actual home, but found nothing and couldn't find me. I was holed up in my fully-furnished rental that I paid cash for, under an alias. Once I got on my flight, I would be gone.

The morning of my flight, I woke up excitedly, finished packing, and stepped out of the bedroom to the living room. I froze in my tracks and swallowed hard.

She looked so confident sitting there, her bare feet resting on the small table, almost daring me to try to run. I recognized her, naturally - she was my company's fraud investigator.

"I didn't want to wake you," she said, glancing at her feet. "So I took off my sandals at the door. Welcome to a new day - you've taken your last free breath."

I glanced at the door, thinking of running for it. She smiled.

"You know you can't outrun me," she said. "On your knees, hands on your head. You're captured and you know it."

My gut churned and I was in disbelief. I really was captured. I knew it. I sighed heavily, sank to my knees, and put my hands on my head.

"Down," she ordered. "All the way down, on your stomach. Keep your hands right where they are."

I was humiliated having to obey her orders, but I followed her directions. Once I lay down, she moved off the chair, straddled me, and pulled my hands behind my back. She handcuffed me, taking my last breaths of freedom and taking me prisoner.

"That's a good boy, following my orders," she mocked. "Get used to doing as you're told, since that's how jail and prison will be for you, loser."

I wanted to burst into tears. I was SO close to getting away with it, and this confident woman had captured me singlehandedly. All hope was gone - I was caught, captured, and arrested by her.