I wake up at 7 a.m. sharp, as usual. I’d prefer to sleep in until, I don’t know, at least 9:00? That would be a dream come true.
“Nefertiti!” My mother calls, “Time for big breakfast!”
I groan, knowing that “big breakfast” is actually just an organic kale, mud, smoothie, and a bowl of roasted cockroaches. I get out of bed, stretching and yawning, “HHAaAaWwWwWwW!“. “That was a good one.“ I thought to myself, proudly. I guess I should go get dressed. I can’t show up to breakfast looking like a cow!
I then throw on my casual attire and head down the stairs to get my breakfast. My parents wave me over to the table. I sit criss cross on the floor and start drinking my kale, mud, smoothie. I dip my roasted cockroaches into the smoothie and head out to the mud path to the middle of my town.
“Nefertiti!“ an old man says as I ́m walking by and I internally groan for the second time that day. I just love my life.
“Hello!“ I greet, putting on a fake smile and getting closer to him. It looks like he wanted to start a conversation.
“What brings a pretty girl like you to a run down pathway like this?“ I was weirdly flattered by the compliment.
“Well, I kinda live here.“ I say with a cautious undertone, remembering what my mother and father had taught me about staying away from strangers. However, I felt trapped and couldn’t find it in me to just spit in his face and run away. My thoughts were rudely interrupted when he called out my name.
“Nefertiti? Darling?“ A middle-aged man just called me “darling“. EW. My brain is telling me to get out of that man’s view as fast as possible. I guess my brain isn’t working right today.
“Uh, yeah?“ I don’t know what my body language is showing, but I am the most terrified I’ve EVER been in my life right now. And that’s saying something for a girl who lives in a poverty infested country.
“I have a present for you. I’ll give it to ya now. Follow me!“
Still petrified, I follow him out to his sketchy, dirty, tourism RV. At least I know he has a job. I guess that boosts his creepy pedophile persona to an employed, creepy pedophile persona. A few awkward moments pass by, and the next thing I know, Im hopping into his vehicle. He closes the RV door after I enter, making sure to get extra close to me as he reaches his arm over my chest. I take notice of my surroundings. Old. Gross. Creepy. The whole package. I close my eyes and think to myself, ”This can NOT be happening.” This is the type of stuff that happens to other people, not me.
As I regain my sense of logic, I try to conjure up a plan that would get me out of this RV. My mind immediately goes to breaking the window and running home.
My thoughts were rudely interrupted when he asked, ”What type of music do you wanna hear, sweetheart,” with an unsettling undertone.
”Heavy metal.” I blatantly request.
”Your wish is my command, princess.” He says, finding the music I wanted. He turns on ”Wake me up Inside” and turns it up to a reasonable volume for the style of music that was playing. Now is my chance to get out of this hole and never come back.
”Can you make the music louder please?” Despite being held captive, I still use manners. It’s a weird, but useful trait of mine. He does as I ask, and then I put my plan into action.
Frantically, I look around the van. A long, wooden item catches my eye. Oh my god! A baseball bat!! This should be able to break through a window, right?
I get into my swinging stance. Without hesitation, I swing the bat and it crashes against the window…but it didn’t break. I’m officially screwed.
The Middle Seat 