I made my way through the shadows of the street, sensing a presence behind me.  The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, they too wanting to escape. My instincts told me not to turn around, to keep walking, but I couldn’t help myself. I spun around, in the direction of my pursuer, hoping it was my imagination. It wasn’t.
He smiled a sickening grin, then seemed to nod to something up ahead. I turned back in the same direction, just in time to see a man fall out of the inky shadows. He began to take strides toward us, quickly beginning the night that would soon become my own personal Hell.
The next thing I knew, a cloth was placed over my mouth, filling my lungs with a poisonous stench. The world turned blurry, slow and delayed as it suddenly turned to black.

I woke to the same darkness, but now, accompanied by a low mechanical rumble. The sound of fire crackling seemed to be near, but mightier than normal…. A furnace. It was a furnace. My mind ran wild imagining all of the places I could be. Suddenly, with the swing of a metal door, I realized. I was in a basement. I knew the sound from working at Gerber Inc. Footsteps echoed through the empty room. They hit the floor coldly, harshly.
The icy fingers of the stranger reached my neck, pulling the thick cloth off along with some of my hair. A voice I could not recognize came from my captor, a voice I still remember today.
“You’re just as pretty as he said you’d be.”
I felt my blood turn to ice as the door swung open once again.  Unable to move, I waited for his accomplice to come into view. I quickly realized it was not his accomplice, but his superior. Shockingly, this voice was familiar.
“The truck gets here in 3 hours. Make sure Bonnie’s comfortable till then,” slowly inching towards me as he spoke,”she won’t be again for a long time.”
The door swung open as they rushed out, leaving me alone with only the roar of the furnace. I knew I had to find my way out. I knew it was my only chance to break free. I worked my hands to untangle the rope around them, feeling a burn greet my wrists. After what seemed like hours, the rope finally unraveled. I immediately worked the rope off my ankles and flung my body off the chair. I scavenged through the room, searching for any form of weaponry. I froze, spinning around the room.
This is Gerber Inc.
The voice of the man had been familiar. I suddenly realized why. It was Mr. Gerber himself. I heard voices in the hallway, instinctively running back to the chair. I fashioned the rope back around me as best I could, closing my eyes as the light in the hall filled the room.
As they came closer, I could make out what was being said. It was the same man as before. “....there by 4 am. Gotta get there before the workers and start transporting the others. Don’t wanna get caught red handed again, remember how messy the cleanup was last time? And Boss was furious. Lost a good worker. So don’t let it happen. Unless you wanna face that on your own.”
“I, I got it. Don’t worry. She’s small. I can handle this on my own. There by 4.” This voice was unfamiliar. It was apparent even from his voice that he was nervous, shaky. I could take him. If there’s a moment, just one moment he’s alone, it’s my chance. ‘The others’, I finally processed.
There’s more?
Memories of various ads for the same secretary position at Gerber Inc. ran through my mind. Like clockwork, every month a new ad would be printed. I had written it off to a picky boss. Could it be this was where the other women were going? Why the position was reopened every 1st of the month?
As the men exited the room, I made up my mind on what needed to be done. It was my duty to stop this, my job to rescue the others despite the risk. The door shut, and I began. I knew the basement well enough. I knew the cabinet had various tools for the handyman, it being an old building in Chicago, various things were always going wrong. I found wire cutters right away, but I needed more. Something that can cover distance. In the back, I found a nail gun. I quickly opened the storage compartment, finding it to be empty.
As quietly as possible I sorted through the containers in the cabinet. Somehow, no nails were visible, bringing a sinking nausea to my stomach. I looked around the room, praying for a miracle.
Finally, I saw a large tin can in the corner by the door. It looked like an old paint bucket, but the lid was off to expose the long points of nails. I loaded the gun, concealed it beneath my thick coat, and then sat back down. Retying the ropes was difficult but I eventually pulled it off, then spent the rest of my time coming up with as many strategies as possible. Before I knew it those heavy metal doors were opening again, this time for the last time.
They took a knife to the rope and jolted me out of the chair. A blindfold was forced over my eyes, as they roughly pushed me toward their vehicle. After being thrown inside I quickly worked my hands free of the rope and removed my blindfold. I removed the nail gun from my coat and prepared myself for what could happen next. It seemed like forever till the van stopped, and the backdoor rolled open.  I braced myself.
“What the hel-”, he didn’t have time to finish his statement before he was greeted with nails piercing his internal organs. 
I heard his crony walking towards us, breathing heavily in fear. A rush of adrenaline had me awaiting his arrival in excitement. I couldn’t wait to take him down. Before he could say a word, I fired the nail gun aimed at his skull. I seemed to have become a professional, as the nail entered through his eye socket. I couldn’t help but smile as he fell to the ground.
I ran to the building as quickly as I could, fearing the presence of other accomplices. Finally, I made it to the warehouse doors, swinging them open. All fear exited my body as I remembered what I was here for. Up ahead, I saw double doors guarded by four men. I scanned their bodies for weapons, but could only see one. No one seemed to be paying attention. I ran to the next corridor to get a better shot. The first one to go would be the man with the gun. I raised my nail gun and shot for his head, making it my first try. He fell immediately, quickly getting the others attention.
I stood up and made my way to the center of the hall, meeting them head on. I smirked, already enjoying myself. They charged at me, but I wasn’t scared at all. I shot my gun, one for each neanderthal. Gaining speed, I finished them off before they could process what was happening.
I swung the doors open, confident in my abilities. The sight inside the packaging room is one I will never forget. Women were scattered, pale with dehydration and lack of food. Their eyes were closed, looking close to dead. My emotions finally returned as I was overcome by them.
Before I could make another move, laughter echoed against the cement floor.
“Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie…” all the adrenaline returned as Mr. Gerber’s grotesque silhouette stepped into view. From across the room, I could smell the sickening stench of cigar smoke and sweat radiating off of his body. I wanted to vomit, but tried to hold my breath in desperation.
“Mr. Gerber. Funny how a guy that makes his living off baby food is out kidnapping women? God knows what your plan is here. Whatever it is, I’m just here to tell you it’s not happening.” I stood tall, begging my voice not to shake.
“You think all my riches came from baby food? This,” he spun around in portrayal of some sick glory in what he had done,”This is where the real money’s at.” He finished with a smile.
That smile, that repulsing pride he had in himself, is what pushed me over the edge. All fear drained my body, never to return. I fired the nail gun, missing on purpose. He deserved to be tormented, deserved to know the fear he inflicted on these women. I fired it three more times, till he begged me to stop. I was the one smiling now.
With him cornered in tears, I fired five nails vertically down his chest. He took his last breath, taking a moment to watch him slip away. Once he was gone, I got a moving cart and transported as many women at once as I could. I moved them to the van, driving away as the sun finally rose.
I took them to the hospital and waited for someone to wake up. I needed to know what he planned for us. I needed to know the truth, to tell the public what Gerber Inc. was capable of. Finally, after two days, the first girl woke up.
What she said shocked me, but I don’t know why.
“They were going to sell us...We were going to be forced into the Sex Trade, be transported out of state or even overseas. You were the last girl they needed. Number 100.”

Today, the women from this night have fully recovered. Each are partners of Gerber Inc., being set for life. However, the women from before will probably never be found. It is a cruel world, but you can make it out. You can make it better.