Beat the Clock: A Mom's Assignment
 

A new story for you all. I've been toying with the idea of a non-consent/forced story when an idle thought occurred - What if the Creep of my I-Room story had been evil in nature. This story quickly emerged. I hope you like it. Please share your thoughts - positive or negative, they are all useful. As always, this is a work of fiction and all characters within exist only within the realm of my imagination. Enjoy!

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To this day, I'm not sure why this happened...only that it did and that it changed my life forever. I suppose I will wonder until the day I die if it was truly a good thing or a bad thing. I certainly didn't have a clue what was in store for me when I picked up the phone...

I am a loan officer with a small regional bank in Indiana. I am married and at the time of this...event, I was forty-three years old. My husband, Dale is a good man, rather too devoted to his job in insurance, but I know he loves me and our kids. At the time of the...event, my daughter Kim, was twenty-one and a junior at a good university in Florida. My son, John, had just turned eighteen and was beginning his senior year in high school. My name is Connie.

I was at work when the call was transferred to my office. "Hi, this is Connie Hall in loans, how can I help you?"

"WELL, CONNIE IN LOANS, IF ALL WORKS OUT, WE WILL BE HELPING EACH OTHER." The voice at the other end was a bit garbled and washed out, as if a real voice was going through some sort of device to disguise it.

"Um, okay. May I ask who's calling please?"

"NO YOU MAY NOT AND DO NOT HANG UP THE PHONE, CONNIE. NOT IF YOU VALUE YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE!"

In truth I was already starting to hang up, we get cranks a lot, mostly people pissed off at the bank for one reason or another, but the last words halted my hand and I slowly drew the phone back to my ear. "Who is this? What are you saying?" I could feel the slightest bit of hysteria in my voice.

"YOU HAVE A TASK AHEAD OF YOU, CONNIE HALL. I HAVE FAITH THAT YOU WILL CARRY IT OUT WITH FLYING COLORS, BUT I KNOW YOU WILL NEED INCENTIVE. IF YOU TRULY LOVE YOUR FAMILY, YOU WILL LISTEN CAREFULLY AND DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD."

I wasn't sure what was going on. I glanced at the closed door to my small office, wondering if I should try and get someone's attention. Anyone who works in a bank has heard the stories of how criminals will sometimes threaten bank employees' families to extort money. My heart began to race as I wondered if I was about to be used in such a way.

"Surely you don't mean to rob the bank by threatening me and my family? It never works." My mind was racing, trying to remember my family's whereabouts.

"I SAID YOU NEED TO LISTEN CAREFULLY, CONNIE. SHUT UP AND LISTEN OR I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER ARE ON THE EVENING NEWS AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY!"

My heart dropped into my stomach and I felt a wave of dizziness sweep over me. In a small, quiet voice, I replied, "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm listening."

"EXCELLENT. FIRST, LET ME ESTABLISH MY PARTICULARS. I HAVE WATCHED YOU FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, CONNIE. YOU ARE UNDER CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE -- MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT. SO IS YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY. RIGHT NOW, YOUR HUSBAND IS FLYING TO RHODE ISLAND FOR A WEEKEND SEMINAR. KIM HAS THREE CLASSES TODAY -- AN ENLIGHTENMENT LITERATURE CLASS, CALCULUS AND A RELIGION