(A walk in the woods.)

"What happened to Kitty?"

"Oh she said she was going to be late for work so she went on ahead."

"Ah yes she's working the night shift isn't she? That means we won't see her now until tomorrow teatime."

The two girls walked away from the clearing talking softly. The clearing fell silent save for the odd bird singing in the trees.

The hand that was clasped around her mouth didn't ease its pressure at all. She could feel the tears stinging her brown eyes and the sob that was being choked back down.

Long after her friends had left; Kitty was held tight and captive against the man who had found her.

It was such a beautiful day, that the three girls thought it would be nice to take a walk in the woodlands near to where they shared a flat together.

Just as they had reached the clearing Celia's mobile had rung and she had walked a little away from the other two so that she could argue with her boyfriend in privacy.

"Do those two ever let up on each other?" Carla asked in exasperation.

"Not very often," Kitty sighed. "But it is worse when they do, because then they're all over each other and it doesn't matter who is around at the time. It get's quite embarrassing at times."

Carla grunted in agreement as Kitty glanced at her watch. Her eyes widened in horror. "Heavens is that the time? I have to get back or I'll be late for work."

"Look Preston I'm telling you for the last time that if you don't keep your dick in your trousers..." Celia waved her free arm around in anger and the other two exchanged a look.

"She'd going to be a while I think." Carla sighed.

"Yes," Kitty agreed. "But I just haven't got the time to hang around waiting for her."

Carla rubbed her arm sympathetically. "Go on, you get back and sort yourself out. I'll wait for little miss drama queen over there."

Kitty reached out to hug her friend gratefully. "Thanks ducks. I'll be gone by the time you get back; so I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Bye." Carla called after her departing friend.

Kitty jogged quickly along the footpath, but as she came to a fork she realised that it would be much quicker to cut through the dense undergrowth than sticking to the path.

She didn't slow or hesitate as she began to run through the grass towards the quiet shelter of a group of trees.

Everything happened so fast that she had no time to react. The man came from nowhere, and he was so big. He grabbed her and pulled her hard against him and with one hand firmly covering her mouth, he lifted her effortlessly and began walking back the way she'd come.

He sheltered behind some large trees, and watched as her two friends left her behind.

Long after they'd gone he just stood there holding her tight and breathing heavy into her auburn hair.

The afternoon faded into evening and darkness surrounded them.

Suddenly he began to walk. Deeper into the woods, off the footpaths and away from where people came. He walked for a long time; holding Kitty against him as though she was nothing more than a rag doll. He carried her into a clearing where a small campfire still smouldered.

He dropped Kitty to the ground and before she could move he lifted her top and fastened a chain around her waist. The other end he wrapped around a huge tree, right in the middle of the clearing; but he left a good length of chain trailing across the ground. At both ends he locked in place with padlocks.

"Please!" She croaked in terror. "What do you want with me? Please! Let me go!" her sob had no impact on him whatsoever.

He just sat down at the smouldering embers, and began stoking up the fire and ignoring her for the moment.

For a long time Kitty just stood there sobbing and watching the man in terror.

Finally she felt all cried out and her sobs quietened down, until all she could do was stand there sniffing occasionally.

He suddenly stood up and threw her a damp cloth. "Here clean your face and make yourself all pretty again."

His raspy voice was all the more sinister for its quiet unemotional tone.

She caught the cloth and began to dab at her face. "What do you want with me?" she whispered.

He stood there studying her for a moment as she in turn studied him. He was a huge bear of a man, with massive shoulders and long frizzy hair and beard. But those black eyes of his black glass and cold pitiless eyes.

He gave her a twisted little smile.

"I've been on my own for a long time now." He rumbled. "I'm in the mood for a little feminine a company."

"Oh god!" Kitty groaned in horror.

His grin widened bitterly. "No not god; just good old Sam the man here." He walked over to her to look into her terrified eyes. "Now I aim to have a good time tonight, and if you cooperate you can have a good time too."

Kitty threw back her shoulders in an act of defiance. "And if I don't cooperate?"

He leaned even closer into her. "Why then I might have to hurt you."

He wasn't bluffing, or exaggerating or even threatening her; he was just stating it like it was. He was going to use her and abuse her and there was nothing that she could do about it.