text: Waking up you head to the kitchen and brew dark roast, then sip the precious liquid on the back porch under autumn sun caressing your skin. &#x200B; Showering and dressing in yoga wear, you drive to pilates session. Janette calls, and you answer maneuvering traffic with one hand. &#x200B; “What are you up to?” she asks. &#x200B; “On my way to pilates. You coming for lunch?” &#x200B; “Of course. You must check the new place down by Vincent’s. It’s called ‘Pete’s butcher shop’. The guy is a candy and sells grass-fed meat. Let’s sink our teeth into proper steaks today, shall we?” &#x200B; “Sure, later,” you respond dropping the phone onto your lap. &#x200B; After the pilates session, you head to the butcher shop. Entering you see a tall, broad-shouldered man with copper-color hair. He is standing with his back to you, holding in his hand a large butcher knife rhythmically going up and down on a substantial piece of meat. You force your gaze to the impressive produce on display with various percentages of fatness and loudly call for his attention. &#x200B; Lowering the knife, he turns and looks at you with the indifferent face, his emerald-green eyes scrutinizing your features. Thoroughly washing his hands, he approaches in a blood-stained apron asking how he may help. You point at the leanest steaks and ask for three. He wraps them inquiring if there’s anything else you wanted. In your head, there are many things you want from him now that he’s standing so close to you, but of course, you shake your head. Paying for the brown bundle, you smile to the serious face and leave the store. &#x200B; At home, you sip Pinot Noir waiting for the girls. Janette arrives bringing flowers. Jasmine is late as usual but brings gluten-free cupcakes. The three of you drink and gossip cooking medium-rare steaks and fixing a salad. &#x200B; Cutting the meat oozing with juice, Jasmine compliments it but notes the unusual flavor. Janette gushes about Pete, openly expressing her desire for the guy. You agree he’s hot but also gives you creeps, and nod to the meat tasting like nothing you had before. Lunch is finished with cupcakes and more wine. &#x200B; The girls leave, and you nap then decide to go for a walk. You drive to the reservoir surrounded by trails. Walking with music in your ears and admiring the winter landscape barren of colors you realize the park is eerily deserted. Suddenly you feel someone’s arm around your neck clenching you tight against their steel-hard torso. Grabbing that arm with both of your hands to loosen the grip you see a hand moving to your mouth with a cloth and inhale a sharp acidulous fume. Darkness ensues. &#x200B; Lying on your side with your arms between your legs tied to your feet, you gain consciousness in a trunk of a car, and see someone staring down at you. Your eyes widen in recognition, and you scream. Your muffled voice gets trapped in your stuffed mouth. &#x200B; “Don’t worry,” he says with a sickening wide grin, distorting that indifferent face. “I’ll feed you with the finest grass too. And you will taste delicious!” &#x200B; The lid falls shutting you from the rest of the world.