I wake up to birds chirping. The hot moist air was making it very hard to breath. My eyes take a while to adjust to the dim sunrise light. My muscles on my arms and legs are sore. My shoulder blades are so stiff and tense. “I….can’t….move,” I think to myself. “And the air  is not making  this  any easier.” I mumbled in annoyance. My arms are planted to my side and I can feel something holding my body up.

I look down to find rusted chains wrapped around me body, the chains started at my hips and ended at the beginning of the bottom of my ribs. The chains overlap each other,  I think they might be wrapped ten times over my thin like body.
“Wait a minute! What the hell am I doing chained up!?” I screamed.

My head start’s to hurt and I start to get chills up my spine, like as if someone is touching me. The ground has a white cloud of fog hovering over it. There are tree’s all around me, the tree’s look twisted, the branches looks like fingers ready to reach down and pick up its next victim. I tilt my head up to see the same finger like branches above me.

For a moment I feel like the branch is trying to reach down and grab me, I quickly look back down and try to see if I can get some help, but everywhere I look there is no sign of anyone around, it's completely isolated…. I am all alone. I try to reposition myself, but right when I started to move I felt sharp pains where the chains are planted against my body. 

I yelp in pain and look down to see the chain’s are digging into my skin, cutting my skin. My hands grow numb and limp and I can’t feel my stomach. My tank top is now ripped at the stomach and bloody from the fresh cuts on my stomach. My frizzy, curly hair, is falling in my face and my face is dripping with sweat.  I take a deep breath and try to think. “ What happened? Where am I? What’s going on?” I think to myself.

“Okay so, I arrived two days ago in New Orleans. Did I….Did I come here alone? No…. no I came here with my best friend Jaylynn for her birthday. Her birthday is on the day of Mardi Gra. We planned this for two weeks in advance, we were so excited she was turning twenty one. She would be able to drink, we got here at night, so we drove to our hotel. We checked in, went to our room, and went to sleep. Next day, we went to Cafe Du Mont, we ate and went walking around.

We stopped by the Saint Louis #1, we went inside, ran into a man, wearing a mask, it was dark blue with black sockets, he looked at us then walked away. We went to the French Quarter, walked around there till dark then went to Bourbon street. We bought hurricanes and got really drunk. We danced around and got more drunk then hours later we headed back to the hotel room.

We stumble in our hotel room, barely able to walk or talk.  The last thing I heard was my Jaylynns body hitting the ground. Suddenly, I was sober. I slowly turn around, I see the man in the mask from earlier and my best friends body unconscious on the floor at his feet. He quickly charges at me and before I can try to move out the way he knocks me in the head hard and I knock out cold.” I recap the two days.

My thoughts are smashing together and they aren't making any sense. I am breathing harder now, my heart feels like it’s going to explode. My body is shaking, not because it’s cold but because i fear the man already killed my best friend and he might come back for me. I have no idea what this man might want with me or my best friend.

I am dripping in sweat, I can’t calm down. My ears are ringing my vision is blurry. I close my eyes and try to take slow breaths. My body finally starts to slow down. I feel much better.

In the in the distance I can hear faint sloshing sounds in the distance. It sounds like boots hitting the moist ground. The sound was getting closer. I slowly open my eyes to see a small glow of yellow in the distance. I want to scream, but what if it’s the man again. The sound of sloshing was getting closer and closer till finally the mysterious person came into view.

I was right it was the same man that I seen at my hotel. He is still wearing the same mask as before. He is wearing a white shirt and dark blue jeans. He is carrying a brown sack and a oil burner lamp. I move a little to make the chains hit each other, so they make sound to get his attention. He looked at me then quickly looked away.

I finally get the courage to yell at the man. “HEY! WHO ARE YOU!?....WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?” He didn't look at me or show any sign he was listening to me. He then walked to a huge tree that was in the distance. It was really foggy and I couldn't really see. He lifted his lamp as if he knew I couldn't see what he was trying to show me.  The yellow light showed a girl that was chained by her wrists and is hanging 3 feet above the air. The chains are attached by a thick branch. The girl Is wearing a grey shirt and jean shorts. Her arms and legs are dirty and covered in cuts and bruises. Her long black hair is covering her face.

I get this sharp pain in my chest and I know why but I honestly don't want to believe it.  The man moves the girls hair from her face and put the lamp by her face. I freeze….I.....was…. right. The girl hanging from the tree is Jaylynn. “LET HER GO!” I scream while struggling to break free from the chains. It was no use they were just cutting into my skin even more. The masked man took the sack off his back and put it on the ground.  He kneels down and pulls something out of his bag and he pauses for a second. Then he slowly turns to face me.

He then lifts up a knife to where I can see it. “DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!” I scream in anger. He stabbed Jaylynn in a quick motion in the leg  and Jaylynn  wakes up screaming in pain.”PLEASE LEAVE HER ALONE!” I pleaded. I can see the fear and confusion in Jaylynns face. I don't think she can see me. “KILL ME INSTEAD!” I scream.

He just laughed. His laugh was the ugliest, devil like laugh I have ever heard. He then took out a curved knife and wit just one movement my best friend's throat was slit open and gushing out blood. I just watched in horror, unable to move or speak.

Tears rushed down my face as the man took out  a match, lit it, and set jaylynn on fire. The smell of burning blood and flesh was overwhelming and within seconds I pass out. The last thing i see is the masked man holding a snake in his arms.