It was my luck that the key was on the inside of the door. I turned it and put it in my pocket, hoping Master Carl didn't have a spare key. I let my hands glide back into my gloves. No more need for emotional power, I needed to stay in control. 

There was a table in front of me that was full of pictures. So many pictures. All of them of me. I saw myself a thousand times: on stage, at home, even back at school. Master Carl seems to have followed me for all my life! 

"He's NOT my master!" I whispered firmly to myself. 

At the right side was something that looked most like a shop window, except that there were no products of any shop behind the glass. I saw my trumpet, a copy of my Biologie Olympiade certificate, a black necklace with a green lock, a Star Trek combadge... 

Behind me the door made a cracking sound as someone (or something) banged against it. No more time for me to look around, I guess. Since there were no other doors, I walked to the window and tried to open it. It was stuck, but I didn't come for nothing.

"My watch!" I cheered soundlessly, as I let it slip into my left boot. Now we can talk, life! 

The door cracked again. It would break soon. I have to get out of here- or hide, at least! I thought, noticing the closet on the left side. Within seconds I was there and opened the door, hoping it wouldn't be full. And it wasn't full, because it wasn't a real closet. It was a hidden stairway down. I stepped into the "closet", closed the door and sneaked down. I was just in time. The door broke with a loud noise, and I heard two voices gasp. 

I went all the way down. I couldn't see where the stairs ended in the deep darkness, so I nearly fell when my foot met the floor too early. I sat down and got my watch out of my boot. The screen was glowing faintly, displaying a photo of my band on stage and over that the time and the date: 13:56 | 24-2-2034. I went to the call menu and tapped the most upper name: Kasper. He was the bassist of my band, and had been my best friend for 17 years. 

"Esther!" he called out when he saw it was me, and I immediately gestured that he should keep his voice down. "Where have you been all that time?" he continued softer. "Are you safe?"
"Depends," I replied softly. "Right now I'm relatively safe..."
Above me, someone violently rammed open the window.
"I got kidnapped," I explained. "You must come back to America. I can't get out of here alone..."
"Do you know where you are?" Kasper asked. Always so practical.
"Not exactly," I had to admit. "I was asleep for most of the journey. However, it can't be far from the last gig, do you remember where that was?"
"Michigan," Kasper said. "But can't you try to call the cops?" 
"I tried," I lied, "but I guess he has an alarm or something. By the time the police arrived, I was nicely hidden in the third room on the left, tied up and unable to make any sounds..." 
I didn't even know why I said that, but Kasper seemed to buy it. 
"Can you try to stun or kill the guy?" he asked.
"I wouldn't know how!" I whispered in frustration. "Please, Kas, just try to find me!"

A line of light fell on my hands. I jumped into the shadows, but I was too late.

"She's down here!" Ashley shouted from above the stairs. 

I clicked out the call and put my watch back in my boot.