I was outsmarted and almost kidnapped by my mother's ex boyfriend when I was a kid. FUCK this guy, this is for you Bob.

This happened to me when I was 8-10 years old. My mom was dating this man, Bob, and he was a bad person. I remember spending more time with him than my mom as a kid, as she worked a lot. I'll spare any details, but I was being abused by him. I'm not sure if it was sexual or physical abuse exactly, but I was hurt in various different ways and made to do not so nice things. Bob was a very strange man, he owned a lot of snakes and other reptiles. I was terrified of him. He was a very tall, strong and mean man. He was not physically stupid looking, but he was not the brightest person. I remember very vividly that he was two different people, when my mom was around he was very nice to me and loving. When she wasn't, he was the complete opposite and would threaten me and hurt me if I told her anything. I told my mom about my distrust for him and that I didn't like him but she said he was a nice man. I didn't tell her everything, because I was too scared.<br><br>One time, he decided we would trick my mom and hopefully kidnap me. We were at the mall, and I was being used as a dick prop because he would crotch grab me and other stuff in public. He'd get really touchy and would always put his hand on my butt or chest. I don't know why he thought this was okay but it was. We were out and we were at the mall and he abruptly handed me his phone. It was ringing, and he was telling me to answer it and tell whoever was on the phone that I was lost and couldn't find him anywhere. I got the phone, and it was my mom. I told her exactly what he told me to. She believed me and told me to find a store employee and find her in the food court. I told Bob that my mom wanted me to do that, and he told me to do it but to make sure I don't say anything about him. I said okay, and I went to the nearest store and told the employee I couldn't find my mom. They said that they'd page her and to stay there. I was a kid and my parents would never let me go anywhere without an adult. I was scared, I was just a kid. After maybe 20 minutes or so, she came and got me. When she asked me where I was, I told her "I'm at the store, you told me to stay here." She got very angry at me and asked what I meant. I told her that I was scared so I came here to find you. Bob had told me to lie, so I told her that I was just wandering around the mall and lost her. I didn't want to get in trouble, I wanted to tell her the truth but I was scared what Bob would do to me. I remembered that she believed me when I was lost, but she also thought that I was lying to her and that I was trying to get her in trouble. I remember she yelled at me when we got back to the car and told me to never do that again. I was so so so confused.<br><br>I told my mom about my distrust again, and she told me that maybe Bob would think differently if he were out of the picture. He was a babysitter at the time, so my mom said I couldn't see him anymore. I got very happy and was incredibly relieved. I was so so so happy, I didn't know how to explain it. I was a kid and I didn't know what was happening, I just knew it was bad. After that I didn't see Bob anymore, but I never told my mom about the abuse. I'm still haunted by it to this day, and have nightmares.