Gone

One

I was skipping down the street right beside Daniel. He was only one year older than me, but we have been best friends pretty much since I was four. Every time I glanced at him he was smiling at me. Daniel lives next door to me which is how we met. I just moved in when he lost his ball in our backyard and knocked on the door with his mom. Being neighbors we walked the short five blocks home from school everyday. Since he was older we were allowed to walk home alone, but because we were walking alone is how I was targeted. Ethan, Daniel’s friend from school called him and he turned around. He was calling him to go play.

I felt bad so I decided since I could see my house from here to walk the rest of it by myself, which was so stupid. Daniel wanted to fully walk me home first but I insisted. He finally agreed and turned around to walk to his friend. That’s when we both heard the van speed towards me. He turned around with fear planted on his face. As soon as he heard me scream it was when I saw him beginning to run towards me. I could not see Ethan but I am sure he was trying to run after Daniel. I screamed, punched, and kicked but with no avail. He finally got me in the back and knocked me out. Before he could though I saw Daniel confronting him, but that only made it worse. Then it went black.

I awoke panicking and all I heard was Daniel telling me to be calm. I felt horrible he got him as well. He kept telling me we would be ok, that we would get back home. All I could do was struggle to get up as my hands were bound behind me and scoot over to him and lean into him crying.

“I promise you Ashleigh, I will get us home no matter the cost. No matter the sacrifice.” Daniel calmly told me.

All I could think was that I wanted my mom to feel her hug again. To hear her voice again. Which just made me cry harder. My dad was no longer in the picture by this time. He left my mom when I was only a year old. For his new girlfriend he secretly had my mom tells me. But my step dad, he was always there for me. Malcolm was my dad, no matter what. Thinking about him the tears came even faster if that was even possible.

Out of nowhere the van stopped, and I started to hyperventilate. Daniel being the good friend calmed me down even though I know he is terrified as well. He was only acting trying to stay strong for me. I could read him like a book. When the doors opened i was grabbed from Daniel, and hopelessly sitting there he could not do anything with being tied up as well. He screamed at him but he didn’t listen. He brought me inside and put me in a room and locked it from the outside and I broke down. It felt like ages before he came back and got me, but it wasn’t just him, he had an older girl with him and then he left.

“I am sorry this happened to you, my name is Kaylie. I am supposed to get you dressed into the clothes he approves of only. May I?” She asks.

She was so kind. I wonder why she was not cold. How long was she even here for? She waited patiently for my permission and so I gave her it. She walked towards me and laid the clothes on the sofa I was sitting on. She looked so sad, so lost. I let her untie my hands and I looked up to her with tears in my eyes, being dirty from the dirt I laid in on the way here, she suggested a shower to clean up so I let her bring me to the bathroom. She turned it on and turned to me. She helped me in and helped me scrub the dirt off of me. Washed my hair and then grabbed a towel and dried me off. I was so tired even when she saw it, which is why she helped me. Bringing me into the other room she gave me the long night gown all white and nice and warm. She pulled it over my head and brushed out my hair. She turned me around and before I knew it she was talking again.

“I have to let him know that I will be escorting you to your room now. He is figuring out what to do with your friend. He is unable to do so.” She told me sadly.

I looked panicked, I didn’t want him to hurt Daniel because of me. She saw this and she instantly put my worries aside.

“He isn’t going to hurt him. That much I know. Not unless he fights him.” She quickly said.

When I heard that I eased up a bit, but knowing Daniel he wouldn't go down without a fight which caused me to stress still and she knew I wasn’t convinced. She went over and pressed the red button indicating that she is taking me to my new room for god who knows how long I will spend here. She held her hand out to me and I took it cautiously. As we were walking, she tried to get me to talk a little.

“What’s your name?” She asked.

“Ashleigh.” I replied quietly.

“It’s nice to meet you, I just wish it was different circumstances.” She sadly tells me.

I nod as if to agree with her and tears silently fall down my face. She notices and instantly tries to make me feel better.

“Hey, hey don’t worry it will be ok, just do what he says and you will be fine.” She coos to me like my mother used to do.

“I miss my mom, and my dad. I want to go back home to them!” I cry to her.

“I know but unfortunately that is not possible. You just have to take deep breaths and if you ever need anything just come to me.” She calmly says.

After she calms me down we get to my new room and she helps me settle in and shows me where everything is. She told me I have a roommate. But before I could ask I heard that man screaming and she looked terrified and ran out of the room. I looked around for a place to hide and crawled under the bed, that’s where my roommate was hiding. She looked scared which terrified me. After all his screaming and yelling and it was quiet for about 20 minutes I finally started to move she looked scared to leave but she risked it with me. After crawling onto the big bed I decided to ask her a few questions.

“Hi, my name is Ashleigh. What is your’s?” I asked.

“Raela. My name's Raela.” She replied quietly.

“Oh. How long have you been here?” I asked.

I figured I should try to grasp how long I might be here for, but at the same time I was terrified to know the answer. I am hoping she answers but she seems really shy.

“I have been here for a year. He took me when I was six, I am now seven.” She said sadly.

A year?! I might be here for a year? I wanted to cry but I also didn’t want her to think I was a cry baby. I was so frightened. I wanted to ask her about Kaylie but I am afraid to know the answer, but I decided to anyway.

“Do you Know Kaylie? How long was she here for?” I shyly and cautiously ask her.

“Her whole life. That man who took us, is her father. But, she is really nice and he blackmailed her to keep quiet or he would hurt her badly if she went to the cops when she found out what he was doing. At the time she lived elsewhere with him and I heard from other girls who have been here for 3 plus years that he would leave for the night and leave guards. But after she found out about his, uh, work she threatened to go to the cops. He threatened her with something that kept her quiet for the last 2 years. Since then she cared for us like a mom would do. Because she is a mom. At least that is the rumor that she has a kid, but then again no one knows but her.” She explained.

I look in shock at her. Has she really been threatened? I wonder if it was just a rumor but she seems too nice to be like him. She was so nice to me. Can I trust her to keep me safe from her father’s harm? Will she protect me from him or will she look the other way if he tries to hurt me or worse. I notice I am shaking and so does Raela. Why would she tell me though that he wouldn’t hurt Daniel and me if she was just going to look the other way though? I have many questions to ask but right now the only person in this whole world who can make me feel the slightest bit better is one person, and I have no idea where he is. Daniel is the only person who makes me feel safe. The one person I trusted the most, and he couldn’t be here to protect me. Will I ever see him again? Is he hurt? Is he ok?