Running After Dark

My mother once told me, "Don't go running by yourself after dark." I should have listened. I always told her nothing would happen, since we lived in a safe neighborhood. I was wrong. Because I didn't listen, I had to face the consequences, which, in this case, was get kidnapped.

It happened a little over a year ago, when I was 15. I was an active, outdoorsy person, so I went walking every morning and every night. That night, I was a few blocks from home, and the houses around me had not even a single light on. I was rounding the corner when a big, old van stopped right beside me. A middle aged man stepped out of the passengers seat. The man was of average height, and was a tad overweight. He had thin, greasy, salt and pepper hair. Gross. I picked up my pace. He started walking behind me, his pace a little faster than mine. Soon he caught up with me.

"Hello," he said.
"Um, hi," I replied, sounding unsure.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Emma. Why are you wanting to know?" I said. He didn't answer. I looked over my shoulder. That old van had been following us. It was only a couple meters away from us.
The van came to a slow halt beside us. I paused, pondering whether or not I should run. When I look back now, I wonder why I had been so stupid, not to run when I had the chance. The greasy, overweight man was standing  right beside me. I again looked over my shoulder. Wrong move. The man opened the van door so quickly, and quietly, I hadn't even know he had done it. Not until I turned around, just in time to see him swinging a shovel over his head.  Quick as a lion, he took that shovel and hit me on the side of the head.

I fell to the ground, and blacked out. How long I had been out, I will never know, but when I did wake up, I was in a cramped little room, with only one tiny window. My head was throbbing. Why would anyone do this to me? What do they want? Oh, my, God. They are going to kill me. The pain in my head was nothing compared to the pain I now felt in my heart. I was never going to see my family again. For the second time in 24 hours, I blacked out.

The next time I woke up, I was tied to a chair. I could barely breath, it was tied so tight. In front of me sat two men. I recognized the one from last night. Wait, I think I remember seeing that other man before too, at my dad's office.

"Good, your awake," the man from dad's office said.
"Now we can get to that phone call," the other said.
"Why are you doing this?" I interupted.
The one with greasy hair looked annoyed, but answered, "We need money fast. Your dad, Stephen, has money. But the only way to get it was either to steal it, or kidnap you, ask for ransom, then kill you once we got the ransom. Kidnapping seemed easiest."
"My parents will never let that happen. The cops will find me. You guys will get caught," I told them.
The man from dad's office laughed, "Quite the contrary, actually. No one will ever know it was us. The only person who witnessed this kidnapping was you. It all works out; you'll be dead, and we'll be rich."

He was wrong about me being the only witness. On the night of my kidnapping, a frail, old lady had been peering out her window, when she saw these men take me. She was too slow to stop anything from happening. Although she got the liscence plate number, and called the police. That night had been a slow one for the cops, so they were able to arrive quickly, unfortunatly though, it was not quick enough, and my kidnappers were no where to be found. But they continued searching my small town.

Back at where I was being held, my kidnappers were now dialing my father's cell. He didn't pick up. They next tried my home phone. My mom answered.

"Hello," she said through sniffles. Poor mom, I thought
It had been decided that the man with the greasy hair, who said his name was Phil, would talk, "I need to speak with Stephen."
"Okay," she managed to get out through loud sobs.
My dad came on the phone "Stephen here."
"I have Emma. I want 3 million dollars by 3:00 this afternoon," Phil said.
"Emma," dad whispered, "Wait, how do I know you really have her?"
"Would you care to say hello to your daddy?" Phil asked. He shoved the phone in front of my face. "Say something," he hissed.
"Dad," I said, almost crying.
"Emma," he choked out.
"Don't do anything they ask, just tell the police it was Phil Harper, and Gary Wells, " I said in a rush.
Those two idiots should not have told me their names. Why would they think I wouldn't tell anyone when I had a chance. I mean, they were going to kill me!

"You little b-," Gary started, but was cut off when a bunch of cops rushed in through the back door.
"Hands above your head," one shouted.
Phil and Gary were cuffed and led out. A bunch of paramdics surrounded me. I was taken to the hospital were I was reuntied with my family.

Now, a year later, I tend to run in the mornings with my dad. I listen to my mom about running after dark.

I took back everything I had said.