A Year

Bailey Reigle
Island Project

     I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my life. Today marks the one year anniversary of me being stuck in this sketch house. I've tried to escape he's just to fast and strong. I'm sure my parents are looking for me,they have to be! They'll find me soon..I hope!
     It was a normal Friday night, I went to the football game, we won as usual. After the game I was driving home and in the middle of the road there was a manly figure that appeared from nowhere. I slammed on the breaks praying I wouldn't hit the person. Once I come to a stop a get out of my car...big mistake! Instead of running away from me the figure runs toward me. I freeze in fear. As the figure gets closer to me my instincts kick in and I take off running. He doesn't stop chasing me. I  run for a good two miles,thank you cross country, before I crossroads with a barbed wire fence. I'm trapped. He is closing in on me. I attempt to get over the fence but with no light to see the barbwire pricks I keep getting scratched. I feel arms, strong arms, wrap around me and a raspy voice whisper "You're coming with me."
     The next hour or so was a blur. I woke up in the back of an old,stinky station wagon. I heard the song shake it off playing on the radio, not the type of music you'd think a kidnapper would listen to. I was to scared to say anything or to move. I felt like if I took a breath he would hear me. He turned around to check on me and that's when I saw his face for the first time. But in reality it wasn't the first time, I knew I had seen this man before. But from where and how did I know this guy? I just couldn't connect the dots.
     I finally get the courage to ask "Where are you taking me?" As I spoke my voice shook. The familiar man replied with "Shut your trap! You're gonna be a good little girl like everybody thinks you are and not ask any questions. Got it?" I couldn't comprehend the situation, it was just too unfathomable. We drive for what seems like hours when we enter a town that I don't recognize. I look at the clock it says 3:45. When I left the game it was 10, we've been driving for at least three hours. My kidnapper pulls into a gas station that looks creepier than creepy. He watches me the whole time he fills his car up with gas. I still can't figure out where I've seen him before.
     I fell asleep once we started driving again. I was awaken by the man grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder to carry me to this sketch house I've been in for a year. This year has been the worst year of my life! I only get to shower once a week, I haven't shaved my legs all year, I didn't get to celebrate my birthday, and I don't know how my family and friends are doing.
     Once we got to the house he opened the cellar door and threw me down there, slamming the door. A couple of minutes later he returned with a blanket, bottle of water, and a slice of bread. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I ate that piece of bread. I gobbled it down so fast, not realizing it would be my only food for awhile. I ask the man, "Why did you kidnap me?" He says,"Tiffany you have the perfect life and you treated my daughter like crap and you made her kill herself now I'm gonna torture you till I want to kill you!" I am so confused. "My name is not Tiffany, it's Bailey!" I say. He cursed and said, "Did I really get the wrong girl? Do you know Tiffany?" Well duh I know Tiffany  she was the queen bee last year until she graduated, but how had he gotten us mixed up? I said "Tiffany Smith? Yeah I know her!" Then it hit me, I know who this man is!
     Last year I remember hearing stories about Tiffany bullying a girl in her class named Suzie. I didn't know Suzie very well but I went to her funeral. That's where I first saw her dad, my kidnapper. Suzie died this summer, there was no talk about suicide in the obituary. Everyone was convinced that she died of a rare brain disease, but I guess that wasn't the case. But how did Suzie's dad mistake me for Tiffany? The only things I could think of are that me and Tiffany drive the same car and live on the same road, but I don't look like her at all! For a week after Suzie's dad figured out he got the wrong girl I didn't see much of him, I just sat in the cellar. Once a day that cellar door would open and I would get some food and a drink, but barley enough to sustain my hunger. The eighth time that cellar door opened I heard Suzie's dad say "Come up here, we need to talk." I nervously walked up the stairs, at the top he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the house. Inside the house he sat me in a chair and asked "Can I trust you to sit here and not run away?" I nod in agreement. He begins to talk,"You said that you know Tiffany, and I obviously got the wrong girl, so if you help me get Tiffany I will let you go." "Deal!", I immediately response!
     The next three months after my agreement to help my capture,who's name I found out was Mark, we search for Tiffany. I knew that she goes to Wayne State so we went there. Mark found out what dome she lives in and the plan was for me to go to the dorm and ask her if she wanted to hang out, then Mark would come and take her. But I just couldn't make myself put a friend in harm, so I made a huge mistake!
     When I got to the dorm she freaked out saying, "Omg I thought you were missing!" I tell her to let me in and we need to talk! Her roommate and almost everyone else on campus were gone for Christmas break. Mark was sitting on the bench outside of Jennifer's room, waiting for us to come out. Once I was inside I told her everything, she started crying saying she had to call the cops, but I forgot that Mark put a microphone on me and that he could hear everything. Once he heard the word cop he ran in and grabbed both of us by the arms and drug us to the car. Because of the negative twelve degree windchill there was nobody outside to help us. He shoved us into the car and floored it and didn't stop till we were back in that sketch house.
     Jennifer cried a lot that first night saying things like, "I'm too pretty to die, and God I hated that Suzie girl!" That was the night I realized I would probably never get out of here alive. How could I? I didn't follow through with marks plan, I almost ruined it all. The day after Jennifer and I almost called the cops Mark came down to the cellar and drug Jennifer up the stairs he told me to stay! I was terrified for her. A few minutes passed when I heard ear piercing screaming. I shivered, praying that he wouldn't kill her. I waited and waited until after what felt like an eternity the cellar door slowly opened and down came Jennifer. I could tell she had been crying, and once that door shut again the tears never seemed to stop. He had beaten her, a lot! I could barley look at her without feeling pain myself!
     One day when Mark came down to bring us food I asked if I could talk to him. Jennifer eyed me suspiciously. Mark took me out of the cellar and into the sketch house. This time he didn't ask if He could trust me to sit there he just immediately tied me up to the chair. He stared at me, eating for me to talk. I finally said,"Are you going to let me go?" Without saying a word he got up and ran to the next room to grab another chair and set it next to mine. He then ran down to the cellar and came back up with Jennifer, he tied her up too. Then he finally spoke. "I kidnapped the wrong girl and then trusted her to help me get the real girl, what was I thinking? I can't take you back to your family now that you know who I am and where I'm at. So that gives me no choice but to kill you both." Jennifer starts to weep. I scream, "NO PLEASE DONT!"
     Before I could get the words out he had already pulled out a fun and was making his way to Jennifer. Once he go to her he said "You ruined my daughters life and made her loose her life, now it's your turn to die!" I closed my eyes but I could still hear that terrible bullet sound. I didn't have to open my eyes to know that he was walking towards me. I prepared myself for the bullet, but nothing came. I opened my eyes to see him crying. He slowly begins to talk, "I've lost a daughter before because of someone else and I don't want your parents to go through that to.." I think to myself oh really then why did you kill Jennifer, but I was to afraid to say it. Before I could comprehend what was going on he untied me handed me the keys to his car and put the gun to his own head.
     I was away from my family for one year. One year. You may not think that's a long time but believe me it is! Don't take your family and friends for granted! I am so blessed to have gotten away but Jennifer wasn't so lucky.

-BAY