“911 what’s your emergency?”

“Hi, yes my friend she was taken, there was this car and he trapped us. We escaped, but he took her. We can’t find her!”

Everything about the call freaks me out. Gives me chills every time I think about it. Having to describe that night again and again to different people. The lady on the phone, the cops, Ashlynn’s mom, my mom. Everything was a mess. And it was all my fault…

“Come on Ashlynn it’ll be so much fun just us three. You, me, and Kayli.” I was on the phone with Ashlynn trying to talk her into going camping. I had planned we would go on Monday because nobody is usually there.
“Zoe, you know I hate camping.” Ashlynn hated camping ever since she was a kid and went one time with her dad. She says she was attacked by a bear, but I don’t know if I totally believe her.

“Come on just one night! I’ll stay with you the whole time and so will Kayli.  If you want we can sleep in the car with the doors locked. Nothing can get us in there. Please??....” I said

“Ok fine I’ll go, but we have to stay in the car at night.” Ashlynn said

“Oh my gosh, yay!  Thank you! I will see you tomorrow, I’ll pick you up.” I hung up the phone and started packing my bags. “Food, clothes, portable charger, lights batteries, water…” I said in my head knowing I forgot something, but I couldn’t figure out what.

“My pillow!” I said. My mom heard me and came up stairs and looked really confused.

“Um, where are you going?” I knew I forgot to do something.

“Ashlynn, Kayli and I are going on a camping trip. But don’t worry we are sleeping in my car so nothing will get us.” I was trying to make it sound like I didn’t need her permission and I was going to go no matter what. But truth be told I did want her to be ok with it.

“Ok, just stay safe, good night. I’ll see you Tuesday?” my mom said. I was so shocked at this reply, but I was also relieved. I really wanted to get out of the house for a little while.

“Yeah we are only staying one night. I’ll see you then. Love you!” She walked out and I walked down loading my stuff into the car. We had to leave early to get a good spot so I put my stuff in the car and came back to go to bed. It was 4:25am when I woke up. It was about a two hour drive so I quickly got dressed put my hair in a ponytail and went downstairs for breakfast. I ate really quickly so I would have time to pick up Ashlynn and Kayli. I rushed to my car started my engine and started to drive down to pick them up. After I picked them up we blasted our music so loud people were staring at us like we were crazy.  We had our windows down, jamming out to our favorite song. When we got there nobody was there so we picked our favorite spot by the biggest tree, it always shaded us from the sun and any rain. There were tables for food and a little barbeque for hot dogs and hamburgers. We folded the seats down, set up our sleeping bags and decided to go on a walk. We went through the woods and climbed trees found the bathroom and walked some more. We took pictures, ate our lunch and came back just before it was time to eat dinner.

“Hey, do you guys want to stay up and roast marshmallows and watch the stars?” Kayli suggested as I was cooking the hotdogs. Ashlynn was starting the fire and she looked up.

“Like from our car or outside where anything can get us” Ashlynn sounded scared.

“Outside you scaredy cat. We wouldn’t be able to see anything from our car,” I said. Ashlynn looked at me rolled her eyes and then said, “Fine.” It became dark and we were roasting marshmallows and watching the stars.

“Hey I have to go to the bathroom,” I said after finishing my s’more.

“Me, too, come on let’s go,” Ashlynn said. We all went walking toward the dirt road by the camp site.  Ashlynn started walking across the street. A white minivan with a black stripe around it with tinted windows started driving up the street. It was very dirty and I could tell it wasn’t going to stop, in fact in was increasing its speed!

“ASHLYNN, STOP!” Kayli yelled. Ashlynn turned around saw the car and froze. The car slammed on the breaks and screeched to a stop. The guy got out of the car. He was a big guy with a white shirt lots of nasty stains on them. He had a long gray beard, no hair that I could see because he was wearing a brown cowboy hat.
“Hey! Watch where you going next time!” he yelled at Ashlynn.

“Sorry,” Ashlynn said in a small quiet timid voice.

“Maybe you should pay more attention to the road than to your phone” Kayli was always the one to talk back and I was a lot like that.

“Yeah you could have run her over jerk!” I said. The guy looked over at me in complete and utter shock. I think it was because I spoke up and I looked like the quiet one in the group. I used to be until I became friends with them now I’m not.

“Just get your friend off the road and go!” He said as he got back into his car. I grabbed Ashlynn and walked to the other side of the side. Kayli was glaring at the guy who was watching us as we walked to into the woods. We walked a little while and were almost to the bathroom when we suddenly heard something.

“Guys did you hear that?” Ashlynn looked at us. We had just crossed another dirt road and we could see the building for the bathroom up ahead. Ashlynn looked back at the road and immediately started walking a lot faster.

“Whoa, whoa, slow down what’s wrong?” Kayli looked at the road and started walking with Ashlynn.
“Guys what going on? Stop walking so fast!” I said trying to keep up with them.

“Look back really slowly but not for very long,” Ashlynn said quietly. I turned my head just enough to see what was going to behind me. I figured it was a bear or some kind of animal Ashlynn was always scared of. But this was worse. Much worse. The car, the same one that almost ran over Ashlynn, was parked on the road and the door was open. The same guy  was walking toward us. He had something in his hand but I couldn’t figure out what. I started to walk with the girls and I was freaking out.

“Guys we have run towards the bathroom and lock the door ok. On the count of three run as fast as you can and don’t stop till you get into the bathroom.” 1… I looked back he was getting closer. 2… he started yelling at us. Asking us to stop. For us to wait so he could ask us some questions. He was crazy.  3… all three of us bolted. Running faster and faster. We were so close to the bathroom when I got my foot trapped under a branch. They stopped, I looked back and the guy was running towards us still yelling for us.

“Go Hurry go I’ll get out” I said.

“No I’m not leaving you!” Kayli said. Ashlynn was already trying to get my foot out. Finally she got it out. We stood up and the guy was continuing to get closer and closer. We stood up and started to run again. Now I could see him a lot clearer and in his hands he wasn’t carrying something to hit us with, it was rope. Why the heck would he need rope? We ran all the way to the bathroom. I opened the door and everyone ran in. I closed the door and I felt the guy grab the handle. Everyone grabbed the handle and held it shut. I grabbed the lock and turned it. The door was locked and everyone let go.

“Is everyone ok?” Ashlynn looked at everyone. Out of breath her face was red as a tomato. She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face.

*Bang, Bang, Bang*

“Hey let me in I just want to talk to you!” he said. He started to walk around to the window. “Fine if you won’t me in there I’ll find a way to get in myself!”

“Quick call 911!” Ashlynn was looking for her phone, my phone and Kayli’s phone.

“I left my phone at the camp site, so did Ashlynn.  Don’t you have yours?” Kayli looked at me. I checked my back pockets, my front pockets, and my sweatshirt pocket. I look out the window and saw my phone laying on the floor where I had fallen. Realizing that we were trapped in the bathroom with no way to get help, I started to freak out. All of the sudden the guy showed up in the window. He laughed. He had gone crazy. He picked up a huge rock, all sides were jagged with spikes, no part of it was smooth and threw it into the window. I couldn’t believe what was happening I looked at the guy who was crawling into the bathroom. Ashlynn looked at me with a kind of “I told you something would happen” face. I looked at Kayli who for the first time in forever looked terrified. He started walking around all of us. I felt my self-trying not to cry.

“So which one of you should I take?” he said looking at Ashlynn. I looked at her. A single tear fell from her face. Shaking like a leaf. I grabbed the guy’s arm.

“No leave her alone, if you’re going to take someone just take me leave them alone,” I said still grabbing his arm. He turned looking at me, but was now grabbing Ashlynn’s arms.

“No, I’m good.  This one seems more… innocent.” He said tying her up with his hand over her mouth.
“Stop!  Leave her alone! Don’t take her, please!” I yelled. But he didn’t listen instead he knocked her out and started to run towards his car. I chased after them and with Kayli following behind. We chased them all the way to his car. I found my phone and started to dial 911 as we were running.

“911 what’s your emergency?” The operator answered.

“Hi, yes, my friend she.. This man... The car… he took her...” I couldn’t catch my breath to speak in full sentences. The man had gotten in his car and driven away. We were chasing them when all of a sudden I tripped over a rock. When I looked up I couldn’t see the car. It was gone.

I finished the call with the operator and 5 minutes later the police showed up and I explained the story to them. In complete tears I  tried to explain what happened to our parents. I broke down, couldn’t think anymore.  I stopped talking and just cried I couldn’t explain it to anyone. I couldn’t understand why someone would do this. To someone like her. I gave the police the pictures and descriptions of her and of the guy. Kayli as well. They told me they would find her, but what if it was too late?  What if she is already gone? We went home and I couldn’t help but think this was all my fault. Actually I knew it was all my fault.  I pushed her to go on this stupid trip when she didn’t want too.  I don’t know why I wanted to go so bad. Why didn’t I just listen to her?

It’s been a couple of days I haven’t been back to school or seen anyone. I have just stayed in my room and cried. I cried because they still didn’t know where she was. I didn’t think we would find her. How could we? She didn’t have her phone and they could be anywhere in the world. I was sitting in my room when I got a call; it was an unknown number…

“Hello?” I said trying not to sound like I had been crying.

“Hi Is this Zoe? Zoe Pressdee?” Someone with an old scratchy voice that sounded very familiar was on the other line, but I could not tell who it was.

“Yes, you see I wanted you to be the first to know. You know before her parents, because you were there and everything. I have your dear friend. But she wasn’t doing so well. I had to put her down if you know what I mean.” I heard a little laugh in the background. “I’ll be dropping her off somewhere in your town so you will see her again but not like you hoped you would. Goodbye now,” and with a little laugh he hung up. My phone dropped out of my hand and I fell on my bed. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t even cry. She was gone. Forever.