The Kidnapper's Game

A Message of Hope

As the car sped away from the gas station, Emily's heart pounded with anxiety and fear. She had taken a chance and scribbled a desperate help message on the bathroom stall, hoping that someone, anyone, would see it and understand the urgency of their situation.

Emily's mind raced as she replayed the moment in her head. "Did anyone see it? Will they realize it's not a joke?" she thought.

As they continued on the road, Emily's eyes were glued to the gas station in the rearview mirror, praying for a miracle.

Then she saw it, another patron named Amy entered the gas station bathroom just moments after they left. She noticed the message scribbled on the stall, but it didn't immediately register with her.

"Oh, how strange. People these days, leave graffiti everywhere," Amy muttered to herself, thinking it was just a prank.

But as she was washing her hands, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Something about the message tugged at her subconscious.

Curiosity got the best of her, and she decided to look up the news on her phone while she filled her car with gas. A headline caught her eye - "Two Missing Girls from Nearby State, Police Urging Public to Help."

Her heart skipped a beat as she read the article, and her mind went back to the message in the bathroom. Could it be connected?

Amy's hands trembled as she dialed the police. "I think I saw something suspicious in the gas station bathroom. It might be related to those missing girls," she said hurriedly.

The dispatcher listened attentively, taking down all the details Amy provided. "Thank you for reporting this. We'll send officers to investigate right away."

As Amy hung up, she couldn't shake the feeling that she might have just played a crucial role in saving two innocent lives.

Meanwhile, the police were already hard at work, following the trail of leads in the search for Emily and Erin. Detective Jacobs had a gut feeling that they were close to finding them, but they needed that one break in the case.

At first, Detective Jacobs believed Emily slipped out of her home, but after the call, and no luck finding her in town, he quickly realized both Emily and Erin were in grave danger. 

When the call from Amy came in, Detective Jacobs's heart leaped with hope. "This could be it," he thought.

The police immediately dispatched officers to the gas station to investigate the message Amy had reported. The gas station owner confirmed that there had been two young girls with a man matching Marcus's description just a short while ago.

With adrenaline pumping through their veins, the officers checked the bathroom stall, and there it was - Emily's desperate plea for help.

Detective Jacobs couldn't believe it. Emily was risking her life to send them clues. "We're going to find them," he said, his voice trembling with emotion.

The race to find Emily and Erin was now in full force. The police coordinated with neighboring states, issuing an Amber Alert and mobilizing every available resource.

Meanwhile, Marcus continued his reckless drive toward the border, completely unaware that his plans were about to fall apart. He went through each town, aiming to put as much distance between himself and the cops as possible. He had no idea what Emily had done, and she hoped he wouldn't turn on the radio or check his phone in case her cry for help went global.

"I have to use the bathroom again." Emily insisted.

"No, we just stopped a few hours ago. I'm not stopping again," Marcus angrily responded.

"Look, I'm a little scared right now so my stomach isn't the best. So, unless you want a smelly mess in your back seat, I suggest you stop at the next gas station or rest stop."

Marcus appeared frustrated with Emily, annoyed by her incessant requests, but he had no alternative with Emily's constant complaints.

Marcus noticed another gas station approaching. He thought it was safe since it was the middle of the night, sitting empty. He led both women out of the car and escorted them into the bathroom. He had to bring them in this time because the restroom was not accessible from the outside. He warned both of them not to draw attention to themselves and threatened to shoot them right where they stood.

Both girls complied, but when Marcus proceeded into the bathroom with both girls, heads down and looking at the floor, the attendant noticed something was off. Marcus stood outside the bathroom, on their heels, as Emily entered. Erin glanced over to the attendant without Marcus seeing, making eye contact and discreetly begging for assistance.

Emily hurried in while Erin and Marcus stood outside the restroom, pulling the pen from her jeans and scribbling the same message on the stall as before. Marcus grew furious when he noticed she was taking longer than she should have and yelled at her to hurry up.

"I'm coming," Emily angrily stated, "Jesus, what do you think I'm going to do? Escape? You are standing right outside the door and there aren't any windows to climb out of."

Marcus signaled for Emily to quiet down as he requested them to leave.

"I need a drink," Emily insisted.

"No, we need to get back on the road."

"I'm thirsty and feel like I'm going to pass out."

"Fine, both of you, over there," Marcus ordered.

The three of them walked to the cooler, making their beverage selections. Marcus stood in front of the girls to pay as they approached the counter, protecting the attendant from seeing them. Emily stared over his shoulder as the worker looked up. She made brief eye contact with him, tilting her head to the side to silently instruct him to go to the bathroom, giving him the impression that her eyes were sending him a message.

Emily returned her focus to the floor after their brief encounter. Marcus thanked the attendant and they were on their way.

The gas station employee entered the restroom immediately after they left. He scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary before opening the doors to the three stalls. Emily scribbled it on the side of the stall this time, making it easier for the worker to find. He contacted 911 in a panic. 

Emily secretly hoped her messages were reaching someone, and she was correct. If Marcus discovered what she was up to, he would leave them dead on the side of the road, but Emily planned to leave clues until help arrived.