Stalked and Stolen

Chapter 4

I watch as the car speeds off into the distance. I run after it as fast as I can but its no use. I drag far behind and watch it disappear into the distance. Hot tears rush down my cheeks like a waterfall and I don't fight them. I break down hysterically and begin to bawl my eyes out. Why couldn't they take me instead? I sit on the curb and put my head in my hands. I'm the worst babysitter ever. I've already lost him twice and this time I may never see him again. I quickly push that thought out of my head. No. I'll find him. I promise to myself that I will find him no matter what it takes.

Sitting here isn't gonna do anything. I have to go find him. But where could he be? I have a few hours before it gets dark, so I begin to walk the direction the car went. About thirty minutes pass and not a single building or car is in sight. I sigh as I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and continue to search. The blazing sun beats down on my burning skin. My shirt sticks to my skin, soaked from sweat and tears.

After a few hours the black Cadillac comes into sight. It is pulled over on the side of the road and I see the door swing open. I hide behind a tree as I watch intently. The man in the lab coat gets out of the car holding a rope and two bricks. I furrow my eyebrows. What is he going to do with that? He then walks over to the back door and opens it up. He carelessly pulls Hunter out of the car and forcefully slams the door shut. Hunter cowers in fear as the man hovers over him and grabs him by his shirt. He drags him to the lake across the street and lays him down. My eyes widen.

He takes the ropes and ties them around his ankles before attaching the bricks to them. I gasp aloud and quickly cover my mouth, hoping he didn't hear. He ties a secure knot and picks Hunter up by his arm.

"Stop it! You're hurting me!" Hunter cries out. "Please let me go!"

The man has his back turned to me, so I creep around the tree and into the road. Just as I thought I was safe, a car drives by and nearly hits me. I yelp, causing the man to turn around. I stand in the middle of the road like a deer in headlights and the man furiously stands to his feet. He jumps after me and grabs me by my shirt. I cry out as he forcefully pushes me to the ground and I cringe in fear.

The pain is excruciatingly unbearable. My vision goes foggy as I watch him pick up Hunter and throw him into the lake. I hear his final screams before he sinks down to the bottom. My vision suddenly goes back to normal and my mind processes what's going on.

"Hunter!" I scream as I scramble to my feet. I fight through all the pain I am experiencing. I push the man out of the way and dive into the water. When I open my eyes, all I can see is green and brown. The water is too muddy to see. I surface to the top and take a large breath before diving back under.

I feel my way around the bottom before I feel something that seems to be a brick. My heart skips a beat as I feel a hand. I grab it and attempt to pull it to the top, but it's too heavy. I'm running out of breath fast and who knows how much longer Hunter can survive. I struggle as I try to untie the ropes. After a few seconds, the ropes float to the top and Hunter is free. As I was about to grab his hand, something took hold of mine and pulled me to the top.

When I reached the top I saw the man was holding me captive. Hunter still lay at the bottom and I didn't know how much longer he would survive down there.

"Let me go" I spit and bite his hand. He suddenly lets go and shakes his hand in pain. I quickly dive back under and make my way halfway to the bottom before he grabs my foot. I kick with all my might and do everything I can to squirm from his grasp. I kick aimlessly before feeling my foot hit his face and he lets go.

I swim to the bottom and frantically feel around before feeling Hunter's arm. I grab it and swim back up. When I make it to the top I hold him while I wade back to shore.

I carefully place him onto the sand and I hover over him.

"Hunter." I whisper. a tear falls from my cheek and lands on his soaked shirt. I lean down to hug him, but am pulled back by something. The man drags me into the water and doesn't let go.

"Let go of-" I begin but am stopped when he pushes my head under water. I grab at him and fight to make my way up for a breath.

I do everything I can before an idea comes into my head. I dive down enough where I can reach the bottom. His hand is on my foot and I stretch to reach the ground. I frantically feel around before finding the brick. I grab it and forcefully slam it into the man's knees. His legs give away and he lets go.

I surface the top and watch as the man sinks. He sways his hands back and forth before grabbing my foot and pulling me back under. I grab his arm and dig my nails into it, but he doesn't let go. We do a few barrel rolls before surfacing back to the top. The brick is still in my hand when we make it up and I smash it into his head.

He sinks back to the bottom and doesn't come back up this time. I sigh in relief as I swim back to shore and crawl over to where Hunter lay. His eyes stayed closed and his mouth was partially open. Suddenly, a though came to mine. I had to take a CPR class before babysitting, so I knew exactly what to do.

I lay my hands down onto his chest and begin to pump.

"Come on Hunter" I say. "Please stay with me."

I watch him as I see his eyelids twitch and hope washes over me.

"Come on. Come on."

After a few more pumps his eyes shoot wide open as he sits up and commences to cough up water.

My eyes light up and I bring him in for a hug once he stops coughing.

"I missed you." I tell him.

"W-what happened" he asks me in between coughs.

"All that matters is that you're here." I say.

"You saved my life" he says.

All I can do is smile and hug him tighter.