Horrifying New Start (Book I)

Chapter One - A Warning

“Thanks.”

“By the way your father called and wants to have you over at his house…”

I didn’t want to call him back. The last time he called me was a month ago. It’s ridiculous. He and my mom are fine though. 

Friends, is what mom likes to call it. She calls him every so often when she thinks I can’t hear her to yell at him for forgetting to call me. But he’s been really busy.

I understand though; his work, his kids, and his new wife. I’m fine because I have my mom, friends, and soccer, which is all I need.

“I’ll call him later,” I muttered over my shoulder as I went to get my peanut butter. 

* * * * * 

“Did you hear about the disappearances?” asked my friend, Zoey. 

I stared at her. Of course I have, it’s all my mom talks about. "Watch your back. Don’t trust strangers." is all she says now.

“Yeah, I heard a week ago that the number is up to a hundred and seventy-seven,” I  murmured and shifted uncomfortably at the subject.

Zoey paused, her eyes on her feet and whispered, “It’s up to two hundred and eighty-nine.”

“Oh my gosh.” I touched my purse where I kept my pepper spray. 

“You remember Jamie?” she asked suddenly.

It took me a few minutes to think of who Jamie was, and another few to realize the tone Zoey was using when she had mentioned her name. I leaned closer to her unintentionally, wanting to hear more.

“Yeah, she used to be in my History class last year. What about her?”

“She’s come up missing...” she muttered. 

“What? I just saw her like two weeks ago.” My eyes were wide, and I couldn't comprehend what she was saying.

Jamie was the smart and quiet girl in school. The last time I saw her was in the lunch room, when I offered her to sit with me. We had talked for a long time about her hobbies, family...  What I remember is that she was very sweet.

“Yeah... I’m getting scared. Its only girls missing.” Zoey bit her lip.

“You might want to get some pepper spray,” I told her, and then slammed my locker door.

No one knows what in the world was actually going on, I mean, girls are missing, and only girls.

What kind of creeps would take over two hundred girls? There hasn't been a single witness to the kidnappings, and that's what makes everyone afraid to step outside of their house. It could be anyone.

It was dark outside, and we just got out of our late, Friday night movie. Zoey and Hannah were at my side, talking all about the movie that we had just seen.

“That was a stupid movie,” Hannah whined.

The movie was really cheesy, though we heard it was good, it was just a lie. Only Zoey thought it was good, in my opinion, it was a serious tear jerker 

“I can’t believe the guy died in it, it was so sad.” Zoey frowned with her eyes glistening with new tears; the movie really affected her.

The cold air blew right through me, making me to just shiver in my thin jacket. Something moved in a tree beside my car, making me jump slightly. Maybe it was a big bird? I thought as my heart picked up speed.

I kept walking, even faster now. My heart was speeding up even quicker now.  Everything began to feel very wrong.  A chill ran down my spine as I grew closer to the car.

“So do you still have some skittles?” Hannah asked me, completely unaware of my panic.

I tore my wide eyes away from the tree and looked at her wildly.  Did she not feel it?  The sheer terror that I felt at this very moment? 

“Yeah, they’re in my purse, but you have to drive home, then you can have them.”

“Deal.”

I tossed her the keys and skipped to the car. I heard something move so close to me, making me freeze. Paranoia swept through me in an instant as I began to think of all the things that could possibly be in that tree.

“Did you hear that?” I asked. I was looking around me, but saw nothing.

“What?” they both asked looking around.

Then I felt something touch my leg, like something wrapping around it. I screamed and jumped onto my car, feeling idiotic while doing so.

“What?!” Hannah cried, nearly dropping her purse.

“What’s wrong Sam?” Zoey asked as she looked around frantically.

“Something grabbed my leg!” I cried, climbing up on the roof of my car.

They stared at my like I needed people in white coats to drag me off. I felt something close to me, like I was being watch by more than just Zoey and Hannah.

They don't believe me... I was desperate to show them how serious I really was.

“I don’t see anything,” Hannah muttered, acting like she was actually looking around the cold dark parking lot.

“I swear something grabbed my leg.”

“Let’s just head home,” Zoey said. I saw her turn and give Hannah a look.

I clenched my jaw, frustrated that I wasn't being taken seriously. What if something was in the tree? So much for best friends... I climbed off the car and snatched up my purse in an angry manner then headed to the back seat, not making eye contact with either of them.

Then something wrapped around my leg again, before I could even get in the car, and this time it was tight. I screamed bloody murder, and a list of profanities that my mother will pass out if she heard.

“Nothing is there Sam!” screamed Hannah.

Then I fell to the ground and got pulled into the street by something strong.  I was so terrified that I could barely breathe, or even move. The thing that was dragging me, I couldn't even see.

Hannah and Zoey chased after me with tears in their eyes. I screamed and cried, while my fingers were bleeding from scraping on the pavement, trying to stop myself, though the pain that matter.

The last thing I saw of Hannah and Zoey. Zoey was pulling her cell phone out and Hannah still running toward me. But I was going so fast that I was a thousand feet away in seconds.

I was pulled into the grass of a park then I stopped, I felt like I was burning from getting dragged on the concrete.

Blood covered my raw hands, and then the thing around my leg loosened, giving me the advantage.

I kicked something hard and jumped up, running at top speed. But suddenly something grabbed my waist and lifted me in the air.

“Stop!” I cried at the invisible object.

This is not happening. I was going to die, like all the other girls who still haven't been found.

Something sprayed me in the face and I was out in less than a second…