Sadie's POV
It was as if I was 12 years old again, sitting on the bottom of my best friend Rebecca's swimming pool seeing how long we could hold our breath for. The other kids around us would be at the surface yelling and splashing around but the noise was muffled and almost tuned out completely.
That's how it feels right now.
I'm staring into the eyes of the young police officer who is explaining to me how the kidnapper had used Emery's window to break in and steal her away while she was sleeping. I could hear him, barely. The blood rushing through my ears nearly drowned out all the sound around me, muffled voices.
Kent squeezed my hand from where he was sitting next to me. I couldn't take my eyes off the officer who had now started talking to my husband instead. My mother stood behind us, cradled in my father's arms as she continued to sob. I felt like crying too, I just couldn't yet. This was all a dream. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't happening.
"What are you guys doing to find her?" Kent's voice rang out, still muffled but I heard him. I finally tore my eyes away from the young officer and stared at my husband who's eyes were filled with tears yet his emotions showed nothing but anger. "That's my little girl out there!"
"Sir, please try to stay calm, that's all we can do at the moment. My men are out there as we speak searching for your daughter," The officer responded with worry clear in his eyes. Was he telling us the truth? Or was this just another case where the child will never be found? What do they call that . . . a cold case?
Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my side and made me crumple over.
"Sadie!" Kent called out and grabbed me so that I wouldn't fall from the chair. "What's wrong? Is it the baby? Are you okay?"
"I....I'm fine," I managed to whisper, sitting back up in the chair while the pain dulled a bit. All this stress was definitely not good for our baby...
"Is there anything we can do to help?" My father asked, stepping forward to place his hands on my shoulders and give them a trembling squeeze. I glanced over at Kent again who's eyes wouldn't leave mine. He seemed to have aged 5 more years since the news of our baby girl being kidnapped. I'm sure I look the same as well.
I mentally kicked myself, how dare I be thinking about looks at a time like this. My baby was somewhere out there with strangers and who knows what they were planning on doing with her!
"If you'd like you can accompany search parties, we've already sent an Amber alert out with your daughter's description as well as put her picture on the news and internet," The officer took a deep breath. "We will do everything we can to find your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Agather, I promise you that,"
"We'll go search for her, you two need to go back to the house," My father said pointing at my mother and I.
"No, no you can't go anywhere right now," I pleaded, grabbing onto Kent's jacket. Kent reached forward and pulled me against him, holding me tight for a few moments before letting me go.
"Sadie, listen to me now," Kent grabbed my face with both hands and I felt the hot tears begin to roll down my cheeks. He was gentle with me and his grip wasn't harsh, just firm "there's no way in hell I'll be caught sitting at home waiting for other people to find our daughter. I have to go out there, she has to know that we did everything we could to get her back,"
Kent's tears fell now too and he pulled me close again, both of us crying into each other's arms. The thought of my daughter not being found sent a hard knot into my chest that made it hard to breathe, I felt as though I was being pushed against a concrete wall and there was no way out.
"I'm going too," I finally said, pulling away from Kent.
"No, you and your mom need to go back to the house, lock it up and wait for us to come home," Kent said, wiping away some of my tears while his continued to fall. "Your mother needs you right now too, don't let her think it was her fault,"
All I could do was nod while Kent leaned down and kissed me quickly. My father kissed my distraught mother as well and then they both headed towards the door.
"Kent," I called out before he was outside, my husband turned to look at me then, tears were no longer in his eyes but they were red and he looked so tired. "Bring our baby home,"
Kent nodded and then they were gone.
The officer decided to give us a ride home instead of letting us drive ourselves, knowing neither of us were in the right state to drive. The whole way back my mother and I were quiet while the officer continued to assure us that they will find my daughter.
As we pulled up to the house, with lights still on, my mother and I staggered from the car and held onto each other as we walked up to the door.
"Would you ladies feel more comfortable if I sent an officer to stay with you?" The officer called out to us.
I stared at my mom for a moment and I knew there was no chance of her being alright anytime soon, hell there was no chance I'd be alright anytime soon either.
"Yes, that would be great," I tired to smile but couldn't find the strength.
"I'll call one in right now, he should be here within 5 minutes, is that alright or would you like for me to stay with you?"
"We should be alright for 5 minutes," The officer nodded, jumped into his car and sped away.
Holding onto my mothers arm, I helped her up the few steps and into the house, after unlocking the front door.
"Sadie....I...how did this happen....I didn't....she was in bed for....just a minute...I went to check...." My mother continued to stutter as I pulled her in close to give her a hug. I don't know how I was remaining so calm, even as I continued to cry I tried to comfort my mother to the best of my ability. I couldn't imagine how she was feeling at this moment. She blamed herself, I knew she did, but in reality she had no control over what had happened. The last thing my mother needed to do was hate herself for my daughter being kidnapped, it wasn't her fault.
"Everything is going to be alright, they're going to find her and catch the person who did this," I whispered with a shaky voice while my mother clung to me.
For what seemed like thirty minutes we stood in the small entry hall in my home that suddenly didn't feel like home anymore. When both of our crying had calmed down a bit we stepped away from each other.
"I'm going to make some tea," She muttered, slowly walking towards the kitchen.
"I'm going to grab my charger," I needed my phone to be completely charged that way if Kent or the Police Station needed to get a hold of me they could and I could keep up with the news. I needed to turn on the TV as well.
I rushed into my bedroom and unplugged the charger from my nightstand.
"Mom, will you turn on the TV to the news channel?" I called out, tossing off my jacket and grabbing one of Kent's large sweatshirts to throw on instead.
My mother didn't respond.
"Mom?" I called out a little louder, again no response. Maybe she just couldn't hear me. I tucked the charger into the sweatshirt pocket and felt the cool metal of a pocket knife that Kent must have left from whenever he last wore this sweatshirt and hurried out of the bedroom.
"Mom, did you hear me?" I asked again as I nearly sprinted down the hall, feeling my heart tighten as I passed my daughter's empty room. "Mom!"
I came to a sudden stop as soon as I entered the kitchen and the tears began falling all over again.
"Well, she finally decided to join us," The wicked voice that had haunted my dreams for far too long sent chills down my spine and I was paralyzed, stuck to the ground. I stared at him for a moment, watching as he repositioned the glistening kitchen knife closer to the base of my mother's neck. My mother's breath hitched and she tried to choke back a sob.
"Stop!" I screamed, taking a step forward but he only pressed the knife harder into my mother's skin. My mother whimpered and I saw a drop of blood seep out from where the blade was pressing.
"Stay right there and I won't hurt your mother anymore," He hissed out, a devilish grin forming over his mouth. "This is between you, me and your beloved little family,"
He had to have Emery. I knew it was him all along!
"Where the hell is my daughter?" I yelled, keeping my eyes glued to his. I was tired of these games, this had to end. Tonight.
"She's safe, for now. Too bad I can't say the same for you two," He suddenly shoved my mother away from him and into my arms. I caught her cold body and we both tumbled to the floor. With the knife still in his hand, he walked closer and closer to us.
"What the hell are you doing?" I pushed my mother behind me, trying to protect her as much as possible but as soon as he was done with me, she would be next. What was he planning on doing? Killing us? Holding us hostage? What the hell did he want from me?
He reached out and grabbed a hold of my hair, tugging upwards so that I was forced to let go of my mother and grab my hair instead. My head began throbbing immediately. My mother continued to cry and beg him to stop hurting me.
"You ruined my life!" He screamed into my face, cocking his arm back and slapping me hard against the side of my face. The stinging that spread throughout my face from the slap shocked me and actually took my breath away. I knew he was crazy, I always knew he was crazy but no one would listen to me. "So now I'm going to ruin yours,"
Without saying another word he yanked me to my feet and proceeded to drag me away from my mother, away from the kitchen and towards the hallway.
"Stop! Where are you taking her?" My mother screamed, following us and grabbing my leg to pull me away from him. It was no use, I could thrash about and scream and kick but he was going to get whatever he wanted.
"Shut the hell up you old hag!" He whipped around and kicked my mother square in the chest.
"Mom!" I screamed, fighting against his hold to rush to my mother but he tightened his grip and pulled me back. My mother lay on the ground holding her chest and gasping for air. If she didn't get medical attention soon she could die. "She's going to die, let me help her, please!"
I begged him over and over, pleading with him but he only laughed and drug me down the hall to mine and Kent's bedroom. I was close to hyperventilating when he threw me on the bed and closed and locked the bedroom door.
"Any last words before I finally give you what you deserve, Sadie?" He took slow steps towards me with every word he spoke and as he did so I scrambled back on the bed, to get more space between us. Frantically, I glanced around for anything I could use.
The pocket knife.
I tried to discreetly pull out the pocket knife as he got closer and closer. Thankfully he didn't noticed and I slipped the knife behind my back, grasping it with shaking hands.
"Yes, actually," I smirked up at him, hoping I looked braver than I felt. "I'm going to kill you Charlie,"