Chapter 2

 "Tell them they are next" commanded a hoarse voice. "Tell who? Who are you and what do you want from me? " I squealed. I felt like I was suffocating, shadows danced around the room. The sharp sound of tyres screeching echoed in my head. I was trapped! The repulsive smell of blood and smoke filled the vehicle. " Help!" I coughed violently "help!" Why can't anyone hear me!? I wiggled around desperate to free myself from the rope that had tightly been secured around my wrists and legs. I groaned, as I felt someone yank me out of the vehicle and toss me over their shoulder carrying me away from the burning car. "Help! " I jolted upright in my bed. My nightshirt now covered in sweat. Shaking, I grabbed my phone off of the nightstand and dialled the first number that came to mind.

"Hey" answered a deep sleepy voice. Unable to control my shock I sobbed. " Again?" he asked, " calm down I'm on my way." Ever since the kidnapping I have been haunted by nightmares. At first, I couldn't see anything, all I heard were voices and the smell of blood and smoke seemed so real. Every night its as if the dreams kept getting more and more graphic. "Sam" he called. I rushed and flung the door open. I clung onto him trying to collect myself. "hey it's okay" he reassured gently brushing my hair.

" It felt so intense this time, so real." I sniffled "I wish I could see their faces maybe then..."

" Then, the nightmares would stop?" He finished.

"Sam, you have to learn to let it go or you will never be free. Try and forgive them even if you might never know who they are or why they did it. Once you learn to forgive you will be able to heal." Skyler was the only friend left whom I could rely on. Everyone else seemed so cold and distant but, he still stuck around. Amber and dad both had demanding jobs and having known Skyler since childhood he automatically became my source of strength.He always stayed with me whenever Amber or Dad were not around. He said he would be "babysitting" for them but i knew he just wouldnt want to be around his alcoholic father. Knowing someone else was in the house was always reassuring for me. Whenever I was around him I felt safe like I could do anything. "Thank you".

" Try going back to bed everything will be okay I promise." he smiled.

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" Sam, I'm doing the laundry now" my cousin Amber called from the basement. "Coming" I responded as I searched my room for the clothes I wore the night before and headed to her. "There you go hope you don't mind washing my bag for me too my wrists still hurt," I said handing her the clothes "Thanks for doing the laundry cuzzie". "It's not like I had much of a choice," she said smirking. "Of course you don't" I pushed my chest out and acted proudly before returning to my room and locking myself in.

I still felt guilty for not telling the 'cop', Christopher the whole truth. I replayed every question he had asked, every word I had said to him in my mind. I tried to recall his voice the deep look he had in his eyes. Despite the pain from my throbbing cheek, I squeezed my eyes shut trying to recall everything that happened the night of the ball yet, the only question that refused to leave my mind was who is he?

Who was he who pulled me into the darkness and tried to take me with him? Who was he working for and why? Why me? All these questions I wished I could ask him, I wished I could see his face and ask why? Slowly I got lost in my mind, drifting with the thoughts that bubbled up in my head.

"Sam! Samantha! Get down here!" Amber screamed. Frightened at the sudden sound I obeyed and darted downstairs. At the end of the staircase stood one, angry girl who had in her hand what looked like two handfuls of jewellery? "Amber where did you get those?"

"I should be asking you that!" she snapped. "I found these in your bag you know the one you used last night, want to tell me how they got there?"

"I, I don't know " I stuttered, "I have no idea I promise you, Amber, I really I, I"

"I, I, I what? Speak Sam! And isn't this Lilly's bracelet? is this why someone did this to you?" she yelled gesturing at my face. I stood frozen in place, speechless.

She tossed the jewellery on the staircase in frustration. Her constant pacing up and down was making me feel dizzy. She patted her head and mumbled something that sounded like "stupid, stupid girl!" . "you know when Emmy told me what happened I didn't want to believe it but, now, I don't know what to think". "Wait Beverly told you what? What did she say to you, Amber?"

She sighed but continued to pace up and down arms crossed as she said, "Emily called me saying there was a robbery and you just disappeared, she was worried about you but people think you were involved".

Finally, she stopped her pacing and said: "There's only one way to prove these are real right?"

Amber didn't have to finish talking for me to understand what she was thinking. A few moments later we found ourselves in the basement. Amber held a brick high above her head ready to strike the diamond necklaces that lay before us, half of which I did not recognize. I silently said a prayer hoping that they were authentic, but my hopes were crushed when I realized that I wouldn't get to keep that anyway. So I scrapped that idea.

In the blink of an eye, the brick collided with the jewels causing a loud crash and sending the fragments of the fake plastic look-a-likes flying across space. The rest remained untouched without a scratch to be found. I felt like I was being swept away by a huge wave, or smashed by a train. Until I realized that I was being crushed.

Amber had let go of the brick and it had landed on my foot that was not so numb anymore. "Oh gooseberries Sam, sorry" Amber apologized after I giggled, trying to suppress one ear-piercing scream that would have our neighbors at our gate fully armed.

This would be because of a gatecrashed slumber party when the girls came over to celebrate pulling off the greatest excuse for playing truant.

This was to avoid seeing Mrs Hubbard, who was angry at me, Jade, Lilly, and Emmy for bringing fish for show and tell in science class {yes, we still have those in the tenth grade} that chewed on her finger violently when she touched them. Anyway, that evening a few hooligan college boys thought that they could rob us. To cut a long story short, thanks to my extremely loud ear-piercing scream our neighbors came to the rescue.

I lay some ice on my throbbing foot gently. I fiddled with a cushion trying not to concentrate on  the pain I was feeling. "Amber, can't we turn those in?"

"No, I wasn't wearing gloves remember and they were in your jacket "

We sat in silence brainstorming on any other way around the sticky situation. Until, "William! ". I blurted nearly leaping out of my seat at the thought. "Whoa Sam, what about him?" Amber asked as she gently pushed me back into my seat. "He can analyse this for us, I'm sure he can trace the fingerprints that aren't ours. Does he still work in forensics?".

Amber's face flashed a gleam of hope, which faded away almost instantly when we both realized, the fact that if this was serious then the fewer people who knew about it the better it would be. For them that is. " You know what, give them to me, I'll keep them safe till we find a solution." I nodded my head in approval. I was ready to take anything that would make me feel less guilty.

With all the weight I was carrying around for more than a week, I had to get away from everyone and find my peaceful place. Even though I had opened up to my entrusted cousin, the weight was still heavy on my shoulders. What made me feel even more broken was the fact that all my friends were avoiding me like the plague. I got dressed and did my best to cover up the scars with makeup. I was desperate to escape, to get some space. I walked for ages until my weary feet brought me to an attractive little corner coffee shop I had not noticed before. I didn't even stop to check for my purse, I crossed the street, walking over to the shop curiosity now overpowering my worry.

Large light bulbs hung from bronze cables on the ceiling, the air was warm inside the little coffee shop. The sign outside read The Golden Kettle and the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee welcomed me in. The few faces that turned to see me walk in didn't seem to recognize me as they glanced at me then continued with their business. It was perfect. I sat down on a cushy chair and ordered some carrot cake and coffee.

It was like a brand new world that was about only six blocks away! A safe, quiet place where no-one knew me, where no-one cared to stop and judge me. The freshly ground coffee was sweet and had subtle notes of nuts and cinnamon. The hearty carrot cake was moist, had a heavenly aroma and an unfamiliar taste, like a secret ingredient that tasted oh so divine.

"Hey", coffee splattered all over the table as the sound of a soft masculine voice and the feel of cold hands against my shoulders made my heart pound right out of my chest.