"Plea- please, please don't hurt me. You can't take me back there. Please. I have a family! Just let me go!" I yell with a few croaks every now and then, not daring to look at who it is. I keep my gaze on the floor with my head soon in my hands.

He's so close to me that running would be pointless. I am far too brittle to get away from whoever this individual is.

"Hey, honey relax. I'm sorry I scared you. What's wrong? Where are you from?... Woah you look terrible..." the man says as he nears me, taking in my bruised image. I quickly lift my head to see who's approaching me. The tense atmosphere that enclosed me mere seconds ago suddenly vacates. Tranquility replaces it as I see the unfamiliar man's worried expression.

"I've been kidnapped. Three days ago actually and only escaped yesterday. I have no idea where I am and honestly, I'm scared. I'm scared to death and hanging onto life by threads. I need to get hold of the police, do you have a cell phone? Please tell me you have a cellphone." I can feel the tears wanting to escape, but I'm so sick and tired of crying. I just want to get home.

"You've been what? How! When- I mean why? By who!" His startled state is getting me nowhere closer to home. Especially if he's going to start interrogating me.

"I can't answer you right now. Please, do you have a cell phone?"

"Ummm... Shit. My battery is dead," he says as he removes his phone from his pocket and sees that the screen refuses to flicker a display of some sort. My chests heaves up and down, breathing becomes difficult.

I'm hyperventilating.

"No no no no... Please. I've come this far. I can't go back! What if they find me!? You have to help me!" I state with a heavy heart.

"Breathe!! Of course I'll help you.. And don't worry. The Sheriff's station is close by." He assures me and my hope returns.

After intakes of deep breathe, I thank him and ask him to lead me the way. The station is only two buildings away. Instead of interrogating me any further, he reassures me of how everything is going to be okay. I cannot help myself from looking back every now and then, making sure that they haven't found me.

We reach the Sheriff's station and he tells me to go inside, that he has to return to his wife before she accuses him of adultery. Setting my befuddled state aside from his odd reasoning for departure, I thank him once again for being helpful and quickly go inside.

Once I'm inside, a few heads pop up and I can feel eyes trailing my body from head to toe. "Can someone please help me?" I yell out not knowing where to go to. 

"Oh my, what happened to you!?" An elderly lady shrieks as she turns around from the front desk after she hears my sudden outburst. Before I can answer her my head snaps towards a tiny voice.

"Mommy, what's wrong with that girl?" a little kid questions her mother as they sit on a nearby bench. "I don't know sweetheart, but it's not our place to find out. Come on. Let's go," she says as she grabs the child's hand and her handbag before leaving.

The other standby spectators seem to be too startled by my state to proceed with their previous motions. They all hold their breath as if my presence poisoned the air. Their eyes as round as the lens of a Nikon camera. While zooming in on my appearance, they seem to widen.

"Young lady. What seems to be the problem?" someone says from my left. 

I immediately turn towards the random voice and see an officer approaching me. As soon as his eyes do a quick scan of my body, he becomes one of the spectators. He freezes in his spot, equally alarmed as the rest. But he makes a quick recovery and continues to approach me.

"What happened to you?" he questions before I can answer his previous question.

"I need your help to get back home. I've been kidnapped three days ago and found a way to escape yesterday," I say deciding to reply to both questions.

"Kidnapped!?" the old woman shrieks again. Everyone else simply gasps in horror.

"Yes and I just want to go back home." My voice croaks and comes out rather whisper-like. My eyes tear up and I can feel my nose wanting to run away. I start sniffing to keep my nose and its contents in place.

"Where did you come from?" he questions, his tone softer as if approaching a fragile bird.

"From... I don't actually know. I've never been here or-, or there before. I don't know where I am," I reply while my eyes scan around the station with blurry vision, but I blink back the tears.

"Do you think you'll be able to identify the kidnapper?" another officer questions as she gets up from her desk and walks over to us.

"Kidnappers," I correct her.

"Sorry?"

"She said, kidnappers. Meaning there are more than one of them, deary. How are you an officer when you cannot seem to pay attention?" The old lady jumps in before I get to explain. I completely forget that she's still present.

"I think it's best we go and talk to the Sheriff about this," the officer says as he places a hand on my shoulder and starts rubbing his thumb in circles. 

This is his way of consoling me. Little does he know that it's not working, but I appreciate the effort. I nod in agreement and he cautiously places his hand that was on my shoulder now onto my back. He starts walking and I eagerly follow by walking next to him. 

"Okay, everyone. Please continue with your day. We have everything under control here," the female officer announces and immediately everyone does as she instructs them to. Her voice is rather authoritative and frightening.

There's just something about officers that generally scare me. Even when I know that I have done absolutely nothing wrong, the mere sight of them is enough to make me sweat half my body weight away. It's the uniform they wear along with their respective badges and their flawless posture. It's powerful, assertive, commanding, it seeks respect, yet I fear it. Not to mention their weapons of defence or mass destruction. When used inexcusably, it can cause havoc, pain and suffering. When used justly, it can save someone's life, however potentially ending another.

I never thought I would one day have to have an encounter with an officer, let alone depend on one. It feels strange and out of place. Yet safe and comforting knowing that I'm surrounded by people whom I can trust.

We end our walk as we stop in front of an office door. 'Sheriff Leonard Porter' is tactfully affixed to the front of the door. The officer removes his hand from my back and knocks on the door. Instead of barging in like they do in the movies, he removes his hand and waits patiently.

"Come on in," says a voice from the other side of the room. 

With the approval the officer seeks, he pushes the door open and we're greeted by a mop of grey hair and ocean blue eyes. An elderly man sits behind a desk with his hands neatly folded on a file he had just closed. A perplexed look spreads across his face as soon as he detects me.

"What's going on Lieutenant?" Sheriff Porter questions.

So he's a lieutenant. That's a much higher ranking than an officer. Now I know I'm safe, I think while the lieutenant explains.

"She came in yelling for help. I approached her and questioned what the matter was and the girl speaks of being kidnapped and escaping. She doesn't know where the place is she came from or where she's currently at. However, she says that she'll be able to identify the kidnappers."

"Is that all true?" Sheriff Porter's eyes dart towards me. I have a strong feeling that he doesn't believe me. I simply nod my head to answer his question.

An awkward silence fills the room and I start rubbing my arms not knowing where to look or what to do. I know the Sheriff is busy studying me as I can feel his eyes scanning me, the lieutenant chooses not to interfere. So standing here, secretly begging to be taken home is what I have to do.

"Please, do take a seat. I apologise if I make you feel uncomfortable in anyway. It's just we have never had a case like this in many years. This is certainly something big." Not knowing what to say back to him, I walk over to the seat in front of the desk and sit down. The lieutenant takes a seat beside me. 

"Do you need anything? Water? Food? Warmer clothing?" The Sheriff begins.

"I need my parents," I mumble beneath my breathe not thinking that anyone would hear me, but their sharp ears prove me wrong. "We will contact your parents as soon as possible. We just need to open up a case file for you in order to help you deal with this correctly. I couldn't possibly imagine what you have gone through." Like rainfall to a drought, his words give me hope. I keep my head low in order to wipe away a strain tear, then nod and lift my head back up.

"I haven't eaten in a while and I'd definitely appreciate less revealing clothing."

"Lieutenant. You heard the young lady. Get moving." Without question, he gets up and walks to exit the office. "And get the paperwork ready for a new case file." The lieutenant nods and leaves the office.

"If I may ask, have they hurt you in any way?" 

I don't know if he's as blind as a bat or simply trying to prevent an awkward silence from filling the room... again. But I answer nonetheless.

"They promised not to, but these bruises on my body clearly proves otherwise," I say, pointing out the obvious.

"When and where exactly did they kidnap you?"

"Three days ago. I left school because my b-, because I wasn't feeling well and I wanted to get home to the comfort of my bedroom. While walking a few streets away from school I saw a vehicle approach me. I freaked out and was ready to run, but after a family exited the vehicle I just felt pathetic."

"You should never feel that way just because you keep your guard up. It's what keeps you safe," he says sternly, yet I can hear the sympathy in his voice.

"Funny thing is, I felt so stupid I let my guard down that when a second vehicle pulled up, instead of running away, I walked closer and that's when they got me," I say as I lower my head. The memories flooding my thoughts.

"I know that what you have gone through must have been absolutely horrific. But you somehow gained enough courage and will power to escape. You found a way out. You freed yourself and we will ensure that that freedom lasts an eternity." He says as he gets up from his desk, walks around and sits in a squat position in front of my seat. I wipe away at my eyes before any tears can escape.

All my life I have been afraid of law enforcement. Been afraid to interact with them. Did my best to follow the law, to stay far away from them. But right now, it's those exact people I tried to stay away from that's willing to help me. That understands me and will protect me. "Thank you so much," I say and cannot prevent myself from hugging the sweet and caring old man, who's doing his best to console a broken teenage girl. He must have hundreds of other cases to solve, yet he's putting me first right now.

"There's no need to thank me. No one deserves to go through so much pain," he says while returning the hug and starts rubbing my back gently. Such an honorable and caring man.

After a while, I let go of him and vice versa.

"I'm going to go and get some files. So wait right here. I'll be back soon." And with that said, he gets up and leaves the room. I sit here, not knowing, once again, what to do. I know I should stay seated, but I feel helpless not doing anything to speed up this whole process. Hopefully he'll let me phone my parents when he returns. I cannot go another second without hearing their voices.

After sitting here, awaiting Sheriff Porter's return, I decided to get up and reach over for the telephone. I can't believe my imbecilic eyeballs only caught sight of the telephone now. So young yet so blind. Just as I pick up the telephone, there's a sudden change of atmosphere. The air around me becomes nostalgic. My palms are clammy and my heart is racing.

Why am I so nervous to phone my parents? I wonder.

Can you get done! They're probably worried sick! Jess speaks up and excitement spikes to hear her. I honestly thought she left me.

I start to dial the numbers.

"There you are." A voice so familiar announces that the hair on the back of my neck rises. It sends cold shivers down my spine and for some or other reason I stop dialing.

Rotating my head slowly, I try to convince myself that it's all an illusion, but there he is. Standing right behind me in the doorway. Is none other than the monster who stripped me away from my life simply because he could.

Steven.

My heart instantly drops to the ground. This can't be real.