Demi's camp getaway

Chapter 26

Daddy issues

Demi's POV
"It's been hours, we need to call the police!" I cried "i think we should" Nick agreed. "Leo, are you sure you didn't see anyone strange around the high ropes?" I shouted "no I swear" Leo defended. I ran my hands through my hair and took deep breathes "don't worry we'll find her, she can't be far" Matt tried to comfort me. "I got them!" Rachel came running in with a laptop. She had been with security getting footage, "okay what time roughly?" She asked pressing some buttons. "Uhm, around 11 maybe? I heard yelling from the mountain bike ride trail, and I'm positive it was her" I answered. We all watched the screen and she clicked on a window that showed Hayley sitting on a rock. So she had just gone somewhere to cool off.
"What's she looking at?" Matt questioned while we kept watching. "She ran after it" Nick stated "quick click to the next camera" I hurried her as she clicked the next screen but it was just Hayley running. "Next one!"
I yelled not taking my eyes off the screen. "That's it. There's no more cameras. The ones facing outside the fences don't show any movement at that time" Rachel said. I turned the laptop to me and replayed the last video of Hayley running. I reversed it by a few seconds "look!" I cried. Everyone looked and I paused it to see a man running, he was wearing a grey coat. "Oh my god, the little girl was telling the truth" I cried "what little girl?" Nick almost shouted worried and confused "when I was driving around trying to find her, a little girl said she saw her and she was with the man in the grey coat" I answered "so, do you think he took her?" Rachel asked. I felt dizzy and the room started to spin, I rubbed my temples and had to sit down "I'm calling the police" Matt said dialling 911. I started to uncontrollably sob. "Rachel, download the videos on to a USB so we can give them to the police" Nick instructed
"Demi?.. Demi?" I heard Nick trying to get my attention but I couldn't talk to anyone right now so I ignored him until he got the hint. "This isn't your fault, we will find her she'll be okay" Nick tried to comfort me. But it didn't work. He doesn't know that for sure. No one did.

Hayleys POV
About 2 hours had past. I've been sitting in the corner of the room rocking back and fourth crying. My ears were ringing from the silence. I dont know what I'm waiting for. Will Demi find me? Will she even come looking for me? I wouldn't blame her if she didn't. I had been so horrible to her, and I ran off. She probably thinks I ran away and doesn't even know I'm in trouble. I started banging my head against the wall and digging my nails into my stitched up cuts. A few seconds later there was pounding on the door "what are you doing in there?!" He shouted while unlocking the chains. He stepped in and looked around frantically. I noticed him staring at my forehead "how'd you hit your head?" He asked. I turned my head away from him and stayed quiet. I heard him take a deep breath. "Keep it down in here. That's strike 2" he mumbled. I wanted to know what happened if I got to a certain number of strikes, would he kill me? I didn't know weather to test him or not. I was scared. I looked at him and swallowed the lump in my throat and wanted to ask but nothing came out. I was so scared, thirsty and tired. I looked him in the eyes. I hadn't seen my dad since I was 9, but I always had a feeling I'd see my parents again one day, but I expected that I'd feel a connection, like I'd know, a familiar feeling almost, but that wasn't the case. There was nothing familiar about this man, I didn't recognise him not in any way, and I wasn't sure how that made me feel.

He sat on the cot and stared at me with his head in his hands then looked up at me rubbing his forehead. He stood up and pulled something out of his pocket. "Do you know who this is?" He asked me holding out a small Polaroid picture. I stared at him then at the photo, it was Demi. How did he get that photo? How does he know Demi? I looked at him and answered, trying to hide the shock on my face and in my voice. "No" he looked at me smug. "No?" He smiled which sent shivers down my spine. "Are you sure? I'll give you one more chance to answer" he said crossing his arms stepping closer to me. "I've never seen this lady before" I gulped. He looked at me and snickered while reaching into he's pocket and pulled out another Polaroid, he waved it in front of my face "then what's this?" He whispered excitedly. I squinted to see the picture, my blood ran cold and my eyes almost bulged out of my head. It was a photo of me and Demi at the Cafe that time she took me to the doctors. I flew my hand over my mouth and tried not to sob. "You lied. That's strike 3" he smiled. I watched him raise a hand and felt a stinging pain across my face as I fell over on to the floor. "Ow!" I cried rubbing where he had struck me. "Next time, will be a worse punishment" my dad said sternly. I looked at him and nodded, with tears filling my eyes, so he knew I understood. He took a step back and sat back down on the cot. "Get off the dirty floor and come sit next to dad" he said patting the spot next to him. I hesitantly did as I was asked and I took a seat next to him. He turned he's body to face me, I felt him staring at me while I looked at the ground, feeling to scared and awkward to look at him. "Please let me go" I whispered. I looked up at him to see he's reaction but he's face was emotionless, but then he smiled. "Let you go? You just got here" I looked back down at my feet.