I told the man everything. About Mia, about the men and how I had run through the woods.
He told me that his name was Herschel. He had never been married and lived alone.
At first he insisted we go to the police. "I can't go back." I told him. If I went to the police they'd send me back to my house. Then the men would try to kidnap me again. I had a feeling something bad was going on.
I lived in a pretty nice neighborhood. But lately there had been a lot of kidnappings. I couldn't go back home until I knew what was going on.?
"I have a place you can stay." Herschel said. I nodded and he walked over to his bike. I followed. He walked alongside the bike and I followed, a few steps behind him.
After walking on the paved road for about ten minutes, we came to a gate. Herschel kept walking, obliviously unfazed by the gate. I stopped and stared at the gate. Herschel stopped and looked back at me. I raised my eyebrow questioningly. "This is the gate to the community." he said. I took one last look at the gate and kept walking.
We had been walking for about ten minutes. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. That gate seemed extremely suspicious to me.
Herschel started telling me how he was the neighborhood watch and maintenance worker for the community. I wasn't really listening, I only picked up bits and pieces if what he said.
I sighed and ran my fingers through my long brown hair. I still felt like I was being watched. I stuck my hand in my jeans pocket. I felt my phone. I had fore gotten that I had it. I pulled it out. I had like a million calls from my cousin, Isabel. "Um.. do you mind if I make a call?" I asked Herschel. "Go ahead." he replied leisurely. I grabbed my phone and dialed Isabel's number.
It rung twice and then a panicked Isabel came on the phone.
