Put yourself in what happened to me last Friday, Ok? I am an adult who has an 8-year-old son whose name is Jonah and he is just one special, cute child. One day, the doorbell rang and when I opened the door there was a cardboard box and nobody there. I looked around outside with suspicion of why someone would just leave a box on my doorstep. I carefully grab the box and walk inside of my house. I was curious with why it is so quiet in the house but I kept focus on the box. I was scared to open the box because what if it’s a bomb, what if it’s something bad, but it could also be a million dollars or a free coupon. There could be a chance that it is good or bad. I take the chance and open the box. Inside is a little sticky note that says, “Are you sure you still have a son?” My heart starts rapidly pumping. I sprint toward my son’s room with hope that he is ok or even still there. When I reach his room…he is gone. My heart sinks but I still have a little hope because he could be in the other rooms. I yell his name many times but no answer. I run around the house like a wild pig trying to find him, but he is nowhere to be found. I worry so much that I feel sick. My phone rings, and my heartbeats. I answer with hesitation, “Hello?” My voice is so wobbly and weak. I am weak. There is a woman who answers. I couldn’t tell how old she was, but she sounded different.
“Do you want your son?” She answers aggressively.
“Who are you?” I answer quickly.
“No questions, you only do what I say in order to get your son back.” She says snapping.
“What do I have to do?” I say with fear.
I can’t believe that I became this. I can’t believe that I am so worried that I feel so sick. My phone rings.
“Hello?” I say.
“Do you see that grey Volkswagen?” She replies.
“Yes?”
“Get in it and you have 20 minutes to take it to Sophie’s Mexican Restaurant.”
“How do I get in it if it’s locked?” I say with attitude.
“I will unlock it.”
I wanted to question her but I only had 20 minutes to get to Sophie’s Mexican Restaurant and it takes 25 minutes to get there and she had already hung up. I charge after the car with no hesitation. I see that the door was locked but then all of a sudden it unlocks. I jump and look around with curiosity. How could she open the doors if she isn’t even here? I go back to what I was doing…getting in the car. I hop into the car and start to drive. I notice this little beeping sound. I look around the car while I’m driving and find something. It’s a bomb. There is 20 minutes set on it and it’s counting down already. I get a call.
“If you get to the restaurant on time then it won’t go off.”
“Are you crazy?!”
“No questions. Just do what I say if you want your son back alive.”
I had no choice but to do what she said. I’m driving about 100 mph and I don’t care if I’m running red lights. I needed to get to the restaurant because not only my son would die but I would die and more people because of the bomb. Tick, Tick 1 minute left. Tick, Tick 45 seconds. I was about five blocks away. My heart was pounding. What if I don’t make it? What if I do, what will she make me do after this? Tick, Tick 10 seconds. Tick, Tick five seconds. My heart pounds so hard that I feel like I’m having a heart attack. I reach the restaurant at one second left. I made it. I breathe heavily but I never get a chance to actually breathe in this situation. My phone rings.
“Good. Now go inside and behind the counter, there is a key. Get the key and go to the motel that is the closest to here.”
“Ok”
I go to the counter looking around. I look to see if anyone was looking at me but good news, nobody was looking. I go behind the counter and grab the key. I run to the car hoping that nobody saw me steal the key. I get in the car and there is this old man running towards me.
He yells furiously, “Get out me car!”
I look at him with fear but then I drive off with no word with this old man. I go to the closest motel and I don’t know what room or anything. I go to my phone history but for some reason the number has been erased. My heart drops. The phone rings again.
“What are you doing just standing there? Did I tell you to just stand-“
I interrupted her, “What room? What do I have to do?”
She is silent. I stand there waiting. Waiting for something to happen. Waiting for the answers. I hope that she wont hang up. I hope that she will tell me.
“Go to room 253 and don’t take the elevator.”
“The elevator?”
She hung up right after. I go towards the elevator just ignoring her instructions. I reach for the button and push it. I pull back because it is hot. The button could be about 200 degrees, but why is it still in position? I follow her instructions. I go up the stairs to room 253 and once I reach the door, she calls.
“I unlocked it for you. Now enter.”
I enter and looked around. I see nothing unusual that seems like I’m supposed to be looking for. I hear a noise and jump. I look over and see that the TV is turned on. It is showing a video of my son and me. When we were on a trip together. How could she have gotten this? We were alone and we didn’t even take a video of it. I felt like we were watched our whole lives and stalked like prey. I turn around but no one was there. I look back at the TV and there I was. It was filming me. I was able to see myself on the TV. My heart pounds. Now I am scared. I get a phone call.
“Hello” I say with hesitation.
“You are too late. You always were.”
I was silent. I am first sad. Sad that I lost my son. Sad that I will never see him again. She made me do all that work for just me to find out that he is gone. I get confused. Then I get furious.
“Why did you make me do this?!”
“Go home”
“Why, Why did you do this!”
She hung up with no answer. I sit in the room for 30 minutes in confusion and frustration, but I never got another call. I take the bus home because the car that I used was gone. I sit in the bus with sadness. I sigh once or twice. When I get home the box is gone and my son is in his room asleep. I smile then walk in his room and lay next to him.
