Sought and Snatched

Chapter 24

Josephine's P.O.V

Why was this happening again? Where some of the girls they kidnapped students who went to my school? My breathing became more rapid and shallow.

A great sob escaped me and I covered my face with shaking hands. "Maddie, Clara I'm so sorry. I should have been able to save both of you but I couldn't! I'm so sorry."

She shoved Clara's head in the toilet again. She laughed as she watched Clara struggle.

I fell to my knees crying out. Everything was coming back into my brain too fast and the memories were too fresh to erase. Time and time again I failed the people I cared about most. Just when I thought I had a say in the future the people around me got hurt.

Carter helped me to my feet and held me close to my chest. He stroked my hair. Then he pulled away to look at me and wiped my tears and snot running down my nose.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm not okay," I whispered.

Luna came to us and joined in on the hug and I shut my eyes. It wasn't fair. Why did they have to die while I stayed here?

Luna took my hands. "We should head to my house. I'll make you some tea and we can talk about it."

"We're going to put a stop to this Josephine."

"Yeah, we will. And I have a plan."

"What do you mean?"

"This is the second abduction I have witnessed and there's a pattern."

"Both were girls," Luna said.

"And both of them were students at this school." Carter finished.

"So someone in the school has to be giving The Dark Horses this information to be able to track down these students and abduct them."

"Okay...what's your plan, Nancy Drew?" Luna teased.

"I sneak into the principal's office to retrieve the student files and try to figure out who has been leaking their information."

Carter placed his jacket around me. "And if that doesn't work?"

"It has to. I believe that Principal Hawkins is the one who has been selling out her students. Who else has access to all of the student's files."

"This is a huge accusation and if we're wrong..."

"Maybe. But this is all we've got. And we can't just do nothing. Both of you saw that abduction with your own eyes. The Dark Horses aren't stopping to rest. We shouldn't either."

"Okay. I'm in." Carter says.

"Me too," Luna adds. "But when will you do it? The school's locked right now and I'm pretty the school will be locked tomorrow during the game too."

Carter looked at the floor sheepishly. Then scratches the back of his head. "Some guys on the team we're talking about this dance called Winter Formal? I thought it would be fun so I bought us all tickets."

He pulls out three shiny magenta tickets from his back pocket. "It was supposed to be a surprise after we got something to eat after my practice..."

Tears raced down my cheeks. Luna and I shared a smile. "Carter.."

The glowing appreciation and love on my face shone so brightly that my jaw was aching from my smile but I didn't stop.

"Oh no! Did I do something wrong?"

"No no. It's perfect Carter."

"Yeah! During the dance, we can all sneak away and break into her office!" Luna piped up.

"You know that's not what I meant Luna."

She smiled. "I know."

"But you're not wrong..."

I stood on my tippy toes and kissed Carter lightly on the nose. Carter's cheeks turned a crimson red and he couldn't stop smiling. He shifted his feet from side to side and avoided my eyes. I laughed.

"Oh brother. Come on Josie we should head home. It's getting late."

"Bye Carter."

He waved and skipped to his car. Luna rolled her eyes at me.

"I thought we were going to get boba!" I whined.

"I'm pretty sure no stores are open at this time."

"Aw!"

******

"You have been holding out on me!"

Luna pulls out the Pillsbury cookies from the oven and my mouth waters in anticipation. I couldn't wait to take a bite into the sugary goodness.  I take one from the pan even though it hasn't cooled yet and pop it into my mouth.

"I haven't had these since I was about five," I say in between bites.

"Me either. Eating these remind me of home."

"Me too."

We sat in her living room with the tv on getting full-on sugar cookies and talking about our past lives as kids. The good moments, the ones where we believed there was only good in the world.

I couldn't quite shake off why she had avoided Justin's girlfriend earlier today. Maybe Luna knew her.  "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Luna raised her right eyebrow at me as she reached the plate to eat another cookie. "Like what?"

"I noticed earlier today that you were avoiding the blonde girl in the hall today. Why? Did you two used to be friends?"

"You can say that."

I look at her, hoping she will tell me more.

"She's my ex."

"Oh. Now you have to tell me the whole story!!"

"Her name is Venus and she's amazing. Or at least she used to be. She was my first everything back in middle school and she's kinda the reason I have a hard time trusting people now."

Luna goes into detail about the relationship  Venus and she had and it reminds me of when Justin and I used to be together.

"She sounds perfect.....except for turning her back on you.

"So she used to be a redhead?"

"It's strawberry blonde!"

I raised my hands up in the air and laughed. "Okay okay. Strawberry blonde."

We laugh. Then after the room gets quiet I decided to tell her about Clara and Maddie.

"That's why I kinda broke down tonight."

"You've been through a lot. And I'm glad that you told me."

"Me too."

I actually felt better, lighter even that I shared the demons that laid beneath my skin to Luna.

"When I was kidnapped Jack Julian taught me how to use a gun. It was weird. He was acting as if he was my dad or something. I don't know what he wants with me but he definitely wants me alive."

"All the people he killed just to get to you makes me think that too. And he didn't kill Carter either. Beat him up pretty bad but didn't kill him."

"What is he up to?"

"I have no idea."

"But it's important that we figure it out quickly."

To the one person that is reading my books. Thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter!!!

Till next time,

-Miss Yanxiet :)