Young Runners- Matt Espinosa

Chapter 13- The lake

Cameron parked the car by the park and I jumped straight out and ran to the edge of the lake. I looked around the edge to see whether I could spot anyone, they had to be somewhere around the water by now. "Cameron, can you see them anywhere?" I asked and he shook his head. "No they aren't here." He told me. Now I was confused "Huh? Why are we here then? Where are they?" I asked and Cameron smirked at me. "I'm pretty good at acting, I feel like I nailed the whole 'I'm so sorry please forgive me' bullshit. You completely bought it!" He laughed, but it wasn't a friendly laugh like earlier, he sounded sinister. He started to walk towards me and I opened my mouth to scream, before he grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear "If you make a sound, it will just make things worse for you." I ignored his threat though and screamed as loud as I could. He threw me on the ground, roughly and I hit my head quite hard. "Scream again, and I'll hit you, I don't care if you're a girl." He spat. I wanted answers right now, I was completely petrified, and I was doing everything I could to not cry, that would just make me look weak. "I won't make another sound, if you tell me exactly what's going on." I say and he shakes his head. "You won't make another sound, or I'll smack you." He said, mimicking me. "Wow, I never thought of you as the sort of guy who would hit a girl, or even threaten to hit a girl. You seemed like a nice person, Cameron." I say, and it's true. I thought he was better than any of this. "Don't judge a book by its cover." He said and I sat up straight on the ground. "At least tell me something, I want to know what's happening, Cam." I begged. "Don't call me Cam. You'll find out what's happening when the rest of us get here." He informed me, and I know he's not going to tell me what's happening, so I give up asking and I just sit there in silence.

A little while later, a car pulled up and parked near Cameron's. The doors opened, and out climbed Jack Gilinsky, Nash Grier, Ariana Grande, and a nervous looking Jack Johnson. "Get up." Gilinsky orders, and I just look at him and laugh. "Not until you tell what the fuck is happening." I said, but he just shook his head impatiently and grabbed me, pulling me off the ground. He pulls me into the car, despite my struggle to escape. "Just answer one question, where's Matthew?" I asked, begging them to give me an answer. "Jack please help me." I cried and grabbed Johnson's shoulder. "Don't worry, we're just going on a little road trip." Nash said, and smirked evilly.

I sat there in the back of the car, sobbing for what felt like hours, until they finally stopped driving. We were at a gas station, Jack G, Ariana and Nash all got out of the car to use the rest room (Cameron had left in his own car). So I was left in the car with just Johnson. "Jack please, just unlock the door, I'll find a way home. I'll hide until you leave then use the phone in the gas station to get help." I cried, but he just looked out of the window, pretending I wasn't even there. "This is illegal Jack, and I will tell the police about this, unless you let me go." I said and he once again didn't say anything, but I heard the car unlock and I thanked him quickly before running out of the car. I had to hide, quickly.

I hid behind a van at the edge of the car park, and stayed there. I had to be still and quiet, and I couldn't move until I saw their car leave. Shit. I didn't think this through, they aren't going to keep driving when they see I'm not in the car. I'm such an idiot. I have to go somewhere, I can't get back in that car. Suddenly I got an idea when I saw a woman, who looked about the same age as my parents, walking out of the gas station. She walked towards her car, and I walked over to her quickly. "Please can you help me, I really don't want to bother you, but this is an emergency." I said, and she looked very concerned. "What's the problem sweetie?" She asked. "I was on a date with my boyfriend, we were having a picnic, but they came and took him somewhere, then they kidnapped me. They're trying to take me somewhere, they wouldn't tell me where, but I escaped the car and I don't know where to go. My phone is in someone else's car, so I can't call for help." I told her and she looked at me is shock, trying to take in all of the information I had just shared with her. "Do you want me to drive you home?" She offered. "Yes please, where are we now, I don't know how long we've been driving for." I asked and she told me we were only an hour away from my house, so I got in her car and we set off driving home.

When we made it home I thanked her about 1000 times and my parents tried to offer her money to say thank you, but she turned it down. After she'd driven away, my dad went inside and called the police, we told them everything- however I didn't mention Johnson was there, I didn't want him to get in trouble for something that I think he was forced into- and they said they were going straight to there homes to talk to their parents, and try and track them down. Although I wasn't really worried about what happened to them now I was home safe, the only thing on my mind was, where's Matthew now?