Kidnapped (Book #1 in Kidnapped series)

Chapter 1

                                                                                             Charlotte's POV

Terror. That's what my life consists of. Fear. What I'm used to. It's been this way since my father, the world wide sensational meteorologist Paul Ramsey, went on a trip to investigate the weather patterns of the Gulf Coast. He used to call me everyday, until one day, he unexpectedly stopped. I still remember his last phone call, his last words to me… 

*Flashback*

“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” Sang the TV.    “SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!” Little 12 year old me belted out. 

          “Absorbent and yellow and-” A  phone interrupted mine and Spongebob's singing session. 

        “DAD!” I said as I went to pick up my phone. I accepted the call. 

       “Hey dad!” I said, still out of breath from my duet with Spongebob. 

       “Hey s-sweetie” He stuttered, sounding nervous, which got me worried. My dad is never nervous. 

       “What's wrong?” I asked, puzzled. 

        “Listen, Charlie. You know your uncle Ralph?” He asked. 

       “Uncle Ralphy? Yeah, I know him. He gives me the creeps.” I admitted, not knowing his point. 

       “I'd bet,” He mumbled to himself, probably not wanting me to hear his comment.    

          “Well, he's not who you think he is. He's a… bad man who's done not so good things.” 

        What? That can't be. My uncle Ralphy is the weird and awkward geek who likes to hug me, maybe a little too much. It's creepy, but at least he loves me so much. Right?  

       “What do you mean, papai?” I asked. Papai is dad in Portuguese. It's our thing since my dad's side speaks Portuguese and my grandma started teaching me the basics before I even took my first steps. I miss her. She died 3 years ago. Sometimes I can remember memories, but then they fade away. 

“What I mean is that-” a loud bang cut him off. I couldn’t make out what the muffled voices are saying after that, but I thought I heard Ralph's friend say    

“Where's Paul?” Silence. “Well find him you idiots!” He screeched, making my ears almost pop. 

“Listen sweetie, I don't have enough time. I have to go. Just know that I love you, and tell your mom and brother that I love them. Stay away from Ralph, no matter what he does or says. I love you my little Charlie, but I have to go before they catch me.” My dad said in a hushed whisper. 

“But no dad don't go papai I love you please stay!” I said, tears brimming my eyes. But the call had already disconnected, gone, like my dad.

*End of Flashback*

    Gone. Those words echoed in my mind. Not long after the phone call, we got the news that my dad got sucked into a tornado. My mom was devastated. Everytime we heard the word tornado she would freeze, with a blank expression on her face. Uncle Ralph had come in, helping us through this “hard time”. 

He was fine, at first. He would check up on my mom to make sure she was alright, help my big brother Cole train for the football team, and even bought me a golden retriever whom I named Bella a year after the news. It was all nice, but I should've known that it wouldn't last forever.