Time is Running Out

Chapter 5

As Emma, Joy and Rachel cycled toward Alundi Woods as fast as they could go, Rachel spoke. "Hey, Emma, won't your sister be worried?"
 
"Left a note," Emma replied. "How come you guys didn't get in trouble?"
 
Joy said, "My mom almost didn't let me go."
 
"I had to lie to my maid..." said Rachel.
 
They set off without another word.
 
"We're here!" yelled Rachel after fifteen minutes when they saw the huge trunks of redwood trees.
 
"What will we do now, then?" asked Joy nervously.
 
"Um..." Emma said. "I guess we creep around and try to find that guy?"
 
"What guy?" asked Rachel.
 
"You know, that kidnapping guy?"
 
"Oh, yeah..."
 
They were silent for a moment.
 
"But even if we find him, what do we do?" asked Joy.

"We kill him?" suggested Rachel.
 
"NO!" Emma and Joy shrieked.
 
"Well then what?" asked Rachel.
 
"We have to rescue the kidnapped girls," said Emma.
 
"What if I get caught?" asked Joy.
 
"That's a good thing," said Rachel.
 
"No, it is not!" cried Joy.
 
"It is," Emma agreed with Rachel. "You free the girls and escape with them."
 
"Where do we go then?" asked Joy.
  
"We meet... here,"Rachel took out her penknife and carved into some bark that was part of a tree.
 
"At 4pm?" asked Joy.

"Alright," the other two agreed.
 
"I think we should chat with our watches. You know," said Emma, "since our watches are like, um... that kind of watch that's like a phone?"
 
"Yeah," Rachel agreed.
 
"Sure," Joy said.
 
"So we split up?"asked Emma.
 
"Think so," agreed Rachel.
 
"Joy?" asked Emma.
 
"No problem with me," replied Joy.
 
They split up, with Emma going towards the heart of the forest, Joy to the left, Rachel to the right. They knew they'd be meeting somewhere in the middle.

Joy hid in the cover of the trees as she crept cautiously towards the left of the forest. She looked at both left and right, but she didn't see anyone.
 
When she heard rustling, she jumped back, but it was only a squirrel hunting for nuts.
 
What if I get caught? she thought despite her friends' reassurances. She proceeded carefully, ready and alert.

Rachel walked quietly, silently, slowly, towards the left side of the forest, keeping an eye on everything near her. Finally she couldn't stand it and decided to call Joy with her watch to check on her.
  
"Rachel? Is that you?"
  
"Yeah," replied Rachel."Did you find any sign of him?"
  
"No. Maybe Emma will."
  
"Yeah, maybe. I sure hope so. Bye and good luck."

Emma was thinking about the Kidnapper as she walked, especially his motives. Why did he kidnap people?
 
She could see a corner of the forest. It seemed to be eerily silent-- no birds sang, and no sunlight beamed down through the trees. Emma quickened her footsteps and peered at the corner...
 
Emma screamed and ran, with a figure chasing her.