Time is Running Out

Chapter 6

Joy and Rachel sat on the ground in front of the tree Rachel had carved into, waiting for Emma.
 
"Where is she?" Joy cried out desperately.
  
"I don't--"
 
"RUN!" Emma screamed, bursting out of the nearby shrubbery.
 
"What? What on earth-- why--" exclaimed Joy.
 
"What's going on?" shouted Rachel. Then they saw a figure behind Emma.
 
"What's going on?"Joy cried.
 
"JOY, RUN!!!"shrieked Emma and Rachel, already running. 
 
They ran and ran, but the Kidnapper was too fast. Joy couldn't escape and she was caught.

"Joy!" screamed Rachel and Emma, but they could only watch helplessly as the Kidnapper snatched Joy and disappeared into the trees.
 

Rachel and Emma dragged themselves back to where they'd left their bicycles.
 
"What will we do now?" cried Emma.
 
"I... don't know," admitted Rachel.
 
Emma and Rachel sat for a few minutes on the ground in silence.
 
Finally, Emma spoke up. "Um... Rachel?"
 
"Y-yes?" Rachel stuttered.
 
"You s-said... y-you said t-to meet h-here..." Emma said falteringly and pointed at the tree Rachel had carved into. Though it was only about ten minutes ago, it felt like millennia ago.
 
"Oh... y-you're right..." Rachel agreed quietly. "I guess we just wait for Joy, then."
 
Rachel and Emma sat in silence, solemn; afraid.

While Emma and Rachel were waiting, Joy was forced to follow the black hooded figure. After a while, she was held captive in a small cottage. There was a tiny metal shed next to the cottage.
 
He should be the Kidnapper... thought Joy to herself.

Suddenly, the door opened. Joy looked up in fear and alarm.
 
The black hooded figure...
 
"What is your name, young lady?" the figure said.
 
Joy was shocked. Her captor was being nice to her? Still, it might be a way to lure her into false
security.
 
"I.... I.... I... Joy." Finally, Joy decided to tell the truth.
 
The hooded figure, though not quite, as he had taken his hood off, chuckled. "Ha, ha, ha.... I see you've learnt quite a lot about me."
 
"Th-then... you are the Kidnapper?" Joy asked boldly.
 
"Is that what they call me, eh?" the Kidnapper muttered, seemingly mostly to himself. "Let me take a look at you, Joy."
 
Joy stared up at the Kidnapper in fright.
 
"Why, you look exactly like Miya!" the Kidnapper cried out.
 
"W-what? What Miya?" asked Joy, bewildered.
 
"My daughter..." The Kidnapper looked unsettled. "She died... I suppose you have a right to know, since you're the replacement."
 
"What?! I'm the... what?"
 
"The replacement for Miya, of course. You're going to pretend to be Miya."
 
"WHAT?! NO. WAY!"
 
"And I'm afraid you don't have a say in this." The Kidnapper shrugged nonchalantly.
 
Joy glared at the Kidnapper.
 
The Kidnapper shrugged again. "As you'll be my daughter, I might as well tell you my name. It's Alden."
 
The Kidnapper, Alden, undid Joy's binds. Then, he left with an "I'll bring dinner later".
 
Joy heard the sound of a key turning. She groaned.
 
Then she tapped the button on her watch.

Emma bounded out of her seat and almost screamed when her watch vibrated.
 
"Uh... Emma? You okay?" Rachel asked, concerned.
 
"Did you just call me?" Emma whispered.
 
"Uh... no?" said Rachel.
 
"Then I think," Emma said quietly, "I've just received a call from Joy."

She pressed the receive button with shaking, fumbling fingers.
 
"Joy? Joy, is that you?" she cried.
 
"Emma!" Joy's voice! "Is Rachel with you?"
 
"Yes, I'm here. Are you okay?"asked Rachel.
 
"Well... I am... for now," said Joy. "I found out a lot of key information!"
 
"Joy, just tell us! Stop the suspense. Please don't be so dramatic," Emma said.
 
"Listen. I'm stuck in a house. The Kidnapper locked me in. I... I don't actually know how to start. The thing is," Joy said quickly, "I was tied to a chair. Then the Kidnapper came into the room and talked to me. During that short talk, I learned a lot. Firstly, his name is Alden. He's a man with brown hair and green eyes. The most important part is, the reason Alden kidnaps people-- children, actually, and only girls-- is because he's trying to replace his daughter. Alden's daughter is called Miya. No. I mean was. She died when she was eleven. And, the worst, worst, worst part is, he thinks I look most like Miya, so I'm going to have to 'be' Miya. I'll have to pretend to be her, and I don't know what to dooooo!"
 
"WHAT?!" Rachel and Emma screeched.
 
"Shhhhhhh, h-he'll hear you!" Joy said frightfully, trying to make Rachel and Emma quiet.
 
"Joy? Listen. Once you have an opportunity, free the other girls. Go with them to the tree Rachel carved into. If you can't go, get them to that tree. Take the first opportunity to come yourself," said Emma in one breath.
 
"Woah," said Rachel under her breath.
  
"Okay," said Joy. "And, um... can you do me a huuuge favor please?"
 
"Of course we will!" Rachel replied for both of them, "what favor?"
 
"Well... I... um... uh... please don't go out of the forest," Joy finally blurted out.
 
"We won't go until you and the girls come!" said Emily confidently.
 
"Oh, thank you!" Joy said emotionally.