Time is Running Out

Chapter 9

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

"What's that?" Alden asked.

He looked at Joy, then at Mary.

Why can't they have chosen a better time to call? Joy groaned to herself, wishing she could groan out loud.

"Oh!"said Mary, who had woken up. "I think

it's her watch!"

Alden checked and his face turned white.

"No! M-Mary, check inside the house!" he yelled.

Mary went and came back, shouting, "The girls are gone!"

Alden groaned. "I can't believe Miya-Joy

deceived us like this!"

"Our plan has failed!" Mary yelled.

"Mine 'asn't." A voice spoke calmly from the shadows.

Alden turned even whiter, if that was possible. "Mary, run! Change of plan!"

"Too late," Xana laughed. "Ye can't escape anymore, Alden."

Xana's followers walked out of the trees.

One threw a lassoes over them and they all shrieked. Joy opened her eyes to find that she couldn't move...

As Xana and her followers dragged Alden, Mary and Joy through the forest, a voice suddenly boomed, "Caught you! Ha!"

They all looked around with wide eyes.

Greyling cackled again. His followers bound up everyone...

✴✴✴

"I can't believe it!" Joy shrieked angrily. "This is the THIRD time I've been kidnapped!"

The others all screamed their agreement.

"Shut. Up!" a guard yelled, banging on the metal bars.

✴✴✴

As the guards walked away for the change of guards, Alden gasped.

"What?" they all hissed.

"I've got an idea!" Alden whispered.

Quickly, he explained his idea－he wanted Joy to message her friends and ask for help. Then, Joy remembered her watch had GPS. "We can tell my friends where we are," she murmured.

"Good," Xana muttered.