Amber Alert [Published - Sample only]

Chapter 4- "There's a point to this, I swear."

"Garrett, are you ready yet?" I asked impatiently. He had shut the door in my face, and had me waiting so long my feet were starting to hurt from standing.

I wondered how long I had been waiting for, but It was hard to tell what time it. There were no clocks and no clear view through the windows so I couldn't see the position of the sun.

"Yeah, I'm ready." He said suddenly, when the door finally opened and held a piece of black fabric in his hand.

"What's that for?" I asked pointing to the scrap of fabric in his hand.

"I have to blindfold you,” he said simply as he took a few steps toward me ready to blindfold me that moment.

"Why?" I questioned taking a step back away from his advances.

"So you don't see where I take you."

"But why?"

"Just let me blindfold you!" He yelled, annoyed with my questions and demands that he explain everything to me. I groaned, but allowed Garrett to blindfold me. My world was sent into a black abyss as he pressed the fabric tightly against my eyes. I couldn't see anything, and it didn't even change when I blinked. I was surrounded by the same darkness that it almost didn't even seem like I had closed my eyes.

"Let's go." He said as his hands lightly touched my shoulders to guide me toward his secret hiding spot.

"Where are we going?"

"Downstairs." He put my hand on the railing and let me walk down the stairs on my own.

"That's not what I meant." I said letting annoyance lace my words.

"Too bad, that's all you're getting." He said as my feet touched the last step and I stood safely on the floor.

"I'll lead you." His tone was soothing as he took my hand and led me through the house.

I didn't understand why Garrett had blindfolded me or why he wouldn't talk to me about the other girls upstairs, but he had been adamant about it. I wasn't allowed in his room either, and we weren't allowed to talk in the main room, so where was his safe place?

I heard the familiar squeak of a kitchen chair sliding along the floor. There was an audible click as he opened or closed a door, maybe he just tapped the wall by accident; I couldn't be sure. The sound of something sliding along the floor met my ears soon after. I felt his hand take mine again as he led me forward again with him. Soon my feet left the smooth hardwood floors and touched cold concrete that sent shivers up my spine..

We were going downstairs; the slight clunk of his boots in front of me calmed my nerves. I was afraid to fall, I was afraid of this house, and I was afraid of everything in it, but with Garrett it was bearable.

"Keep your head low." I heard Garrett whisper in my ear.

I did as I was told, but the gravity was ready to push me forward and let me roll down the stairs again. I frantically felt for a railing, but this time there wasn't one and I felt like I could fall at anytime.

"Relax, I will catch you if you fall. I promise."

There was just something in his voice that gave me comfort and his touch sent sparks through my system . I hadn't felt that since I fell in love with Andy, why was I feeling it now? I barely knew Garrett and I had no intention of getting to know him better. I wanted to go home.

I could picture the grass hill near my house vividly from under the blindfold. In the spring my friends and I would roll down the hill until we were itchy from the grass. While in the winter we'd go sledding until it was too cold for us to move our fingers and we needed hot chocolate to sooth our chattering teeth. I began to realize that being blind allowed me to freely imagine what I wanted the world to look like. I could see it exactly how I wished it would be; I could be back home.