June 10

Erica fell to the pavement and heard the van door opening. Hands grabbed her and lifted her in. "Let me go!" she yelled, unable to thrash around because her arms and legs hurt so much.

"We're here to help," argued the girl who grabbed her and was pinning her down in the van's back seat.

"Let her go," said Jess in a threateningly calm voice. Over the person's arm, Erica could see that she had her jackknife in her hand.

"Fine," snapped the driver, a teenaged boy with red-tipped hair. "Let them take you. We don't care. We're leaving as soon as they get close. So decide now."

Jess and Rose just stood there, furious at the van people for taking Erica, but terrified of the man in the car. "We- we don't even know if he wants to kidnap us," stated Rose, her hands on her hips.

"Well they do. Get in. We're leaving in five, four, three-"

Jess climbed in Erica's door, shoving the other girl out of the way. She sat down beside Erica. "Come on, Rose. If they try anything, I got this-" She waved her jackknife in the air.

"Smart kid," said the driver approvingly.

The girl was no longer holding Erica down, but she didn't try to escape. Why would she? She would only be shoved into someone else's vehicle.

Suddenly the girl gasped. "Get in, get in." She shoved Rose into the backseat with Erica and Jess and slammed the door, then climbed into the front seat and slammed that door. "Go!" she yelled. The driver hit the gas and drove straight into a not-yet-developed field.