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Chapter 6
Miss Parker broke through the surface of the lake, gasping for air. Keeping just her eyes and nose above the water she scanned the area. Looking at the muddy trail the SUV came down; there was no one there. She let her eyes wander up the hill. The lake appeared to be deserted. She hoped Broots was okay and wouldn’t breakdown in front of the kidnappers.
The torrent of rain that came down earlier was now a light drizzle. The temperature dropped even more, bringing with it a dense fog. Staying where she was, she treaded in a circle, looking for Jarod. Where was he? Jarod should have come up right after her. “Jarod?” She yelled out. She was starting to get irritated; maybe he was playing a joke. “Jarod, this isn’t funny. Where are you?” She yelled out a little bit louder. Still, no answer. Her frustration was now turning into concern. “Oh no,” she whispered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she plunged back into the water.
The water was dark and murky; she could barely make out her hands in front of her. She swam straight down, thinking the SUV was below her, but she was wrong. Where was he? She reluctantly swam back up, getting more oxygen. When she filled her lungs up, she went back down again.
This time, she swam to her right and made her descent. She made her way to the bottom of the lake. Still, no sign of Jarod or the SUV. She didn’t want to panic, but she could feel it slowly creeping its way through her body. She couldn’t let Jarod die in a watery grave. His life was now in her hands. She had to find him. Miss Parker was about to swim back up again when she noticed in the far distance a soft glow. Feeling hope slowly emerging within her, she swam to the light.
When she got closer to the light, relief rushed through her. It was the SUV. Her lovable moron, Broots, must of left the headlights on. Going around the SUV, she looked for Jarod. When she got to the passenger side, it felt as if someone punched her in the stomach, knocking the air out of her.
Jarod looked lifeless. He was floating aimlessly in the water, with his arms above his head. Why didn’t he float up to the top? She looked down towards his legs and seen the problem. His feet were tangled up in rope. Making her way over, she shook Jarod, trying to wake him, but she got no response. She wasn’t surprised. Feeling the need for air, she went back to the tires to get more oxygen.
When she came back over, she started working on the rope. How in the hell did he get his feet so tangled up? The rope was caught on something. She pulled with all her might, but it wouldn’t budge. The rope was thick; she had to find something to cut it. She had to hurry, who knows how much time Jarod had left, maybe none.
Miss Parker swam back to the SUV looking for anything to cut the rope. She looked and looked, but couldn’t find anything. Going back to Jarod, she followed the rope, hoping to pry it loose somehow. When she got to the end of the rope, she cried out in frustration. The rope was nestled under a large piece of rock. She tried to lift the massive weight, but it wouldn’t move. Feeling the need for air again, she went back to vehicle.
She had to think of something, but what? Parker knew the answer was right in front of her, but what was it? Taking a couple of more gasps of air from the tires, she found her solution in front of her. Lying down by the tire was a broken piece of glass from the back window Jarod broke earlier. Grabbing the shard of glass, she went back to Jarod.
Grabbing the rope with her left hand, she used the right hand to saw her way through the rope. The seconds slowly passed by, but finally, the rope was broken. Taking a hold of Jarod’s shirt, she swam back up to the surface.
Putting her left arm around Jarod’s neck, she made her way back to land. Grabbing him under the shoulders she dragged him out and laid him down on the ground. “Jarod, wake up. Come on, wake up.” She patted his cheeks, but couldn’t get any response. She checked for Jarod’s pulse, but couldn’t get anything. Opening up his mouth, she cleared the passageway. Pinching his nose, she began CPR.
“Jarod, come on now. Please, don’t die on me. I can’t lose you too,” she said while doing chest compressions. Miss Parker didn’t realize she was crying until a tear fell down on his face. Taking another breath of air, she pinched Jarod’s nose, breathing her life into him. Still nothing. Feeling a mix of emotions coming over her, she roughly grabbed Jarod’s shoulder and smacked him in the face. “Damnit, wake up!” She shouted through her tears. “You promised me that I would never be alone in this world. Do you remember? We were kids when you told me that. It was after my mother died. You told me you would always be there for me no matter what. Please, don’t break that promise.”
Putting his head back down on the ground, she continued with the CPR in a frantic pace. After awhile she stopped and looked down at his lifeless form. He was gone. Taking her hand she cupped his cheek. “Jarod,” she whispered out. Bending down, she placed a kiss on his forehead and laid her head down on his chest. “I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you in your life. You didn’t deserve it. Why is it, that whenever someone important dies around me, I’m always to late to tell them how I feel. I...” She was interrupted by his chest moving up and down, coughing out the lake water. Lifting her head up, she looked at Jarod’s face. Seeing he was having a hard time, she lifted up his head and tilted it to the side, letting him spit out the water. She then saw the most beautiful thing she thought she would never see again. His caring brown eyes opened up.
Looking around dazed and confused he asked, “Where am I?”
Helping him sit up she answered, “You’re at Blue Ridge Lake, remember?” She gently patted his back as he hacked and coughed out more water.
“Oh, yeah, I remember,” he whispered out. Turning to her he asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine Jarod. Are you alright?” She asked with concern.
Getting up, he rubbed his chest. “I think I’m okay. I feel like I’ve been hit by an eighteen wheeler.” He paused and looked at her. “You saved my life,” he stated. All she could do was nod at him. A smile came to his face, that same smile that could irritate and fluster her all at the same time. She expected some teasing remark to come out of his mouth, but was surprised by what he said. “Thank you.”
“Don’t make me into your hero, because I’m not. Think of it as a way of saying were even. You saved my life with the bulletproof vest, I saved yours from drowning. It’s all in a day’s work.” She was about to walk away when he grabbed her hand.
“You’re bleeding,” he commented.
Looking down at her hand, she saw a small trail of blood. Miss Parker took her hand away from Jarod. “It’s nothing, Jarod. I must of cut it on the piece of glass I used to get you out of the rope. I’ll live.”
“I know that, here.” He took her hand and brought it closer to his face for inspection. Taking his shirt, he cleaned the blood off of her hand. “Well, the cut doesn’t appear to be deep, so you won’t need stitches, but you still need a bandage.” Giving her hand back, he tore a piece of his shirt off. Grabbing her hand again, he tied the strip around it. “There, all better now.”
“Uh, thank you.” She needed to get control of the situation. Jarod’s concern over her well-being was making her feel uncomfortable for some reason. She could feel her icy walls slowly melting around her, making her feel exposed, vulnerable, and she didn’t like it. Snatching her hand from Jarod’s, she turned back around and headed towards the hill. While still walking away she yelled, “Come on lab rat, we have to meet Broots.” She just hoped Broots was still alive an in one piece.
XXXXXX
Twelve minutes after the vehicle went into the lake, the four men turned around and made their way back up the hill. Broots put his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his shaking, due to his ever-growing fear. When they got to the top of the hill, they all got into the car. Broots sat in the back seat, sitting between the southern man and younger man. He didn’t recognize the driver, but he noticed an earpiece in his ear. The kidnapper must be talking through that. The silence in the car was too much. “So, where are we going now?” Broots asked.
No one answered him. Even though he knew Miss Parker and Jarod were helping him, he never felt more alone than he did right at that moment.
They drove for twenty minutes before stopping at a rest stop on the side of a road. The southern man got out, pulling Broots with him. Without saying anything, he got back in the car. Broots started to panic. These men were his last lifeline to his daughter. Before the southern man closed the car door, Broots held it, demanding to be heard. “Please, tell me where my daughter is? Is she...is she...alive. I have to know. I’ve done everything I was suppose to do.” He paused an added with a more harsh voice, “I demand answers, NOW!”
The southern man didn’t seem phased with his pleas. It felt as if Broots was talking to a brick wall. Shoving his hand off the door, the southern man answered, “You’ll get your answers when the time is right. Now, if you’ll excuse us we have to be on our way.”
Broots watched as the door closed and the car sped off, kicking up debris and gravel. Broots ran after the retreating car. “No, don’t go. Please, I just want my daughter back,” he screamed. His screams went unnoticed as he watched the red taillights disappear into the night. Feeling his knees go weak he fell down to the ground, staring absently into the distance. He was praying for some miracle that they would come back, giving him Debbie. Broots prayers went unanswered. Feeling defeated, he got up and headed over to the rest stop, looking for a phone. Just when he put his hand on the receiver it rang.
“Hello,” he answered.
It was the kidnapper. ‘When will this nightmare end?’ Broots thought to himself. “Ah, well if it isn’t everyone’s most lovable moron, Mr. Broots.”
Broots leaned against the wall, feeling all the fight within him leave his body. In a low, barely audible voice he asked, “Where’s my daughter? Is she okay?”
He heard the evil laughter erupt over the line. Broots tightened his grip on the phone, preparing for his world to come crashing down with the news that his daughter may be dead. “Relax, Mr. Broots, your daughter is safe and sound...for now anyways.”
Broots felt only half assured by his comments. “Let me speak to her.”
After a few seconds the kidnapper responded, “Very well then.”
Broots heard shuffling in the background. The voice on the other line brought tears to his eyes. It was Debbie. “Dad?”
“Debbie, oh thank God you’re okay.” Relief taking over his body, he slowly slid down the wall, sitting on his haunches.
“Yeah, I’m fine. When can I come home?” She asked with a shaky voice.
“Soon, sweetie. Remember what I said, just do what they say, okay?”
“Okay”
“I love you, Debbie.” His voice was thick with emotions, but he had to be strong for Debbie.
Broots could hear the tears in Debbie’s voice as she answered back. “I love you too, Dad.”
A couple of seconds later the kidnapper came back on the line. “I see your daughter is a bit more smarter this time. Of course, she doesn’t know where we are because we moved to a different location. I’m glad you told you’re daughter to obey us. The first shot was a warning, but the second one will end her life. Now on to more pressing matters. Since my boys told me that Miss Parker is dead, I will meet you at a 5:45 am, to give you back you’re daughter. Good night, Mr. Broots.”
Broots shot back up an asked rapidly, “Where do I meet you?”
“You’ll receive my instructions thirty minutes before the drop off. Remember, if we see cops, you’re daughter is dead. Don’t try anything funny with me? If you do, it will be the biggest mistake of your life. Oh, I almost forgot, silly me. There should be a phone book underneath the payphone. Inside the book there should be a new cell phone for you.”
Broots opened up the phone book. Inside, there was a small square cut out, just large enough for a cell phone to fit in. “I got the phone.”
“Good. Broots, you need to lighten up a bit. You just killed the wicked witch of The Centre. Just think of it, no more of her bullying or caustic comments towards you. You’re free to live a pleasant life.” The line went dead.
Broots hung the phone up. Slipping the cell phone into his pocket, he pulled out the directions Jarod gave him to the place where he was suppose to meet Jarod and Miss Parker. Taking a deep breath, he walked out of the rest stop, hoping Miss Parker and Jarod were okay.
To Be Continued...
Chapter 6
Miss Parker broke through the surface of the lake, gasping for air. Keeping just her eyes and nose above the water she scanned the area. Looking at the muddy trail the SUV came down; there was no one there. She let her eyes wander up the hill. The lake appeared to be deserted. She hoped Broots was okay and wouldn’t breakdown in front of the kidnappers.
The torrent of rain that came down earlier was now a light drizzle. The temperature dropped even more, bringing with it a dense fog. Staying where she was, she treaded in a circle, looking for Jarod. Where was he? Jarod should have come up right after her. “Jarod?” She yelled out. She was starting to get irritated; maybe he was playing a joke. “Jarod, this isn’t funny. Where are you?” She yelled out a little bit louder. Still, no answer. Her frustration was now turning into concern. “Oh no,” she whispered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she plunged back into the water.
The water was dark and murky; she could barely make out her hands in front of her. She swam straight down, thinking the SUV was below her, but she was wrong. Where was he? She reluctantly swam back up, getting more oxygen. When she filled her lungs up, she went back down again.
This time, she swam to her right and made her descent. She made her way to the bottom of the lake. Still, no sign of Jarod or the SUV. She didn’t want to panic, but she could feel it slowly creeping its way through her body. She couldn’t let Jarod die in a watery grave. His life was now in her hands. She had to find him. Miss Parker was about to swim back up again when she noticed in the far distance a soft glow. Feeling hope slowly emerging within her, she swam to the light.
When she got closer to the light, relief rushed through her. It was the SUV. Her lovable moron, Broots, must of left the headlights on. Going around the SUV, she looked for Jarod. When she got to the passenger side, it felt as if someone punched her in the stomach, knocking the air out of her.
Jarod looked lifeless. He was floating aimlessly in the water, with his arms above his head. Why didn’t he float up to the top? She looked down towards his legs and seen the problem. His feet were tangled up in rope. Making her way over, she shook Jarod, trying to wake him, but she got no response. She wasn’t surprised. Feeling the need for air, she went back to the tires to get more oxygen.
When she came back over, she started working on the rope. How in the hell did he get his feet so tangled up? The rope was caught on something. She pulled with all her might, but it wouldn’t budge. The rope was thick; she had to find something to cut it. She had to hurry, who knows how much time Jarod had left, maybe none.
Miss Parker swam back to the SUV looking for anything to cut the rope. She looked and looked, but couldn’t find anything. Going back to Jarod, she followed the rope, hoping to pry it loose somehow. When she got to the end of the rope, she cried out in frustration. The rope was nestled under a large piece of rock. She tried to lift the massive weight, but it wouldn’t move. Feeling the need for air again, she went back to vehicle.
She had to think of something, but what? Parker knew the answer was right in front of her, but what was it? Taking a couple of more gasps of air from the tires, she found her solution in front of her. Lying down by the tire was a broken piece of glass from the back window Jarod broke earlier. Grabbing the shard of glass, she went back to Jarod.
Grabbing the rope with her left hand, she used the right hand to saw her way through the rope. The seconds slowly passed by, but finally, the rope was broken. Taking a hold of Jarod’s shirt, she swam back up to the surface.
Putting her left arm around Jarod’s neck, she made her way back to land. Grabbing him under the shoulders she dragged him out and laid him down on the ground. “Jarod, wake up. Come on, wake up.” She patted his cheeks, but couldn’t get any response. She checked for Jarod’s pulse, but couldn’t get anything. Opening up his mouth, she cleared the passageway. Pinching his nose, she began CPR.
“Jarod, come on now. Please, don’t die on me. I can’t lose you too,” she said while doing chest compressions. Miss Parker didn’t realize she was crying until a tear fell down on his face. Taking another breath of air, she pinched Jarod’s nose, breathing her life into him. Still nothing. Feeling a mix of emotions coming over her, she roughly grabbed Jarod’s shoulder and smacked him in the face. “Damnit, wake up!” She shouted through her tears. “You promised me that I would never be alone in this world. Do you remember? We were kids when you told me that. It was after my mother died. You told me you would always be there for me no matter what. Please, don’t break that promise.”
Putting his head back down on the ground, she continued with the CPR in a frantic pace. After awhile she stopped and looked down at his lifeless form. He was gone. Taking her hand she cupped his cheek. “Jarod,” she whispered out. Bending down, she placed a kiss on his forehead and laid her head down on his chest. “I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you in your life. You didn’t deserve it. Why is it, that whenever someone important dies around me, I’m always to late to tell them how I feel. I...” She was interrupted by his chest moving up and down, coughing out the lake water. Lifting her head up, she looked at Jarod’s face. Seeing he was having a hard time, she lifted up his head and tilted it to the side, letting him spit out the water. She then saw the most beautiful thing she thought she would never see again. His caring brown eyes opened up.
Looking around dazed and confused he asked, “Where am I?”
Helping him sit up she answered, “You’re at Blue Ridge Lake, remember?” She gently patted his back as he hacked and coughed out more water.
“Oh, yeah, I remember,” he whispered out. Turning to her he asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine Jarod. Are you alright?” She asked with concern.
Getting up, he rubbed his chest. “I think I’m okay. I feel like I’ve been hit by an eighteen wheeler.” He paused and looked at her. “You saved my life,” he stated. All she could do was nod at him. A smile came to his face, that same smile that could irritate and fluster her all at the same time. She expected some teasing remark to come out of his mouth, but was surprised by what he said. “Thank you.”
“Don’t make me into your hero, because I’m not. Think of it as a way of saying were even. You saved my life with the bulletproof vest, I saved yours from drowning. It’s all in a day’s work.” She was about to walk away when he grabbed her hand.
“You’re bleeding,” he commented.
Looking down at her hand, she saw a small trail of blood. Miss Parker took her hand away from Jarod. “It’s nothing, Jarod. I must of cut it on the piece of glass I used to get you out of the rope. I’ll live.”
“I know that, here.” He took her hand and brought it closer to his face for inspection. Taking his shirt, he cleaned the blood off of her hand. “Well, the cut doesn’t appear to be deep, so you won’t need stitches, but you still need a bandage.” Giving her hand back, he tore a piece of his shirt off. Grabbing her hand again, he tied the strip around it. “There, all better now.”
“Uh, thank you.” She needed to get control of the situation. Jarod’s concern over her well-being was making her feel uncomfortable for some reason. She could feel her icy walls slowly melting around her, making her feel exposed, vulnerable, and she didn’t like it. Snatching her hand from Jarod’s, she turned back around and headed towards the hill. While still walking away she yelled, “Come on lab rat, we have to meet Broots.” She just hoped Broots was still alive an in one piece.
XXXXXX
Twelve minutes after the vehicle went into the lake, the four men turned around and made their way back up the hill. Broots put his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his shaking, due to his ever-growing fear. When they got to the top of the hill, they all got into the car. Broots sat in the back seat, sitting between the southern man and younger man. He didn’t recognize the driver, but he noticed an earpiece in his ear. The kidnapper must be talking through that. The silence in the car was too much. “So, where are we going now?” Broots asked.
No one answered him. Even though he knew Miss Parker and Jarod were helping him, he never felt more alone than he did right at that moment.
They drove for twenty minutes before stopping at a rest stop on the side of a road. The southern man got out, pulling Broots with him. Without saying anything, he got back in the car. Broots started to panic. These men were his last lifeline to his daughter. Before the southern man closed the car door, Broots held it, demanding to be heard. “Please, tell me where my daughter is? Is she...is she...alive. I have to know. I’ve done everything I was suppose to do.” He paused an added with a more harsh voice, “I demand answers, NOW!”
The southern man didn’t seem phased with his pleas. It felt as if Broots was talking to a brick wall. Shoving his hand off the door, the southern man answered, “You’ll get your answers when the time is right. Now, if you’ll excuse us we have to be on our way.”
Broots watched as the door closed and the car sped off, kicking up debris and gravel. Broots ran after the retreating car. “No, don’t go. Please, I just want my daughter back,” he screamed. His screams went unnoticed as he watched the red taillights disappear into the night. Feeling his knees go weak he fell down to the ground, staring absently into the distance. He was praying for some miracle that they would come back, giving him Debbie. Broots prayers went unanswered. Feeling defeated, he got up and headed over to the rest stop, looking for a phone. Just when he put his hand on the receiver it rang.
“Hello,” he answered.
It was the kidnapper. ‘When will this nightmare end?’ Broots thought to himself. “Ah, well if it isn’t everyone’s most lovable moron, Mr. Broots.”
Broots leaned against the wall, feeling all the fight within him leave his body. In a low, barely audible voice he asked, “Where’s my daughter? Is she okay?”
He heard the evil laughter erupt over the line. Broots tightened his grip on the phone, preparing for his world to come crashing down with the news that his daughter may be dead. “Relax, Mr. Broots, your daughter is safe and sound...for now anyways.”
Broots felt only half assured by his comments. “Let me speak to her.”
After a few seconds the kidnapper responded, “Very well then.”
Broots heard shuffling in the background. The voice on the other line brought tears to his eyes. It was Debbie. “Dad?”
“Debbie, oh thank God you’re okay.” Relief taking over his body, he slowly slid down the wall, sitting on his haunches.
“Yeah, I’m fine. When can I come home?” She asked with a shaky voice.
“Soon, sweetie. Remember what I said, just do what they say, okay?”
“Okay”
“I love you, Debbie.” His voice was thick with emotions, but he had to be strong for Debbie.
Broots could hear the tears in Debbie’s voice as she answered back. “I love you too, Dad.”
A couple of seconds later the kidnapper came back on the line. “I see your daughter is a bit more smarter this time. Of course, she doesn’t know where we are because we moved to a different location. I’m glad you told you’re daughter to obey us. The first shot was a warning, but the second one will end her life. Now on to more pressing matters. Since my boys told me that Miss Parker is dead, I will meet you at a 5:45 am, to give you back you’re daughter. Good night, Mr. Broots.”
Broots shot back up an asked rapidly, “Where do I meet you?”
“You’ll receive my instructions thirty minutes before the drop off. Remember, if we see cops, you’re daughter is dead. Don’t try anything funny with me? If you do, it will be the biggest mistake of your life. Oh, I almost forgot, silly me. There should be a phone book underneath the payphone. Inside the book there should be a new cell phone for you.”
Broots opened up the phone book. Inside, there was a small square cut out, just large enough for a cell phone to fit in. “I got the phone.”
“Good. Broots, you need to lighten up a bit. You just killed the wicked witch of The Centre. Just think of it, no more of her bullying or caustic comments towards you. You’re free to live a pleasant life.” The line went dead.
Broots hung the phone up. Slipping the cell phone into his pocket, he pulled out the directions Jarod gave him to the place where he was suppose to meet Jarod and Miss Parker. Taking a deep breath, he walked out of the rest stop, hoping Miss Parker and Jarod were okay.
To Be Continued...
