Taken From The Nest

Chapter IV

All the color drained from my face as I stood there in horror.
My eyes wide, I looked at Dana. "Get the kids in your car. Meet me at your house."
Dana nods and manages to scoop up all three children in her arms. She stumbles into the parking lot as fast as possible. I run back inside the preschool and practically slide into the room from the slick-tiled floor. I slam my hands onto the receptionists desk, making the computer and other objects shake.
Ms. McCarthy jumped back. "Abigail slow down, you might hurt yourself!"
"Sorry," I panted. "Call the police back here. Now."
"Wh-"
Suddenly, a very loud engine rumbled from outside. We both turn our heads.
A red truck pulled up next to the curb. There was rust all over the vehicle, and the bed of the truck covered up with a blue tarp. The vehicle came to a halt, and the driver rolled down the window.
Inside, was a middle-aged man with a cleanly-shaven beard and sunglasses. His skin was a rich caramel color and his hair a dark cocoa. The man inside just sat there, looking at himself in the car mirror. There were so many red flags it was hard to count. That better not be the person that stalked the kids.
My blood ran cold. "Lily, call the police. I'll check for the license plate number."
Her face went serious as she grabbed the phone and began to punch in the numbers. I speed down the hallway, calling Dana on my phone to check on her.
She picked up almost instantly.
"Where are you Abigail?" She said in a serious tone. "Isla is crying and I can't handle three toddlers without you and-"
"What color was the truck?' I interjected, ignoring her below-average babysitting.
I hear a pause. "What? I'm not sure."
"Damn it!" I cursed loudly. I approached the end of the hall and turned left. I was greeted with an empty room. It used to be the classroom for the three-year-olds, but the owner mentioned that it was going to be renovated soon. Since I used to volunteer here, I remember that there was a window with blinds that faced the front of the school.
Maybe from there, I can see the license plate.
"Dana, I'm still at preschool."
"What? You need to get here now-"
I rubbed my temples with my open hand. "I'm aware of that, but you don't understand. A run-down truck just pulled up."
"Oh sh-" she started.
"Be rational! There are children with you!" I retorted.
"Sorry!"
I walked up to the classroom door and swung it open, letting it slam into a petite table. It was dark, the only light coming from the window. The air was thick and musty, sending me into a coughing fit. I make my way across the colorful carpet and peered through the blinds.
"Damn it, there's a freaking tree in the way!"
I was about to give up when something clicked.
"Dana, give Isla the phone."
She didn't hesitate, and I heard the shuffling of feet.
"Hello?" Isla's innocent voice piped up.
"Hello sweetie? It's Mommy." I replied, sugar-coating my voice.
I heard a small giggle from the other end. "Hi Mommy!"
My patience was running low. "Sweetie pie, do you remember if any cars were at the playground today?"
"Hmmm- there was a truck." She answered. "The man was taking pictures! Now I'm famous!"
Oh god, I thought as I shook my head in disbelief. "That's great! Do you remember the color it was?"
"It was red like my slide at home! But it was very dirty and gross. That truck needs a bath."
My fears were confirmed.
"I have to go." I say flatly, completely forgetting it was Isla I was talking to. As soon as I hang up, I look out the window one last time. I have to squint to see the details, but when I could see clearly, I gasped.
The driver was gone.

"LILY!" I shout while running through the halls. Why did I leave her alone?
I sprinted to the desk. She was standing behind the desk alone, staring at the ground blankly.
"LILY! That's the same truck!" I breathed. "We have to-"
She looked at me with wide eyes, eyes full of fear, as if she had seen the devil himself.
This just frustrated me even more. I rolled my eyes dramatically. "WHAT?"
A tear rolled down her cheek as a man stepped out from behind her.
The man from the truck. The man that took the pictures.
He went right to her and held something to her neck.
A gleaming hunter's knife.

I froze for what seemed like an eternity. How could I let this happen?
I take a deep breath and hesitantly step back. My tennis shoe squeak on the floor, and the sound echoes throughout the room.
"Who the hell are you?" I say once I gain enough confidence.
The man laughs.
"Just call me J," He claims, gesturing with the knife carelessly. His voice was deep and had a charming touch to it. "I can't have you knowing my real identity."
"Why are you here!" I yell, I feel my face heat up, the warmth spreading like a wildfire. "Just leave her alone!"
"You're so cute when you're mad," J mocks, his voice shifting from smugness to annoyance. He then smirks and merely glances at the knife at Lily's throat. "Also I can't really do that, or else she would find a way to report me."
I instinctively clench my fists tightly. The room seemed to darken, despite the orange sun beaming into the lobby. My eyes fixated on his dark, supercilious eyes. They seemed to challenge me to come closer.

"What can we do for you to spare her life?" I said calmly, playing along. I have no other ideas.
A smile crept across his face. "Well I was going to kill her anyways, but I figured that the police already had enough to deal with."
My eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"As you can see, my truck is gone."
I looked out the window. Sure enough, the truck was nowhere in sight.
Oh no.
"Abigail," Lily croaks, struggling against J's grasp. "There- there was another man in- in the-"
J squeezes her shoulder harder as he begins to trace a line lightly with the knife, thin rivers of blood flow down her neck and begin to bleed into her shirt. Lily gasps as sweat and tears flow down her face.
"STOP!" I scream.
J stops; he had only cut about two inches. He chuckles. "I can't have your friend giving away locations can I?"
Not a second later, I hear sirens outside. I lock eyes with J, daring him to stay for the police.
Without showing a sign of defeat, he lets go of Lily and I watch as she crumples to the ground. She held a hand to her neck and breathed loudly.
J walks over to me, holding out the knife as a threat. The point was so close to my face that I stopped breathing, in hope that it would just disappear.
But I keep a stern face and stand my ground.
"Now Abigail," J says in an eerie tone, dragging out my name so bitterly. "I have constant watch on you, and if I catch you reporting me to the police. Isla will be next."
I suck in my breath silently. How does he know her name?
"Fine," I force out through gritted teeth.
He lowers the knife and playfully pats my head. I grit my teeth so hard they begin to numb.
"Good," He chides. "Now you better help your friend here before she bleeds out."
I had been so distracted that I completely forgot that Lily was still hunched over on the floor. Quickly rush past J, slamming my shoulder into his. He doesn't move, and his face stays horrifyingly monotone. Despite the pain that began to bloom, I dropped on my knees at Lily's side and held my hand to her neck. When I pulled away, my hand was covered in glossy red. The cut in her neck had been deeper than I thought, and blood was beginning to pool on the floor.
Quickly, I grabbed the sleeve of my t-shirt, ripping at the cotton fabric until I got a good sized strip. I placed it on her neck and moved her blood-stained hand onto it to hold it down.
As I sat there breathing raggedly, I heard the sound of footsteps getting farther and farther. When I turned around, J was gone, with no trace left behind.
I faced Lily and tilted her head to see me.
"Lily, I'm getting help," I say, my voice wavering as I speak.
I barely hear her groan in response as I sprint out the doors.