Jason, clueless, went on, “Yeah, her family’s got nothing!”
The woman grinned. “Really?” She grabbed Jason’s arm and yelled to the others, “Grab ‘em both! Their families are loaded. We’ll get the ransom, then ditch the boy. The girl…we can sell her.”
Jason’s eyes went wide. Before anyone could blink, he bit her wrist, hard.
“Ow! Little punk!”
We ran. Jason gasped, “You’ll be okay, even if
they get vou. Just a little. you know. I’ll tell my
<
they get you. Just a little, you know. I’ll tell my
parents, and they’ll get you back.” He tried to
pull me behind him, like I needed protecting.
I elbowed him in the nose. Hard. “Just believe
your parents will come for you,” I said, all
sugary sweet.
The creeps were closing in. I slipped down a
narrow alley. The street was crowded; they
couldn’t follow.
“Crap! We can’t ransom her now. She’s seen
our faces!”
They grabbed Jason. I watched from my hiding
spot as they hauled him away, crying and
snotty, reaching for me.
“You’re so mean! Help me! Please! I’m their
only son! They’ll kill you!”
They shut him up with a chloroform–soaked
<
894
rag. He went limp, thrown in a van like trash.
As the van vanished, I thought, I save people, not jerks.
And about him being their only son…there was
Ethan. From now on, he was their only son.
نه
Before, I’d tried to save Jason. He pushed me
down, I fought the kidnappers, and they
smashed my head on the sidewalk. They
thought I was dead. Jason, who was supposed
to send help, didn’t show up ‘til hours later.
I became a vegetable. I could hear, but I
couldn’t move. My parents were wrecked. A
year later, Jason brought Ashley home, saying
she’d take care of them. He used their guilt to
get Ashley in.
I had to watch Ashley enjoy everything that
A
<
should’ve been mine. She even got my parents‘
money after they died. The night before their wedding, I was almost awake. But Jason and Ashley noticed. He pulled my oxygen tube while Ashley held a pillow ready. They pinned my
arms as I choked, listening to their sick plan:
“Getting a new ID for Ashley has been such a
hassle. We’re this close. You can’t mess it up.
You were a vegetable for ten years for me, you
can die for me too. You’d just want Ashley’s
stuff if you woke up!”
I didn’t get why they were like this. Why they
thought my parents‘ things belonged to Ashley.
If I hadn’t saved Jason, none of this would’ve
happened. Nobody came. I suffocated. I died.
Now I was back. No way was I making the same
mistake. Jason should be terrified. Hell would
be easier than facing me.
- 3.
I snuck in, took the service elevator, changed
clothes. Call the cops? Yeah, right.
At dinner, my parents were cooking. They
worked hard, but they always made time for
this. I almost cried. I’d lost ten years, all for that
jerk.
A knock. Jason’s parents, frantic: “Jason’s
gone. Have you seen him, Claire?”
All innocent, I said, “I’ve been practicing piano
all day. Maybe he just forgot what time it was?”
Mr. Smith was pale. “We saw him on the
security camera, heading south, but he’s
vanished. That kid!”
“Maybe call the police. Get a search going,”
Mom said.
She calmed down Mrs. Smith. “Don’t worry.
Jason’s a little devil. Probably just playing
<
somewhere.”
