Her vengeance

7. kidnapped

Adira pov

I waited until everyone fell asleep. I wanted to go in to the forest and look for the poisonous plant myself. My parents wouldn’t let me be on my own. And they definitely wouldn’t let me go in to the forest all by myself.

They have their reasons. For one thing, young girls keep getting kidnapped from our village. Those girls are never found. Not even their dead bodies. They are gone for good. Another thing is their belief in the supernatural creatures. They fear that something bad might happen.

My heart raced as I paced around the room. I kept checking the time. I looked outside of the window in my room. The night was dark and silent. I opened the window and squinted in to the darkness. Perhaps it was a bad idea. I really shouldn’t go out at this time of the night. I definitely wouldn’t be able to find my way in the thick foliage of the forest.

I sighed and closed the window. I will wait until the dawn broke. Perhaps they will be ok with me going for a walk. I don’t know. I will deal with it later.

The night was not any easier for me. I was as restless as I was the night before. I tossed and turned on my bed. Different thoughts kept disturbing me. What if I get caught? What if the kidnappers find me? What if the plant kills me like Levi feared?

I groaned and covered my face with my pillow. I shouldn’t back off. I can’t keep my fears stopping me from attaining what I want. I fell asleep after some time and was woken up by the alarm. I had set the alarm to wake me up at 5:00 am.

I quickly freshened up and hurried outside, careful not to wake any one up. I slowly and cautiously tiptoed across our parent’s room and towards the main door. Lucky for me, they keep the key in the keyhole. I opened the door and stepped outside.

I shuddered. It was still dark as the sun had still not risen yet. I took a deep breath before closing the door and walking away from the house. I atmosphere was cold and misty. The leaves of the trees were swaying with the wind, filling the air with a rustling sound of the leaves. It was a good thing I chose to wear a jacket. It was colder than I thought it would be. My heart thumped hysterically in my chest as I flashed my flash light and made my way towards the forest.

Most people of our village would not be awake yet. That was the whole idea. I didn’t want people to question what I was doing in the forest all alone. Our family had a good reputation and I didn’t want to ruin it. I hugged myself as I walked forward. My plan was simple. Find that little plant and get out of this place before anyone found out that was gone.

It was just a matter of few minutes. The forest was not a long walk away from our house. I looked around trying to catch a glimpse of that little plant that grew on the forest floor. It was a dangerous plant that kept growing around. It is a good thing that at least it only grew in the forest where most children wouldn’t enter.

Soon enough, I found the plant. I hastened to collect few of it’s leaves and quickly started to walk out of the forest. It was already morning now. The sun had risen and I’m sure my mama would already have started her day. I could only hope that she had not gone looking for me yet. I was almost out of the forest when I heard something or rather someone in the trees.

At first I froze. I looked around and scanned the area. Maybe it was just my imagination. I started to walk but once again, I felt I was being watched. This time I didn’t stop. My heart pulsated as I quickened my pace. By the time I reached the vacant road, I was practically running. The road that led to the forest would be deserted most of the time, as people rarely used it.

I was certain that I heard footsteps behind me. I ran frantically hoping to reach the area where people lived as soon as possible. I didn’t want to get caught.

So much for my efforts. Someone caught my arm and pulled me into his chest. I didn’t get to scream for help as he covered my mouth with the other hand.

“Hurry up. Blind fold her and tie her up. We must take her to the boss.” Some one whispered. I thrashed and rebelled. But they were too strong for me. Soon, my hands and legs were tied up. A cloth covered my mouth and eyes. I didn’t even get to see their faces. Their voices seemed unfamiliar. They most certainly were not from our village.

I was thrown in to some kind of a vehicle. I cried silent tears as I felt that I was being transported elsewhere. I started to regret not listening to my brother. Oh Levi. I am so sorry that I didn’t listen to you.

Narrator.

Alice and Jack prepared the breakfast table and decided to call Adira. It was not normal for her not to wake up early. But perhaps she wanted to sleep a some more today. After all she didn’t have to go to school anymore. Levi was already seated in the seat.

“I will go and check on Adira. Both of you can start having your breakfast.” Alice said and walked towards her daughter’s room.

“Adira?” she called as she knocked on her door. There was no answer. Not a sound. Alice furrowed her eyebrows. That was strange. She opened the door and looked around.

Adira’s bed was neatly made and her room was kept in order, just like she would keep it if she was leaving. Alice’s eyes widened. “Adira?” she called out as she panicked. She looked around her room and the bathroom door. The door was open ajar and it was dark inside, indicating that she was not there.

Alice gulped the uncomfortable lump that blocked her throat. She ran out of her room towards her son and her husband, who were having their breakfast peacefully.

Jack and Levi stared at Alice who was gasping for breath.

“Alice! What happened?” Jack asked, his voice laced with concern.

“Adi... Adira... Is not in her room.” Alice managed to say between her gasps of breath.

“What?” Jack exclaimed as suddenly stood up from his seat. "It looked as if she had left." Alice sobbed. "She is gone."

Levi dropped the piece of bread her was holding. He stared at his mother with wide eyes. His heart raced and his breathing hitched. This could mean only one thing. She had gone to the forest. He should have known better than to think that his sister would sit back and stay in her house obediently. He should have known that his sister would take crazy measures to succeed in her mission. He too stood up, suddenly food seemed the least interesting thing for him. He had to look for her. And give her a piece of his mind.

He hurried to go out. “Where are you going?” asked his father.

“To try and look for her.” Levi answered and quickly ran towards the forest. He did not have a moment to loose.

Jack watched the retreating figure of his son. He turned towards his wife who was still taking deep breaths as she held of the nearest furniture. He too must do something about this. Who knows where his daughter was. Was she kidnapped? That was his worst fear. Young girls have been getting lost for a couple of years.

He hurried towards his wife and helped her to sit down. He gave her a glass of water and made sure that she had calmed down a little bit before taking quick steps towards the landline in the living room. He was going to call Charles and ask for his help. If anyone could help, it would only be him.

“Hello.” Charles answered with a couple of rings. Jack’s mouth ran dry as soon as he heard his voice. What was he going to say?

“Ch... Charles... Adira..” he stammered. There was a pause on the line.

“What happened?” Charles asked after sometime. Jack gulped and tried to continue again.

“Ch.. Charles..... She is not at home. She left.... She might be kidnapped.” He finally managed to say it. Once again, there was an uncomfortable silence. No one said a word for a while.

“We will find her.” Charles finally broke that silence and Jack sighed.

“I will call you. I need to do some important work.” He said and cut the call.

Jack felt uneasy. Never in his life had he felt like this before. He never thought that he would feel scared and anxious about loosing someone he cared about. He sat beside Alice and put his arm around her. She looked in to his face with a deep frown on her face.

“Jack.” She whispered. “Do you think she is in trouble?” she asked. Jack looked deeply in the dark eyes of his beloved wife. He wanted to say no. He wanted to assure Alice that their daughter was fine. He wanted to smile and wipe her tears away. But all what he felt was uneasiness and fear. His gut feeling was telling him that Adira, his strong and witty daughter was in grave danger.

Levi practically ran all the way. Why did his sister have to be so stubborn? He had begged her not to use that stupid leaf. But still she had to come look for it. He was angry and upset. Angry that she didn’t take his advice nor listen to his pleas. Upset that she had to take drastic measures just so that she could study more. Upset that she was being forced in to an unwanted marriage.

He had reached the road that lead to the forest. He would have continued to enter the forest if he didn’t notice something strange. There on the middle of the road were some leaves of the kind his sister was looking for. He frowned. Those leaves couldn’t come here if it wasn’t carried here.

He bit his lips and looked around. Surely, something has happened here. Then, a fallen flashlight caught his eye. He picked it up. It looked awfully familiar. Was it one that they used in the house. He shook his head. Perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him. Anyone could buy similar flashlights. He was about to push his eyes thoughts away, when he felt that he had stepped on something.

His eyes grew wide. He picked up the bracelet that was lying in the dirt. He stared wide eyed at the golden bracelet he had become pretty familiar with. He had seen it so many times. It was the bracelet their father had given her on her 17th birthday. The letters ADI glimmered in the sunlight. This could only belong to one person. His sister Adira.

He looked around. The leaves, the flashlight, and now her bracelet. Levi’s anger was quickly replaced with fear as he realised something. Adira was in unimaginable danger.

He put the flashlight and bracelet in to his pockets and ran towards his house. He had to inform his parents what he had found. His heart hammered like crazy. Most of the time girls who got kidnapped was never found. There were rumours that they were being sold to some human traffickers who had an unknown link in our village.

Levi’s steps were urgent and quick. He dashed in to his house, not bothering about the dirt on his clothes.

When he arrived Charles was already in the living room with his parents.

Everyone looked at Levi who was desperately trying to calm himself down so that he could tell them what he had found out.

“Papa... Look.” He finally said and took out the things he had brought back.

His mother broke into tears when she saw the bracelet.

“I found it near the forest. She.... Was not there.” Levi told them. Charles suddenly stood up from his seat.

“I will do everything in my power to bring her back. After all she is my bride to be.” He declared and walked away. Levi watched his father trying to console his mama. He felt guilty. He felt that he could have stopped her. At least he could have stopped her from going to the forest. He slumped in to the nearest seat and covered his face in his hands. He shook his head in despair.

Oh Adira. Why did you have to leave?