Chapter 4: Taken

My feet were still sore. But it was a different kind of sore today. A good kind. The kind you get from being on your feet all day doing something important. Not just carrying plates.

Havencrest was louder than usual today in a happy way. Kids were running and laughing. Playing around with friends New beds were coming. Real beds. Not the old broken ones that poke you.

I was in the art room, helping little Wren stick fuzzy balls on a picture of a sheep. Her tongue was out, she was trying so hard I looked at her a smile appeared on my face so precious.

Mrs. Byrne came to the door. Her eyes were red. But she was smiling. What’s with the smile I thought to myself.

"Elara, honey. Can you come here for a minute?"

My heart jumped. Did I do something wrong? "Of course, Mrs. Byrne." I gave Wren the glue. "You're doing great. Just like that." I will be right back.

I followed Mrs. Byrne into her small, messy office. She shut the door. She took both my hands. Hers were shaking.

"Elara. Something… something amazing has happened."

"What is it? Are you okay?" I asked, getting more worried.

"I'm better than okay." A tear rolled down her cheek. She laughed and wiped it off. "This morning… a charity. The 'Thorne Family Foundation.' They called the bank. They… they gave us money. A lot of money."

"Money?" I repeated, confused. "How much?"

She told me the number.

My legs felt weak. I had to sit in the old chair by her desk. The number she said… it wasn't just money to fix a leak. It was money to change everything. For years.

"That… that can't be right," I whispered.

"It's right! The bank said so. The papers are perfect. It's for the roof, the pipes, new beds, a new kitchen… and money for good food and school stuff for a whole year.

Maybe two!" She was crying for real now, happy tears. "We're saved, Elara. This place… these kids… they have a real chance now."

A feeling hit me so hard I couldn't talk. I just looked at her, at the hope on her tired face. All the nights she'd worried. All the times we'd served beans again and again. All of it… over.

It felt like a miracle. A real one.

"Who… who are they?" I finally asked. "The Thorne Foundation? Why would they do this?"

"I don't know!" Mrs. Byrne said, throwing her hands up. "The woman on the phone just said they 'like to help the community' and that 'someone told them about Havencrest.

Maybe someone we helped? A long time ago? Someone who did well?" She hugged me tight. "It doesn't matter why, my dear. It just matters that it's here. God heard us."

I hugged her back, feeling tears in my own eyes. It was the best news. The most perfect thing. All my own problems.

For the rest of the day, the whole place buzzed with a new feeling. Even the older kids, who usually acted too cool, were talking about what color to paint the playroom. I felt light. Hopeful. Like maybe good things do happen. Maybe the world isn't all dark alleys and scary men.

When it was time to leave, Mrs. Byrne hugged me again at the door. "This is a blessed day, Elara. A true blessing. You're a part of this. Your good heart… maybe it helped bring this to us."

I walked away from Havencrest, the warmth of her words still around me. The evening was cool. I decided to take the shortcut. The back alley behind the old factory was faster. I'd walked it a hundred times. It was just an alley. Trash cans every.Puddles. A shortcut is always the best at least I will get home on time.

My mind was still up in the clouds, thinking about new beginnings. I wasn't paying attention to anything, God bless that Good Samaritan for putting joy and happiness on the children face.

Especially MRS.Byrne she was so happy.

I was halfway down the alley when I heard a soft engine sound behind me.

I looked over my shoulder. It was a clean, black van it was moving toward me. No windows on the sides. It went slowly. Too slowly. I decided to gave way but the van was still driving slowly like it was following me.

My heart jumped into my chest The good feeling from Havencrest disappeared, replaced by a cold drip of fear. I felt so scared.Have never wronged anyone before.

I walked faster. My apartment was only two blocks away. If I could just get to the street…then I will be safe so I hasten my footsteps.

The van sped up quietly, pulling right up next to me. It kept my pace.

I summoned courage I stopped walking. The van stopped too.The side door slid open.

I didn't see who was inside. It was just a dark opening. Then a man stepped out. He was huge. Bigger than any man I'd ever seen. He had a plain, cold face. He moved so fast.

I opened my mouth to scream.

It was too late. His hand was over my mouth, I screamed into his hand, the sound small and weak. I kicked. I fought. I was nothing. A bug on a wall.

Another man jumped out of the van. He had a cloth in his hand. It smelled sweet and chemical. Like fake flowers and cleaning stuff.

No. No no no no.

I twisted my head, trying to bite the hand over my mouth. My eyes were wide, looking desperately for help, for anything.

I tinted my head towards the van.

In the dark space behind the driver's seat of the van. A man was sitting perfectly still, watching us.

The alley's weak light caught his eyes. Were blue and Cold. they were locked right on me.

I knew those eyes.

I had seen them in my bad dreams. In the dark window of a fancy car. They were the last thing I saw every night before I woke up, my heart racing.

The man with the cigarette.

A sound tore from my throat.It was him. He was real.The cloth came down over my nose and mouth I tried to fight back but I couldn’t.

The sweet, chemical smell filled my head. It burned. My lungs fought it. My vision started to spin. The big man's face above me got blurry. The alley walls melted together.

But those ice-blue eyes in the darkness of the van… they stayed clear. They watched me. They didn't blink. They didn't look away.

I felt my body get heavy. My legs stopped working. The big man caught me easily, lifting me like I was a toy. The world was turning sideways, fading to gray.

The last thing I saw before the dark ate me whole was his face, leaning forward a little from the shadows of the van.

His lips moved. He said two words. I didn't hear them. But I saw his mouth make the shapes.

Hello, Elara.He smiled. Who smile when kidnapping someone?

Then everything went black.