<link href="css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <link href="css/media.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <meta content="urn:uuid:e5dcee8a-6a2a-476b-8d79-ca5349c3c352" name="Adept.expected.resource"/> </head> <body> <div class="element chapter" id="chapter024"> <div class="heading heading-with-title heading-without-image" id="chapter024-heading"> <div class="chapter-title-subtitle-block chapter-title-block-title-is-chapter-number"> <div class="chapter-number-block"> </div> <div class="title-block"> <h1 class="title">24</h1> </div> </div> </div> <div class="text text-main" id="chapter024-text"> <p class="first first-in-chapter"><span class="first-phrase"><span class="first-letter first-letter-w"><span class="first-letter-alpha">W</span></span>hat seemed</span> like just minutes later, Kayla woke with a start. She felt around for Grace, unable to locate her. She sat up and called out.</p> <p class="subsq">"Grace?"</p> <p class="subsq">David sat up as well.</p> <p class="subsq">"What's wrong?"</p> <p class="subsq">"Where is Grace?" Kayla fell into a panic. </p> <p class="subsq">"Maybe she went out to pee."</p> <p class="subsq">Kayla jumped up and ran out of the tent.</p> <p class="subsq">"Grace?" She began to cry.</p> <p class="subsq">David searched frantically around the tent, to no avail. He grabbed the flashlights and slipped on his boots. He handed a flashlight to Kayla, gripping her shoulders.</p> <p class="subsq">"Kayla, you have to calm down. We'll find her."</p> <p class="subsq">Kayla tried her best to focus on what he was saying, but the blackness of her terror threatened to overtake her consciousness.</p> <p class="subsq">"We will find her," she forced herself to repeat his assurance.</p> <p class="subsq">The two parents began searching the area around the tent in a circular pattern, fanning out and calling her name. Kayla froze in her tracks when the howl of a wolf echoed through the forest.</p> <p class="ornamental-break"><img alt="" class="inline-ornamental-break" src="images/break-section-side.svg"/></p> <p class="first first-in-section"><span class="first-phrase"><span class="first-letter first-letter-g"><span class="first-letter-alpha">G</span></span>race opened</span> her eyes and saw stars. She felt a little shiver of cold while she tried to figure out where she was. </p> <p class="subsq">"Mommy? Dad?" she whispered, but got no answer. </p> <p class="subsq">She looked around and saw the little man from earlier standing just a few feet away. He smiled at her again and put his finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet. She closed her eyes as tears began to flow.</p> <p class="subsq">"I want my mommy," Grace said, almost silently. </p> <p class="subsq">The little man gave her an understanding look and another warm smile that made her feel better. She tried to get up off the ground to find her parents, but her leg was jerked back when she attempted to take a step. Looking down, she saw a metal cuff around her ankle, attached to a chain. Grace sat back down on the ground and began to cry softly again. <i>Where was her mommy</i>? </p> <p class="subsq">Looking around, she was unable to see the little man anywhere. Grace sniffled deeply and dried the tears on her cheeks with the palms of her hands. She needed to be brave. She remembered Mommy and Daddy telling her that if she ever got lost or taken, she should try to be brave and find a grown-up to help her. </p> <p class="subsq">A howl echoed through the forest and weakened her resolve. Mom had told her about wolves, too. She knew that she had to stay far away from them, and that some people could be wolves, too. </p> <p class="subsq">Grace felt around on the ground for the end of the chain that bound her leg. As she moved her hands over the cold ground, she felt the little pink purse she had packed for the trip.</p> <p class="subsq">Opening it up, she saw the two little blue barrettes. Grace remembered watching a movie with her dad where a lady used a pin from her hair to open up a lock. Grace thought that maybe her barrette could do the same thing. She located the lock at the end of the chain and slipped the blue barrette into the little hole. Just like magic, the lock slipped and opened. Taking the chain off her foot, she stood up and started to run away. A thought came to her, and she walked back to where the chain lay.</p> <p class="subsq">Grace took the Hello Kitty notepad and pen out of her purse and wrote a note. She had been practicing writing in her second grade class, and they were just starting to learn cursive. </p> <p class="subsq"><i>Mom and Dad I woke up here. I am scared. I got free and went to hide. Please find me. Look for my jellybeans. Love, Grace.</i></p> <p class="subsq">Leaving the note on the ground and saying a prayer that her parents would find it, Grace hurried off, dropping a jellybean every few feet.</p> <p class="ornamental-break"><img alt="" class="inline-ornamental-break" src="images/break-section-side.svg"/></p> <p class="first first-in-section"><span class="first-phrase"><span class="first-letter first-letter-f"><span class="first-letter-alpha">F</span></span>rom behind the trees</span>, the creatures watched the little girl free herself from her chains. Miranda was going to be so angry with them. They knew what happened when she got angry. They whispered amongst themselves, trying to figure out what to do.</p> <p class="subsq">They had to get her back and deliver her to Miranda. There was no choice. Dozens of eyes followed the little girl's retreat while they planned the next step.</p> </div> </div> </body> </html>