The Love Between the Kidnapped and the Kidnapper.

BY: Margaret Kowalski

Part I

Running, running, then I start to pace myself. I look back and see nothing except large trees and leaves on the ground, covering dirt and branches. Then suddenly I hear a crack, more like a branch breaking from a man with large feet. Then I saw in the corner of my eye a shadow running behind one tree to another. I knew it was him.

See, a day ago I was kidnapped by two men one was a tall mysterious man, with brown hair and blue eyes, and had a leading voice with a redneck accent. I never saw the other man all I heard was his voice. I don’t know why I was taken, but for whatever reason it was there must have been a good excuse. I mean I’ve never done anything thing wrong, well I have but nothing really bad. I’ve snuck out a couple time to hook up with this guy, but that’s it, and I don’t think anyone is mad at me. I didn’t hurt anyone. Hmm…

I stop and pause for a second, then suddenly he grabbed me from behind, locking his arm around my neck and holding my waist tightly. I tried to break free, I really tried, but he was just to strong. I’m serious, you should have seen the muscles on this guy, but he also had me at a good angle.

He yelled rite in my ear, “What the heck is wrong with you?” “When I tell you to do something, you better do it!” Then he pinned me to the ground, “Stupid girl, you never listen!” I still was trying to get away. “Hold still,” he shouted, as he tied my hands back with electrical tape.

After that he picked me up onto my feet and said in a contemptible voice, “Get going!” To be honest I was scared. Getting back to the hidden cabin, with part of it being underground, he took a pair of handcuffs and cuffed me to the table which was bolted down to the floor. He looked at me in the eye and just stared at me for a moment, the he took a deep breath and walked away. He sat on the couch and turned the television on. “Why are you doing this?,” I asked calmly, but deep down I was terrified.

He just ignored me and kept watching TV. I shook my hand thinking the cuff would break. “Settle down,” he said, while walking up to the counter, and pulling a frozen item out of the fridge, putting it into the microwave. Just dead silence….. BEEPPP!!!! “Here eat up,” he said tossing me a plastic tray with mash potatoes, peas, a roll, an corn. Trusting, him I actually started eating it, I was starving anyway I didn’t eat in almost two days. Then he tossed me a glass of ice water. I just sat there examining it. “Its not poisoned, I don’t need to kill you yet.” My heart started racing, and the telephone rang, I jumped up suddenly, because it startled me. “Settled down,” he yelled. “Hey, Josh,”

“yeah its all ready to go,” mmhm, mmhm. Ok see you later.” Just wondering what that phone call meant, I was also thinking, about why I was here. “why are you mean like this, kidnapping me and everything, why?” I said in a confused voice. “Look I was trying to be nice, but you push it to far. I now know that you are more capable of things, you know a lot and understand more than I realizes,” he said quickly and loudly. “THIS IS NICE?” I yelled, but he just looked away.

Then he unlocked the cuff and took me down stairs. There was a bunch of doors and he took me to the 4th one on the right side, witch was the very last one in the hallway. “Sit down,” he told me, while brining his handcuffs out. “Again, with the cuffs, come on now that’s getting a little old,” I said with a stubborn attitude. Then he said while locking them to me and to the bed post, “Locking the door ain’t good enough.” “I told you before, I know you can get out, if I don’t.” I looked out of the small window, that was about 8 or 10 inches high, and saw that the sun was about to set. Being late summer in northern California, I knew that is would be cold.

BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! A loud noise on the front door occurred. “Open up, its sheriff Rogerson.” “Help!! Help!!!” I yelled.

“Shut up!” Slap!!!! Rite across my face, I could feel a red mark occurring. I was trying to break free, and then he took a long piece of duck tape and put is across my mouth. Five minutes later I saw the sheriff walk away. Then stomp, stomp, stomp, I heard big feet walking down the hallway. He opened the door, and said “Well Mr. Bigboy and his snooty tooty uniform asked me if I seen this girl.” And he held up a picture of me with the words missing at the top of the page. “And you know, I told him a pretty little lady like that, no not in these woods.” Then he laughed and walked out locking the door behind him.

PART II

The next morning I heard a gunshot, I knew it was pretty early because the sun barely started coming up. Bam! Bam! Two more gunshots. I was still laying in bed, tied up, with my mouth duck taped. SLAM! The door opens and all I see is him and a 49” double shooter. Then BLACKOUT.

I woke up untied in the bed with covers over me, but I knew nothing could of happened. I thought to myself I need to get out of here. The door was still locked and the window was nailed closed. There was no way out. This started reminding me of Josh and Jason. We once played blackout in this big mysterious house, that no one lived in, and they locked all the doors and there was no way out. They tried to scare me at any chance they got..

I just sat there thinking of someway to get out. And then it hit me. Three hours later, maybe around seven or eight in the morning, I was just laying in bed waiting for them to come in. Creeaakkk! The door opens and two men walk in, I closed my eyes to fake asleep. “Wow, john how hard did you hit her?” A man that was about 5’9 and had mid-large muscles and brown hair said. “Uhmm…I didn’t think I hit her that hard Josh.”

Wait then it hit me this was the other man. Josh is the other guy that kidnapped me. “God she’s hot,” Josh said.

“Yeah she is kinda cute,” John then muttered. “No John I don’t mean like that. She looks sick.” Then they both came around to the other side of the bed, farthest from the door.

Then I started crawling to the door, but John grabbed my foot and pulled me back. Then I kicked him in the face, but that didn’t stop him. He jumped on top of my back and pinned my head down and said “Stupid Girl.” He never called me by my name, just said stupid girl. He grabbed my hands back and tied them to the back board. Slap.. ”Stupid Girl.” Then I spit in his face and he punched me in the mouth. Well that certainly shut me up. Sp..Sp..Sp..Ssp, the two were whispering. “Let me go,” I yelled. “Shut up,” John said. Then he left the room. Josh then said, “So.” But I just glared at him. “What’s that look for?” And I turned my head. “Look I know this is hard for you.” Then I said angrily, “Then why are you doing this?” But he looked at me for a second then looked away. Opening the door quickly john came in and said, “Lets go.”

Sitting there for about two hours, I started thinking that I’m never going to get out of here, and then I had a tea run down my face. I take a deep breath un to calm by self down. Suddenly I smell smoke, I looked by the door and there was smoke coming from under it. I knew the house was surely on fire. I was so terrified. “Help!!!” “Help!!!” I shouted even though I knew no one could hear me out in the middle of the woods. I was still tied up and kept yelling. “Help!!!” “Help!!” WHAM!!! The door opens and its Josh. He jumps onto the bed and pulls out a hand knife and cuts the rope. Then he pulls my arm and throws me over his shoulder and ups the stairs and through the door.

He ran about 20 yards away from the house and puts me down on the ground. I cough about two or three time then I get up and start to run. I knew this was my chance to getaway. Running as fast as I can, with John and Josh chasing me from behind, I realized I have no clue where I’m going, but I didn’t care, anywhere is better than there. Then suddenly John catches up to me and pushes me to the ground, but I got up as quickly as I could and started running again. Running on the side of a hill, Josh grabbed me from be hind and we both started rolling down the hill. Once we get to the bottom, I started crawling, but he got hold of me and straddled over me having my back face the ground.

“What is wrong with you,” he said. “I just saved your life and you run.” I didn’t answer. I just kept struggling. “Hold still,” he said while shaking me. “You don’t give up do you?” He said, calmly. He then helped me up. “Ouch!” I shouted. “What’s wrong?” he said quickly. “My ankle.” “Oh God,” he said. “Ok lets get you to the car.”

Part III

“Yea Josh, Josh you goter,” John said excitingly. “Yea um, he John.” “What’s wrong Josh?” “I think her ankles broken.”

John gave him a puzzled look. “So!” John said. “What do you mean SO…?” Josh said copying his tone. “This is bad John.” “The house is burnt down because of that stupid pizza you left in the oven and she has a hurt ankle. She needs to see a doctor, TODAY.” “Ok, Ok,” John said interrupting Josh. “We’ll take her to the hospital.” So we got into the truck and had the trailer connected to it and went to the nearest hospital. Once we got there John dropped me and Josh off at the front door and John looked me in the eye and said, “No funny business, you better keep your mouth shut, or I’ll kill you.” “Alright, gosh,” I said, with the biggest attitude.

When we got inside Josh told me to wait here and he went to the front desk.

“She said it might be an hour or two.” He called John and told him. “So,” then a pause. “Are you hungry?” he asked me. “Umm…sure,” I said. There was a snack machine on the other side of the room, so he went and got a few things then came back. He brought back two Kit Kat bars, two Reeses Cups, along with some cokes.

15 minutes later , a lady with gray hair and was about 5”3 came out and called us in. “The doctor will be with you in a moment,” she said with that calm old lady tone. Well rite after she said that the doctor came in. “So what’s the damage? I’m Doctor Herbert.” “Well doctor we were just playing soccer in the yard and there was a hole, my dog dug up and I guess we didn’t see it,” Josh told him. “Hhmm..a hole huh?” “Yes sir,” Josh said with courage. “Well lets take some X-rays and see what we got,” the doctor said.

After seven x-rays were taken the doctor spoke with us again, “Well its not broken, its just a rolled ankle, which isn‘t as bad a sprain just hurts a lot more. It should be better in a day or two, just try to stay off of it.” “You will have to come back tomorrow, for an appointment.” “Oh,” Josh said. “Well were out of town rite now and we are leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Excuse me sir, if you don’t mind me asking, what is this girl to you?” the doctor asked with a questioned look. And Josh said, “she’s my girlfriend.”

“How old are you mam,” he asked me. “Fifteen.” I said. “And you sir.” “seventeen,” Josh said. “Well since you’re leaving tomorrow, you really need to see a doctor for a check up, I will give you crutches.” “Thanks doc.,” Josh said, and we walked out of there.

John met us by the door, we got in the car and he said, ”So?” “Just a rolled ankle,” Josh said. “Ok we already know where we’re goin, lets just get there,” John said. We drove for thirteen hours, then stopped at a hotel and once again John gave me that big lecture about, “behaving.” Once we got inside and checked in, we went to the room which was a suite. I sat on the couch and then John pulled out the hand cuffs. “No, no more cuffs,” I told him, while threatening to hit him with my crutch. “Yea, John give her a brake, where is she going to go, she has one leg.” “Thanks,” I said after, with a smart tone. Then Josh whispered in my ear, “Sorry.”

The next morning the guys woke up about 6 or 7. John then said, “Come on Josh, it open in two hours, and we need to get there to plan this out if were gunna do it.” I looked t Josh and said, “Do what?”

He then looked at me and said, “sorry but this is one thing I can’t tell you just yet.” While they were both by the sink, John pulled out a rope and handed it to Josh, then John pulled out his hand-cuffs, and they both walked toward me.

I was sitting on the bed, and cuffed my hands together and tied my legs together, but not where it was hurt. Then they took electrical tape and put it over me, taping me to the bed. I then said, “Ya’ll can’t just leave me hear.” “We’ll be back in four or five hours,” John said. Then he turned the TV to a comedy channel and left the suite. After that Josh said, “Don’t worry, just do me a favor and don’t scream, or John will probably kill you.” He smile then walked away.

Once they left I fell asleep. When I woke up it was about one o’clock in the afternoon and Josh and John were back.

Part IV

The next day, we got in the car a drove another hour or two and got into another hotel. That night Josh was gone, and John had me tied up, to a chair. By this time my ankle was feeling a lot better. John came in front of be and pulled out a rag that had something in it. Then he started unfolding it, it was a knife. He put the tip of it by my face, then he started stroking my face, but light enough not to make a cut. “Please don’t kill me,” I said with a fright. “Chill out,” then he cut the rope. I paused for a second, then I ran for the door. It was locked, I jiggled it, but couldn’t get it open. Then John turned me around and grabbed my wrist, pinning them to a wall. He said, “The door is locked, but you could try the windows, but that would be dangerous and might hurt a little because I would take a bullet and shoot it rite through you head.” My eyes got large, “o-o-ok,” I said stuttering.

“s-s-sorryyy.”

He then let go and then Josh came in.

“So I guess tomorrow is the day.” “Yup!” John said. I wanted to know what was going on, but none was telling me.

That night John slept in the main bedroom and Josh and I slept in the other room. It was late, but I wasn’t tired and Josh and I just started talking. He kept asking me questions about my life. I was talking to him like I would talk to one of my friends. It was really weird, but I enjoyed it, he seemed like somebody I could tell everything to.

“The way life is, its terrifying sometime,” I said. “Yes, it is but that’s why they say life is full of surprises,” He told me. Then there was a silence and he leaned toward me and we KISSED. Oh my God, I thought to myself am I really kissing the man that helped kidnapped me!?! But to be honest I enjoyed it. We slept together that night. I knew why he was protective of me now, and knew why he stuck up for me.

The next morning, we all woke up, John didn’t know what happened that night and I think Josh wanted to keep it that way. We drove about ten minutes to Wells Fargo and Company, which is the nations 6th largest bank, and California’s largest. “This is why you kidnapped me? To help you rob a bank?” I said. “No, actually we were worried we wouldn’t have hostages so we took you, your cute and no one wants a cute girl dead,” John said with confidence.

I looked a Josh. He looked at me and looked away, with a disappointing look on his face. So they put there black jackets on and get their book bags and putt guns in them that supposedly only had one bullet in it. John grabs me out of the car, holding the gun to my head. We all walk into the bank and John fires one shot at the ceiling. “Everyone on the ground!” He yelled. Most of the people ran out when he shot the gun, but there was still five or six of us in there.

Josh just stays quiet and looks at me every second or two. “Open the vault!” John told a accountant. So the man got up and opened it. Honestly it was the biggest vault I’ve ever seen.

The man opened it, and there had to have been millions of dollars in there. I looked at Josh and he just looked at me with this disappointed face again. Then something strange occurred, I’ve seen that look before. I then said, “Josh,” He then looked at me. “Josh Jamison?” I said questioning. He gave me a positive look. “I thought you moved to Germany?” I said. “I did, but now I’m back.” He told me.

See Josh and I dated in 9th grade, he was my everything, my true love, but then he moved. We kept going out, but I didn’t like the long distance relationship. It was weird the guy that kidnapped me was my 9th grade sweetheart. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. I now knew why he was somewhat protective of me.

“Josh lets go!” John yelled at him. He pulled out some bags and started putting money in it, and Josh did it too, but slower than John. “Why are you doing this? I thought you were different.” I said shouting to Josh.

“Shut up!” John said while pointing his gun at me. “Get on the floor and keep your mouth shut.”

Josh stop putting money into the bag, and paused. Then he said, “She’s right. I’m better than this.” Then he looked at John and said, “I’m done.” And he walked out of the vault. I smiled then John said, “Like hell you are!” and shot him. I ran as quickly as I could to get to him. “Josh, Josh, are you ok?” “Say something to me.” “Please.” I kept saying in a frighten voiced. “I’m ok.” he said. John shot him in his left shoulder. I took a jacket that was on the chair beside me and put it under his head.

John got done filling the bags, and walked over to us. “Silly Josh, your such a sucker.” He pointed the gun at me. “Don’t shoot her,” Josh said to him. John pulled the trigger, but as soon as he did that a bullet hit his hand. The SWAT team had come in and the cops followed.

They cuffed John and put him in the cop car. Everyone else got out safely except me and Josh who were shot. The paramedics came and took me and Josh to the hospital. The bullet in his arm broke three bones, but the one that hit me just broke my arm.

John went to jail for 28 years for kidnapping, robbery, and attempted murder. Josh only went to jail for 6 month for kidnapping, since he was a victim the judge gave it to him easy. And I went home to my family, I moved with my grandparents, and worked on the ranch for a while. When Josh got out of jail, we moved in with each other, besides he didn’t have a family to go to. He was 18 when he got out and I was 16. We lived in an apartment near my grandparents, and he worked at a shipping factory. When I was eighteen I went to college and he decided to go with me. I got PHD and started working at a nearby hospital, and was an x-ray tech. He got his PHD also, but was just a regular check up doctor. We had two boys, Aaron and Sean. Eventually we started are own doctor business in Susanville, California.

We knew are past was bad, but we excepted it, and it got us where we are today. We all lived are life, we made bad chooses, but eventually realized it. We can’t change are past, but we can always make are future brighter, by making better chooses.

Life isn’t about trying to stay alive, its just about living life. Bad things may happen, but you just need to make the best of them. Expect the unexpected and just except it.

THE END

January 2009