CHAPTER ONE

The playground had been empty all afternoon, the tornado warnings having scared away all the children and their parents. It was here that my best friend had been captured five months ago. Max had been taken by strangers one day when I was on the way over. We were going to talk after having a really bad fight, one of the worst. When he had called to tell me to come to the playground, he had sounded anxious and wanted me here as fast as possible. But it wasn't fast enough.

Ever since then, I had come to this playground just over a mile away from my house every day. Recently, my other friend Lauren had begun acting strange, just like Max had. She was even getting angry at me for the smallest reasons. I couldn't take much more. I might be next. Lauren had called minutes ago, telling me to meet her here. I didn't tell her that I was already here because I wanted to beat her here. Maybe she wouldn't even come. Maybe this was just a trick to get me out into the open.

Something moved behind me. I whirled around in time to see someone running around a tree and down the trail that went through the woods. As fast as lightning, I began pursuing the visitor, my feet pounding the ground as foliage passed by me.

When they knew that I was behind them, they jumped over the bushes that were surrounding the path. I followed, my feet just skimming the top of the overgrown shrubbery. No one came back onto the path anymore.

I was faster than the runner anticipated; or he was just slow. I knew it was a he because of his bulky size and the way he ran: hard steps, steady rate. Girls usually sprinted more than boys and we kept our arms in closer to our bodies. Whenever I run, I gain speed, gain momentum. Tearing through the forest, I didn't trip once, but he did, small trips that never sent him to the ground, but I could tell that his feet were dragging from weariness. Taking the risk, I dashed out faster, just a foot behind him. I reached my arm out, my fingers touching his jacket. He tripped, sending us both to the ground, but I ended up on top of him, pinning him down before he could run away.

Both of us gasping for air, I took a look at his face, but it was masked, wearing a ski mask to hide his face. I yanked it off and lost all my breath completely.

It was Max.

"Max, wh-" My eyes were wide, my mind racing.

"Christy, it's not what you think! I had to-" He spoke so quickly that I barely caught his words.

"Why did you run? Where have you been? I've been so worried! Who took you away? You scared me! You scared everyone!"

"Christy! It's too late, now! I can't come back, you have to get out of here!"

"No." It hadn't been Max who spoke.

"But she's not-"

"Max, she will be."

"What? What will I be? Who are you? Where are you?" My eyes darted around the thick forest that Max had led me into.

"You cannot see me, girl. But you know me."

"What?" I screamed, frustration edging me towards hysteria.

"Max, take her to the others. Tell her everything," the voice commanded. Max nodded reluctantly. He gently pushed me off of him so he could stand up, then he helped me up as well.

"Come on, Christy. I will explain on the way." Max's voice had changed since I had last seen him. It had taken on a tired tone, and it scratched a lot. Just then it hit me. I found Max. My best friend was right here. He took a step away from me, expecting me to follow, but I couldn't move.

"Christy, are-" He couldn't finish. I stepped towards him and slapped the side of his face. He turned his head towards me again, hurt written across it. Tears bubbled out and I couldn't speak; I had no reason for hitting him, but I had felt the urge.

"Max," my voice cracked, and I reached for him. At first, he thought I was going to hit him again, but I just wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head in his shoulder, just like I used to when he was still with me.

"Christy, shhh, it's OK. I'm here," he soothed, his voice sounding more normal now. He held me to him, one arm around my waist and the other on the high of my back, where his hand stroked my hair. "Walk with me. It's a really long story."