"Stay away from me Jack, I'll scream" Lexi told him, cradling a large branch she planned to use as a weapon if he came any closer.
"No one will even hear you," Jack said, taking another step closer, holding his small hunting knife.
"Jack…" Lexi started, her voice quivering, her hands shaking. The sun had already set behind the tall island mountain, the forest had never looked so dangerous.
Jack began to laugh, and walk faster, getting closer to her every second. Lexi stepped back, running into a tree.
Jack laughed.
Lexi screamed.
4 months earlier
Lexi got off of the public bus, the filthy air from a man smoking a cigar filled the air. She coughed and began to walk home to her mom and step-father's small apartment. The night sky was approaching and she began to pick up the pace. She didn't want to be kidnapped like so many of the neighborhood kids.
Lexi's family was poor, too poor to move to a better neighborhood or to afford most of her meals. At school she usually just borrowed food from her girlfriend or their few friends.
A cold breeze blew around Lexi, she pulled her flannel shirt closer to her.
"On these times, I wish I had long hair…" Lexi murmured under her breath, she hurried down the cracked sidewalk, faster than before. Lexi didn't want to end up like her sister.
About half-an-hour later Lexi arrives at the run down apartment that she calls home. She unlocked the door and quickly jogged up the creaking staircase. The lights flickered and the walls were filthy with grime and dirt. Lexi arrived at the door, a faded 15 was painted above the rusting doorknob.
Lexi sighed when she heard the yelling coming from inside, her mom and stepfather were fighting again. She quickly unlocked the door with a sigh, she pushes the door open. The fighting temporarily stopped and the mother and stepfather starred at her.
"Hello Lexi," her mother says smiling, but it was a mask of a smile, hiding what's really happening.
"Hi mom, hi Philip," Lexi says waving, "I'm going to go do some homework," She says before quickly running into the small television/ desk area.
The small TV was on, still reporting the missing plane that disappeared almost three months ago. The government had been claiming the black box will last several more days even though they had been saying that for months.
Lexi almost felt bad for being very pissed off at the news for reporting on the plane. It was filled with lots of kids, from tons of different schools, "They're probably all dead, they should just forget about it," Lexi murmured pulling her binder out from her backpack, she was about to get started on her math homework when the yelling started again.
"SHUT UP YOU BITCH!" Philip yelled at her mom, Lexi balled up her hands, it made her so mad to see her mom being treated this way. She didn't want to interfere, it made her mom, and Philip both very mad.
"GET OUT!" her mom yelled back, Lexi hoped he would, he ate all the food, or gave it to his dog, Buster. Lexi sighed and began to press her pencil down on the paper when the real words came.
"You're the one with the useless GAY daughter who dresses like a man, looks like a man and probably wants to be a MOTHER FUCKING MAN!" Philip yelled, speaking quicker each sentence.
Lexi's pencil snapped in half, on her paper, sending wood and lead flying onto the small desk that they could barely afford.
The tears came so sudden that Lexi didn't realize till it was leaking down onto her paper. Lexi stood up and began to run to the door.
"You ass!" her mom yelled and then saw Lexi, "Lexi! Come back!" Her mother turned and began to run after her. Lexi slammed the door, and heard more yelling from behind her.
Lexi tumbled down the sketchy hallway staircase, bumping into someone on the way down. Lexi's eyes, cheeks and entire face were covered in the salty, sweet smelling tears.
The sky was dark, clouds were blocking out the stars and moon. Lexi began to run, through alleyways, streets and neighborhoods she had never seen before. After the tears stopped she sat in a dark alley and began to think.
"Maybe Philips right, I do dress like a guy, who even wears flannel? So what, I'm gay, who cares... he does. Philip is right, I do have a guy hairstyle, who even shaves half their head? AND dyes the other side blue, who gets a nose piercing? What the fuck is wrong with me?" Lexi's thoughts screamed at her and she began to cry again, big sobs exploded from her mouth.
The big, black van pulled up to the alley, almost immediately afterwards. Seeing the crying boy, sitting alone and sobbing.
"Hey, Jim," The man whispered, "Do we need any more ransom money?"
Jim looked over his shoulder and grinned, "Fuck yeah... grab him."
Jim and his sidekick jumped out of the car, carrying rope and chloroform, the boy never saw what hit him.