CHAPTER 1
Ryland walked down the street towards the venue for the concert. He had the feeling someone was watching him. He tried to ignore it but it wouldn't work. He became acutely aware of footsteps behind him and when he tried to turn around to see who it was, he recognized the person following him. Before he could speak the person following him pulled out what looked like a metal bar and struck him on the head. He toppled to the floor and the man following him struggled to catch him, blood trickled down the front of Ryland's face. The man covered Rylan's head in a bandage and then he dragged his limp body towards a nearby van.
At the venue Rydel, Rocky, Riker, Ross and Ratliff were getting ready to perform but were becoming increasingly worried about Ryland. "Where is he?" Ross asked.
"I don't know. He should be here by now." Rydel said.
"I told you guys it was a bad idea to let him walk alone." Riker said, sounding worried.
"Well he is old enough." Rocky said.
"Yeah but we are his family and he is the youngest, so we should worry and be over protective of him."
Through this conversation, Ratliff stood to the side holding his phone and dialing Ryland's number over and over again. "Guys, he's not answering his phone." He said.
"That's not good," Ross said. "He always answers his phone."
They all tried to cover up their worry when Stormie and Mark walked into the room. "Hey guys. You all ready?" Mark asked, while Stormie looked around wondering where Ryland was.
"Um yeah. We're ready." Riker said, trying to conceal the worry in his voice.
"Good. Guys, where's Ryland?" Stormie asked, making no attempt at hiding the worry in her own voice.
They all looked around, none of them wanting to tell her that he wasn't there. In the end Ratliff sighed and decided he would tell her. "He's not here. We don't know where he is and he's not answering his phone." He said.
Stormie's eyes widened and Mark placed a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her although he was deeply worried himself. "Well," Mark said, trying to keep his voice calm and even. "We will give him until after the show to get here and if he isn't here by then, then we will start to worry."
They all nodded except Stormie, who couldn't stop staring wide eyed. They all did their regular preparation before the concert, huddled and shouted "Ready, set, rock!" without him but it didn't seem right and the excitement was forced.
Ryland woke up in what looked like an abandoned warehouse. He was alone. He couldn't remember what had happened. How did I get here, he thought. He tried to move his hands and feet but they were tied to the chair he was currently sitting on. He could taste blood in his mouth, it was too coppery and he started to feel sick. He managed to put his head to the side before he vomited. As he pulled his head back up he realized that a bandage was tied to it. It all flooded back to him. He remembered all of it. He remembered the pain as the bar made contact with his head. He remembered the shock when he saw who was following him. He remembered how much trust he had had in that person. The trust was gone now. He remembered that he was supposed to be at a concert. He remembered that he was supposed to be with his family. I hope they've realized I'm gone, he thought. What if they haven't realized? What if they don't care? He thought. This thought worried him as he had somehow managed to convince himself that they won't care that he's gone. Although, deep down he knew that would never happen. He knew that they would be worried and scared for him. But what if they weren't? What would happen then?