Chapter Nineteen- The Call

Jennifer had been gone for a month, and the search was still going strong. A lot of people were getting discouraged, but not the Camdens. All of them, including Simon, talked of Jennifer coming home as much as they did of her disappearance.

It was Tuesday, a month to the day that Jennifer disappeared. The whole Camden family was home for dinner, which was very rare these days. Matt and Robbie were very busy with work and school. Eric still helped with the search along with his duties at church. Annie was busy with the kids and the house and helped answer phones at the police station when she had free time. Lucy and Simon were both busy with school since finals were fast approaching, and Ruthie was ready for school to be out. Things would have been normal if Jennifer would have been there. But she wasn't.

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It was cold and dark where she was. Her whole body ached and she listened for any sound that he was coming back. Thoughts of the Camden's constantly filled her mind, willing her to live. She wouldn't die here, not without seeing them again. She loved her father, but she wasn't ready to be with him again.

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They were all sitting down to Annie's fried chicken. Lucy and Simon were busy discussing their upcoming finals with Matt, who had taken them a long time ago when he was in high school. Annie and Ruthie sat the last of the food on the table and they all grabbed hands to say grace, when the phone rang.

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She heard the shouting even though she couldn't make out the words. She heard footsteps and instantly cowered down, waiting for another blow. Instead she heard a soothing and slightly familiar voice. "It's okay Jennifer; we're here to help you." Then she blacked out from the pain of being lifted from under the floorboards.

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"Hello?"

"Eric, it's Sgt. Michaels. We found her." Eric didn't miss the sad tone in his voice.

" Is she...okay?"

"She's in bad shape but she's alive. She's at the hospital. You might wanna get there as fast as you can."

"Goodbye. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Goodbye."

Eric turned to his family, who by now had gotten the gist of what was going on. Tears were in Annie, Lucy, Ruthie and Simon's eyes when he spoke.

"They found her. She's alive."

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