"Can't have you screaming for help," he said, forcing it into her mouth and tying it behind her head. The taste of dirt and sweat made her gag.
They stepped back to admire their work. Alicia strained against the ropes, but they only seemed to get tighter. Tears burned in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Brandon circled her slowly. "This is what happens when you don't know your place."
"Maybe we should leave her overnight," Trevor suggested with a laugh.
"Nah, someone might find her eventually." Brandon shrugged. "A few hours in the cold should do it."
Mason picked up her scattered books, making a show of dropping them one by one into a muddy puddle. Her chemistry textbook, her notebook full of careful notes, her novel for English class, all ruined.
"Oops," he said with fake concern. "Hope those weren't important."
The sun was sinking faster now, taking the warmth with it. Alicia's fingers were already going numb where they were tied behind the tree. She tried to say something through the gag, but only muffled sounds came out.
"What's that?" Brandon cupped his ear mockingly. "Can't quite hear you."
They all laughed, the sound echoing through the trees. A bird startled and flew away, wings flapping loudly in the growing silence.
"Let's go," Brandon said finally. "Getting kind of chilly out here."
Kyle tossed her phone into the undergrowth. "Have fun walking home if you make it."
They sauntered away, their laughter fading into the distance.
Alicia waited until she couldn't hear them anymore before letting the first tears fall. The gag soaked them up, making it even harder to breathe. The minutes crawled by. The rope bit into her arms and chest. Every slight movement made the bark scrape against her back. Her legs trembled from standing in the same position. Shadows lengthened around her as the sun continued to set. The temperature dropped steadily. Wind whistled through the trees, cutting through her light jacket. She tried screaming again, but the gag muffled any sound she could make.
Her thoughts turned to her parents. They would be worried by now. Would they come looking? Would they find her in time? The cold was seeping into her bones, making her shiver uncontrollably.
A branch snapped somewhere in the darkness. Alicia's head jerked up, fear flooding through her again. Was it Brandon coming back? A wild animal? She couldn't turn enough to see behind her. Footsteps crunched through the leaves, getting closer. A beam of light swept across the ground, a flashlight. Alicia made as much noise as she could through the gag, praying it wasn't someone else who meant her harm.
"Hello," a man's voice called out. "Is someone there?"
The flashlight beam found her. There was a sharp intake of breath.
"Oh my god," the man said, hurrying forward. He was older, dressed in running gear, face lined with concern. "Hold on. I'm calling 911 right now."
The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead as Alicia's eyes fluttered open. Her body ached and the hospital room's sterile white walls seemed to spin slightly. A warm hand squeezed hers and she turned to see her mother's tear-streaked face.
"Baby, you're awake," Angela whispered, her voice trembling. She leaned forward to brush a strand of hair from Alicia's forehead. "How are you feeling?"
Alicia tried to speak, but her throat felt raw. A nurse appeared with a plastic cup of water, helping her take small sips through a straw. The cool liquid brought relief, though swallowing hurt.
"Everything hurts," Alicia managed. Her wrists were bandaged where the rope had cut into them, and her back stung from being pressed against the rough tree bark. "How long was I...?"
"Mr. Thompson found you around 7." Angela's hand tightened on hers. "You were suffering from mild hypothermia. The doctors wanted to keep you overnight for observation."
Memories flooded back. Brandon's cruel smile, the rope cutting into her skin, the endless cold. Alicia shuddered and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Angela quickly wrapped her arms around her daughter, careful of the IV line.
"Shh, you're safe now," she murmured, rocking gently. "You're safe."
A knock at the door made them both look up. A police officer stood in the doorway, notepad in hand. He was middle-aged with graying hair at his temples, wearing a crisp uniform with a name tag that read, "Officer Reynolds."
"Miss Carter." He stepped into the room. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need to take your statement while the details are still fresh. Are you feeling up to answering some questions?"
Alicia nodded, though her stomach churned. Angela sat back, but kept hold of her hand.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Officer Reynolds pulled up a chair, pen poised over his notepad.
Alicia took a shaky breath. "I was walking home from school, taking the path through the woods. Brandon Hayes and his friends were waiting for me."
"Brandon Hayes?" The officer's eyebrows rose slightly. "Councilman Hayes's son?"
"Yes." Alicia's voice grew stronger. "He and Kyle Matthews, Trevor Wilson, and Mason Clark. They grabbed me and tied me to a tree. They gagged me so I couldn't call for help."
Officer Reynolds wrote slowly, his expression neutral. "Did anyone witness this?"