Kidnapped

• Sarah Depta , Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

Our country road,
take us home
To the place where we belong
As we leave
We hear your call
Oh country road, lead us home

Two girls, Lana and Emily, sat singing together under a big old apple tree. This was their favourite spot. They had come to the same spot every day for as long as they could remember.
“Hey Lana do you want to play hide and seek?” shouted Emily.
“Yes, that sounds fun, I will count and you hide,” replied Lana.
“One, two, three,” Emily ran for the creek thinking she could hide in the foliage near the edge of the water.
“Four, five, six, seven,” as Emily squatted in the mud she had an odd feeling that she was being watched.
“Eight, nine, ten. Ready or not here I come!” shouted Lana. She arrived in time to see her little sister Emily being dragged away by a man that she defiantly did not recognise.
. . . .

Lana May often thinks about the time her little sister was kidnapped. It may have been over fifty years ago but the moment is still clear in her mind, and haunts her till this day. She remembers how helpless she had felt as she watched her sister being dragged away. All she could do was stand and watch paralysed with fear and shock it was as if her feet where rooted to the ground.
“Grandma, can we sing that song you and Aunt Emily used to sing together?” asked her granddaughter Violet, interrupting Lana’s daydream.
“Sure darling.” She said politely.

Our country road, take us home
To the place where we belong
As we leave
We hear your call
Oh country road, lead us home

. . . .

As Violet walked to school the next day, she thought about Grandma Lana and how she grew up without a sister. She did not know how she would cope if her sister disappeared without a trace. Anyway, there would be some excitement at school this morning, there was a new girl coming into her class.
“Hello class and welcome to a new school term,” said Ms Honey.

“Some of you may know a new student will be joining 6GER.” She ushered a girl into the room.

“This is Mary Light. I hope you will make her feel very welcome!” she said with enthusiasm.

“And just to remind you all that the talent show will be held on Friday night in the hall,” she added.

Violet had completely forgotten about the talent show, she usually just spent her Friday nights with a friend watching a movie, but this time it might be different. She was going to sing the family song at the talent show.

“Do you think Emily is still alive?” asked Violet.

“I would like to think she is as her body was never found and the man behind it was never caught so …” Lana sighed.

“Do you want any help with your singing project for the talent show?” asked Lana trying to change the subject.

“No its ok. Will you be coming to see me perform?” Violet asked.

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world,” Lana said smiling.

. . . .

It was the night of the talent show and everyone was getting ready back stage including Violet. She saw the new girl in her class, Mary, warming up to sing just like she was. She wondered what song she was going to sing.

“Now let’s give a warm round of applause to Mary Light!” announced Mr Black the MC for the night.

As Mary stepped onto the stage. The words that come out of her mouth were like smooth, sweet honey.

Our country road, take us home

To the place where we belong

As we leave

…

Dumfounded Violet stared blankly at Mary. That song has been passed down through the women in my family for years. No one could possibly know it except … the only one to know the song apart from my grandma and her mother, is grandma’s missing sister, Emily.