Never Forget: The Sequel to Forever and Always

© 2012 Sonni Lagodinski. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 1/25/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4520-6378-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-6379-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-6380-5 (e)

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

preface

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CALEB

SARA

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

SARA

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CALEB

SARA

EPILOGUE

A BIG thank you to my English teacher

and amazing editor, Mrs. Weigel.

Thank you for taking on this project at such a hectic time

and pushing through to finish the job.

If it weren’t for you, Mrs. Weigel, this book would

still be in my laptop collecting dust.

Our story ended when Caleb heard the news that Sara was found. However, Caleb doesn’t know if she’s dead or alive.

Sara Young was kidnapped from the hotel elevator on her way down to get towels in Topanga Beach, California. Dave, her father’s killer, had threatened and made her obey his commands. After nearly strangling her to death by the spot of her father’s death, Sara was unconscious for ten long days, but Dave was sleepless. After finally waking up on the eleventh day, Sara realized what happened and accepted that her only chance for survival was to stay calm.

Sometimes, Dave would punish her harshly. At other times, Dave would say that Sara reminded him of his daughter, and he’d then treat Sara nicely.

One of the nights, Sara called 911 as soon as she knew that Dave was asleep. Although skeptical at first, the emergency operator eventually believed her story and told Sara everything would be okay.

Sara’s been missing for eleven days. How many more days, hours, and minutes will she suffer? And what will Dave do next?

That’s where this story begins.

preface

You know that feeling, the one when you think you know all the answers? The one that feels so good and you think that nothing could go wrong? Like you’re on a sugar rush and nothing will slow you down except when you crash. Every single time I thought I knew the answer, I was mistaken. Every single time I thought I was right, I always turned out to be wrong.

My life, finally back on track, was perfect. Why did everything bad always happen to me? When would all the nightmares stop?

Sometimes I wish that death wouldn’t look me in the eye. Death acted as if it were my best friend and that I enjoyed its presence. Death was wrong.

It’s hard to forget about the ones you love that have been taken from you. It’s hard to forget that they won’t be coming back.

CHAPTER ONE

obey

Wake up!

Somebody demanded that louder than I wanted them to. Dave’s voice echoed in my ear annoyingly. His mood swings were going to kill me one of these days. His voice had changed drastically from the time that I first woke up after being kidnapped. Back then, it was always a low, harsh growl, and now it was more of a normal, crabby tone. It resembled a voice of the annoyed dad.

I forced my eyes open after an almost sleepless night since calling the 911 operator. The woman made me hopeful that I would soon be getting out of this stupid place without further injuries.

The familiar yet unfamiliar room made me sigh knowing I wasn’t home. I’d been gone for twelve days now.

I whined with enthusiasm, What? I might as well have fun while he’s letting me live.

Shut up and get dressed. Need a shower?

I shot up instantly and screamed a Yes! to him without hesitating.

I missed burning my skin with the heat of the shower water every morning and night. I truly missed it. I calmed down knowing I’d be home soon. The police should find me before long. Water helped the tears come faster. I pounded the sides of the shower in anger a few times. This was the first time I was away from Dave. It was my leisure time.

I heard Dave knock on the door impatiently while I soothed my nerves one second longer. As I turned off the shower and stepped out, the mirror was fogged up completely. I yelled to Dave I’d be out in a few but diligently tried to make myself somewhat pleasant.

My strangulation marks were vivid in the mirror as I stood there. It was proof that I truly had been kidnapped and that Dave did want to hurt me. To someone else, the marks would probably take their breath away.

With Dave pounding loudly on the door, I sighed as I walked out the door with the same clothes on that I had before.

He gave me a strange look, Why didn’t you change?

I shrugged my shoulders, Didn’t want to dirty clothes for you.

He nodded his head, almost shocked, yet he calmly pointed down the stairs. As I walked the first few steps, my eyes glanced at the railing next to them. It curved down and gave the impression that it would be fun to ride.

I hesitated but then quickly scooted over to the railing and planted my butt on the railing. I took off down the rail faster than I expected and lost all control. I couldn’t contain my laughter.

I could feel myself getting weightless and falling at the same time. Dave’s voice sounded more worried than angry, but I couldn’t help myself from falling. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

Then I felt the pain in my back.

Don’t move! Dave shouted, hurrying down the stairs.

I had to laugh as I tried to sit up, but the pain was still there. I felt Dave’s arms around me and smiled as I sat up. Dave’s face was humorous to look at—a mixture of fear and fury.

Are you okay? His eyebrows were curved as if he were very concerned about me.

As I nodded slowly while letting out one more laugh, I could see the fear leaving and the fury coming back.

His eyebrows now shifted from the look of concern to the look of absolute anger. What the hell were you thinking?

I stopped laughing, fixed my hair, and slowly stood up. I could only shrug my shoulders at Dave and accept the glare he was giving me. It looked like fun! I answered as he stormed into the kitchen. I had to try it!

I was following him into the kitchen hoping he wouldn’t turn around and slap me in the face.

Maybe you shouldn’t be such a dumb blonde!

I gasped sarcastically, How dare you!

He turned around menacingly making my heart jump. He looked as if he wanted to hit me as hard as he could, as if I were a big, black punching bag he could take out all his anger on. I looked closely at Dave studying all his features. Dave’s face was covered in hair; I’m sure he hasn’t shaved in quite awhile. There were big black circles underneath his eyes showing how tired and exhausted he, too, was from this ordeal.

As he gently grabbed a piece of my hair, my heart fluttered but settled back down. Are you blind? Look at your hair.

There was a moment of awkward silence in the room as he dug through the fridge for something. I was still shocked that he hadn’t hit me when he turned around. All my surprise went away yet again as his bipolar disorder kicked into high gear.

He quickly spun around and grabbed my arm tight. I jumped when I saw the anger build in his eyes. The grip around my arm was so tight that I could see the veins popping out of his arm. My heart was racing faster and faster with how tighter he gripped my arm. This was the real Dave coming out.

You good for nothing, arrogant, spoiled rotten brat! You think you’re some free, teenage girl running around this house, but you are certainly not! Do not do stupid stuff and I will not get angry. Push my buttons and I will give back.

I couldn’t jerk away as he slapped my face with one swift force. He let go of my arm finally and stood there frozen while I let the pain subside. It stung; I’ve never been slapped before. Tears started to form in my eyes not because I was going to cry, but because the slap was so intense!

I rubbed my face, applying pressure hoping the pain would go away faster. Touching it almost made it worse.

Fine, I mumbled, trying to hide my pain. My chances of getting hit again would have been greater if I had kept my head up. I looked down for just a second thinking maybe he would walk away and leave me there alone. But when his feet were still in my view, I looked up slowly.

Dave continued to stand there without moving. The look in his eye was weird, almost as if he scared himself from his quick temper.

He was slowly shaking his head back and forth. I’m sorry, he apologized quietly, still standing in terror.

I nodded, Yeah. That— I paused and shook my head, I wasn’t prepared for myself.

He shook his head still in shock, My temper—I just—you there—oh my—Sara… he sighed and held his head low. What kind of kidnapper apologizes? I mean, come on, you meant to kidnap me. Why apologize? But I was happy that he did because I would feel so much more rage if he wouldn’t be kind sometimes.

Bonding wasn’t an issue with Dave and me. We just sat in silence and that was that. There was no talking unless he talked first. I didn’t care; I didn’t know what to say. I just sat on the couch watching whatever show Dave wanted to watch and suffered through the agony when he turned it to the news station.

Then I remembered my family. I missed my mother’s smile when she’d come home from work all tired and worn-out. Or Cole’s voice calling me Bug day-in and day-out. Or Cameron’s big bear hugs.

And Caleb.

What would I do if I never got to see him again? Those green eyes. I needed to see those green eyes again to survive or his strong hands wrapped around my waist. It’s what I need.

My hometown.

My friends.

I missed everything.

I hadn’t realized how much I missed them until I really thought about it. My mind drifted off and thought of what each friend was doing. I wondered if they knew I was gone or if they even cared. What if they didn’t care that I was gone?

If this was mediocre kidnapping, what was the real deal like? The raping and the torture they’d do to someone?

Then I realized I was crying.

I turned to look at Dave who was staring at me.

I quickly wiped away the tears and looked at the TV again. Words weren’t necessary if Dave didn’t want to talk. I had to keep my mind off of the family until I saw them again. I looked towards the window but saw nothing because of the deep blue shade that covered it completely. And the door had locks all the way down it. I could hear the cars but I couldn’t see them. Even if I wanted to run, there was no way I could. I didn’t know where I was. Furthermore, the display of guns that sat beside the television set gave me goose bumps. No doubt that Dave still had the gun that he threatened me with at the hotel in California.

What if the operator didn’t believe me? What if she was just lying?

She probably thought I was a phony liar who just wanted publicity. But then again, they didn’t know where to look. It could take the police weeks to find this particular house out of the many in Jeffersontown.

Then I realized I was crying, again.

Of course Dave was staring at me with his eyes wide with confusion. I just shook my head and stared back at the TV set. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dave hold his head and shake it. Something was telling me that Dave regretted everything that he has done.

I must have fallen asleep because as I opened my eyes everything was different. The television was off and the room was dark. I couldn’t tell whether it was day or night, but I must’ve been out for awhile. I tried looking for a clock but couldn’t see one.

That was some nap. Dave’s voice came booming from the kitchen.

I smiled, How long was I sleeping?

He rubbed his head and counted on his fingers, About two hours. It’s almost supper time.

I nodded, rubbed the crusty bits and pieces from my eyes and yawned.

I could smell a sweet aroma coming from the kitchen. It smelled of pizza—pepperoni to be exact. When my stomach grumbled, I knew how hungry I was. Doubting that the pizza would be for me, I turned back over on the couch and tightly closed my eyes, hoping to drown out the amazing smell of food. On the other hand, smelling food made me miss Mom even more. Her famous lasagna would fill the whole house with its smell. Or how every morning the smell of sizzling bacon would wake me up. I could just picture her standing over the stove slaving away and how she’d turn around and smile at me.

Sara, supper is ready.

I lay there questioning if I had just heard it right. Did Dave really say that supper was ready? Surely, I was just dreaming of how wonderful it would be to hear him say that. I could practically taste the pizza sauce in my mouth.

Dave’s voice came again only louder, Hurry, before it gets cold.

Slowly, I moved from the couch to the doorway of the kitchen. I leaned against the wall with my arms across my chest. To my disbelief, the table was set for two. Two plates, two forks, two glasses, two napkins, and the tray of pepperoni pizza in the middle. Dave was letting me eat and actually enjoy what I’m eating!

I was still awestruck when he said, I thought you would be hungry after your nap.

He motioned with his hands for me to sit in the empty seat across from him. He even had a can of pop sitting there waiting for me. I walked slowly over to my seat and hesitantly sat down. He grabbed two pieces of pizza for himself and immediately began eating. He looked up at me in between bites and once again motioned me to start eating. Without hesitation, I sank my teeth into the juicy, fattening pizza.

Thank you, I said with food in my mouth.

And that was the moment that I saw a new Dave. Dave smiled from ear to ear and continued to eat. He gave a quick chuckle and began telling stories of his daughter and wife. I could tell how much he missed them and wanted to be with them. But after this mistake, he probably wouldn’t be with them very long.

After supper was over and all the dishes put away, I went into my room. After I shut my door, I heard him fiddling with the locks. I sighed and sat on my bed. I cried. Finally alone I could cry all I wanted without the weird and awkward stares from Dave. I couldn’t believe how much I missed everybody.

My eyes wondered to the window in my temporary room. There wasn’t a drape on it so I could see the night sky. I moved slowly without making noise over to the window. The stars couldn’t be seen since the street lamps were bright. I could, however, see the house next door to us. Didn’t they see me be brought into the house? Wouldn’t they be a little curious?

I missed my room with my bed and my own clothes. The smell of my mom’s laundry detergent wasn’t in this house. My nose longed for Caleb’s breathtaking scent. It seemed like years since I smelled his cologne. I missed feeling his abs being flexed as he laughed. His laugh. His smile. His perfectly straight white teeth.

Andy.

I hoped Andy was taking care of the house while I was gone. My prayers were hoping that he was watching out for Mom and the boys. I leaned my back against the wall, placed my hands over my heart, and slowly slid down the wall until I was sitting in a crouched position on the floor. I held my head high and let the tear drops fall as I silently said a prayer.

If you can hear me, Lord, I beg you to watch over me tonight. Guide me home. Keep me safe in your arms. Lead me home safely. And if—if something were to tragically happen, please, please watch over my family. Let them be comforted. But don’t let them give up on finding me. I am coming home, Lord. I am coming home.

The memories of everything flew into my head shortly. They reminded me of the wonderful life I have. They reminded me I wasn’t home. All the laughs and hugs. What if that were to never happen again? What if this was my new life?

I needed to get out of this house. Yes, Dave was finally being nice to me, but I missed my family. He had kidnapped me. This wasn’t just some sleepover. People were looking for me all over the place. My name was known across the state and country. I saw it myself on all the news channels. There had to be some way out of here. I tip-toed over to the window again, trying to figure out where I might be in Jeffersontown. There was nothing familiar about it, simply because there was nothing to look at. All I saw was darkness and nothingness. Knowing it was locked because I heard him fiddle with the locks, I walked away from the door.

I paced back and forth for a few minutes. It was around midnight and I hadn’t heard any commotion from downstairs for a couple hours, so I figured Dave should be sound asleep by now.

Something in my mind made me ponder the locks on the door. Had Dave really locked them? Maybe he thought by now that I wouldn’t escape. Slowly without making noise, I turned the doorknob. The door wasn’t locked! Dave didn’t lock the door! My heart fluttered a million miles an hour.

But what would happen if I got all the way down the stairs and I didn’t know how to unlock the front door without making noise. I had to have this all planned out before I went through with it. However, I would need to be quick and make it soon before Dave did his nightly check on me.

No way was I staying in this house another night with Dave. I was going home tonight. How I was getting home I had no idea, but I was getting home!

It was a little past midnight by the time I decided to just go for it. If I waited any longer, Dave might come to check on me. The pillows were stuffed underneath the blankets of the bed to resemble me, to make it look as if I was still sound asleep. I pulled the covers up far enough to make it look as if they were over my head. My heart began to race as I prepared to open the door. The hallway was pitch black as I stepped out. I tiptoed down the stairwell towards the living room and out the front door. The loud snoring continued from the room upstairs.

The front door was inches away from me. I studied the locks to know which one to unlock first. They didn’t look too complicated; in just a few short clicks I would be out in the world again. When I reached up for the locks, I noticed that I didn’t hear the snoring anymore. My hand froze in midair as I listened closer to the silence.

My heart sank. I could hear his footsteps upstairs walking, getting nearer and nearer. He must have been checking on me as he always did. I stayed still hoping that he wouldn’t hear or see me. I heard him fiddle with the locks of my door and then open it. A few seconds later, the door clicked shut. I heard the footsteps again, seeming to head down the hallway back to his room. But they stopped abruptly.

That’s when I heard the first creak of the top step. My heart thudded. I panicked. Where would I hide? Surely he was coming downstairs for something! I quietly ran across the living room and hid on the other side of the couch. I tried to calm my breathing as Dave flipped the light on and reached into the refrigerator only to pull out the carton of orange juice. As he drank out of the carton, I noticed he glanced over my way. He stared my way the whole time he drank from the carton. Putting the carton slowly back into the fridge, once again Dave stared blankly into the living room.

I’ve got to let her go, Dave mumbled as he scratched his head, flicked the light off, and headed back up the stairs. I heard the creak of each step and the following footsteps as he headed towards his room. Now I would have to wait here until I heard the loud snoring again.

Dave admitted that he needed to let me go. Did that mean that this is a bad idea? Should I go back upstairs, get a good night’s rest and see if he lets me go tomorrow in the morning? What was I risking if I went out tonight? Someone else kidnapping me?

The plan was as soon as I got out of the house, I would run. Where was I running? I didn’t have that planned out. I would just run as fast as I could for as far as I could. I wouldn’t stop until I was sure that I wouldn’t be found by Dave.

As the planned circulated in my brain, I heard the first sound. Dave was snoring again. This was my only time to act. There was no way I was going to waste more time away from my family to spend it here with him to see if he is ever going to let me go. Dave would be worried in the morning when I wasn’t in my room but serves him right for keeping me this long.

Silently, I walked over to the door and slowly unlocked the four locks that were locking the door. After the last lock was done, I paused to listen to make sure he was still sleeping. As the snoring grew louder, I smiled. Quietly I opened the door slightly, just enough for me to squeeze through. As I stepped out into the fresh, crisp cool air, I knew I was free. Shutting the door behind me, I bolted down the stairs. I sprinted off down the side walk, past Dave’s house without looking back. As I was running, I felt Dave’s phone bounce up and down in my bra. I had completely forgotten about the phone until now. Too late to give it back.

After weeks of being gone, I was finally going home.

Goose bumps were on my bare skin as I ran my fastest in the cold. I didn’t look back, I didn’t look beside me; the only place I was concerned about was in front of me and where I would be heading. I was completely oblivious to my surroundings.

All the sudden, something awfully familiar caught my attention. Right in front of me, under a big, tall light post, was a well-known sign. It was the sign welcoming people to Edgemont! I had been in Edgemont the entire time! That means Dave lied to me! Dave lied to me and told me I had been in Jeffersontown! Why would Dave have to lie about where I was? Did it really make a difference? And that phone call that I made to the woman on the 911 call, no wonder why no one had come to rescue me. They were all in Jeffersontown looking for me! I stopped to gather my thoughts. I wasn’t on some street in the town of Jeffersontown. No. I was on the edge of town on one of the busiest highways in the state that happened to run through our town.

My heart was beating as fast as my mind was thinking! I could barely keep my balance as all this suddenly hit me. The world seemed as if it were spinning faster than the revolving that it naturally did. All the emotions that I had been feeling rushed to mind in that single moment and I soon felt very overwhelmed.

But knowing now that I was minutes away from my family, I took off sprinting down the ditch towards the direction of town. From this side of town where I was, my house was just across a corn field, down two blocks, and to the left. It wouldn’t take me long to run from here to there.

The creatures of the night had no impact on how badly I wanted to get home. I wasn’t afraid of anything hurting or getting in my way because I was on a mission. A mission to get home that not even Big