Read Online Jump When Ready by David Pandolfe - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: David Pandolfe
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Karen, then turned to Will again. “Will,
where are we going?”
Will kept driving, changing lanes and picking up speed.
He still wouldn’t look at Bethany.
Bethany had to know something was wrong, but some other
part of her brain must have kept telling her there had to be a logical answer.
After all, Will was her friend, a person she trusted. But Will had told her
lies—he’d set a trap. How could Bethany face that?
Bethany turned to Karen. “I thought we were going to your
car.”
Finally, Karen looked at Bethany. “Don’t worry,” she
said. Which made no sense.
“Bethany, you need to get out of this car!” I screamed
the words but I don’t know if she heard me. Either way, I’m sure she already
knew that much.
I looked at the highway signs. I’d seen them so many times
but they meant nothing. What was I-95? What was 64? When it came right down to
it, I didn’t even know where the roads went. That had always been for my
parents to know.
“What are you doing?” Bethany said. “Forget it, take me
home.” She was trying not to cry but she wasn’t quite pulling it off. When Will
still didn’t answer, Bethany got her phone from her pocket, her hands shaking
as she started to dial.
Karen reached over and grabbed the phone. “I wouldn’t,”
she said. “We’re just running an errand. Then we’ll take you home. Don’t
worry.”
What else could Bethany do but hope those words were
true? It wasn’t like she had a choice. She looked out the window, still trying
not to cry. But she was still crying.
It took a while, maybe ten minutes, before Bethany’s head
fell forward. She jerked upright and looked around, fighting to remain
conscious. Then her eyes slowly closed again and her head fell. The same thing
kept happening as Bethany kept opening her eyes and looking around, each time
shorter than the last, until finally her chin remained against her chest and
her eyes stayed closed. After that, she remained passed out, slumped against
the door of the car.
“Bethany, wake up! Wake up!” I kept yelling the same
thing over and over but she couldn’t hear me. How could she possibly fall
asleep? At the same time, she’d been dozing off since they left Starbucks.
Suddenly, I realized what was happening. When Will had gotten the drinks—he
must have drugged her. Even though it all seemed insane, that was the only possible
explanation.
I sat there freaking out, not sure what to do. I couldn’t
grab the wheel and steer the car off the road. I couldn’t hit anyone. I
couldn’t even dial Bethany’s cell phone. I was just a ghost—a helpless, useless
ghost.
After a few more minutes, Karen reached from the back
seat and nudged Bethany’s shoulder. She waited, then did it again, a little
harder. Bethany remained slumped forward, her eyes closed as she breathed
evenly in and out.
“Well, that was easy,” Karen said.
Will nodded. “Yeah, it really was.”
~~~
They stopped just once, at a rest area. It was fully dark
now and they parked far from the other cars and any lights. No one saw as they
got out and moved Bethany to the back of the van. It only took a few seconds.
Will strapped a gag onto Bethany’s mouth. He put her in handcuffs and threw a
blanket over her.
I ran at him and screamed, “Get your hands off my
sister!” I tried to push him away. I tried to punch him. Nothing I did made any
difference—a gnat would have been noticed more. When they drove off again, I
knelt next to Bethany in back. “I’m right here!” I kept saying. “I’m right
here!”
I could only hope she heard me.
I’m not sure how long they drove after that. More than an
hour, definitely. Maybe two. All I could do was read the road signs and try to
notice as much as possible. But when they left the highway and started driving
country roads, there was nothing to see except the lights of passing cars. The
van started to climb and then kept climbing. After that, there were no other
cars at all.
Eventually,
where are we going?”
Will kept driving, changing lanes and picking up speed.
He still wouldn’t look at Bethany.
Bethany had to know something was wrong, but some other
part of her brain must have kept telling her there had to be a logical answer.
After all, Will was her friend, a person she trusted. But Will had told her
lies—he’d set a trap. How could Bethany face that?
Bethany turned to Karen. “I thought we were going to your
car.”
Finally, Karen looked at Bethany. “Don’t worry,” she
said. Which made no sense.
“Bethany, you need to get out of this car!” I screamed
the words but I don’t know if she heard me. Either way, I’m sure she already
knew that much.
I looked at the highway signs. I’d seen them so many times
but they meant nothing. What was I-95? What was 64? When it came right down to
it, I didn’t even know where the roads went. That had always been for my
parents to know.
“What are you doing?” Bethany said. “Forget it, take me
home.” She was trying not to cry but she wasn’t quite pulling it off. When Will
still didn’t answer, Bethany got her phone from her pocket, her hands shaking
as she started to dial.
Karen reached over and grabbed the phone. “I wouldn’t,”
she said. “We’re just running an errand. Then we’ll take you home. Don’t
worry.”
What else could Bethany do but hope those words were
true? It wasn’t like she had a choice. She looked out the window, still trying
not to cry. But she was still crying.
It took a while, maybe ten minutes, before Bethany’s head
fell forward. She jerked upright and looked around, fighting to remain
conscious. Then her eyes slowly closed again and her head fell. The same thing
kept happening as Bethany kept opening her eyes and looking around, each time
shorter than the last, until finally her chin remained against her chest and
her eyes stayed closed. After that, she remained passed out, slumped against
the door of the car.
“Bethany, wake up! Wake up!” I kept yelling the same
thing over and over but she couldn’t hear me. How could she possibly fall
asleep? At the same time, she’d been dozing off since they left Starbucks.
Suddenly, I realized what was happening. When Will had gotten the drinks—he
must have drugged her. Even though it all seemed insane, that was the only possible
explanation.
I sat there freaking out, not sure what to do. I couldn’t
grab the wheel and steer the car off the road. I couldn’t hit anyone. I
couldn’t even dial Bethany’s cell phone. I was just a ghost—a helpless, useless
ghost.
After a few more minutes, Karen reached from the back
seat and nudged Bethany’s shoulder. She waited, then did it again, a little
harder. Bethany remained slumped forward, her eyes closed as she breathed
evenly in and out.
“Well, that was easy,” Karen said.
Will nodded. “Yeah, it really was.”
~~~
They stopped just once, at a rest area. It was fully dark
now and they parked far from the other cars and any lights. No one saw as they
got out and moved Bethany to the back of the van. It only took a few seconds.
Will strapped a gag onto Bethany’s mouth. He put her in handcuffs and threw a
blanket over her.
I ran at him and screamed, “Get your hands off my
sister!” I tried to push him away. I tried to punch him. Nothing I did made any
difference—a gnat would have been noticed more. When they drove off again, I
knelt next to Bethany in back. “I’m right here!” I kept saying. “I’m right
here!”
I could only hope she heard me.
I’m not sure how long they drove after that. More than an
hour, definitely. Maybe two. All I could do was read the road signs and try to
notice as much as possible. But when they left the highway and started driving
country roads, there was nothing to see except the lights of passing cars. The
van started to climb and then kept climbing. After that, there were no other
cars at all.
Eventually,
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