Chapter 1 | Girl In Red Hoodie

CHAPTER ONE

GIRL IN RED HOODIE

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Melora tightened her grip on her friends' hands as they tensely pretended to be cool and calm but deep inside them lies fear which the trio tried to forget.

Twickenhams, the owners of the Twickenham orphanage in California, was taking the teenagers from age of fourteen to fifteen to a trip. But during their trip, Melora and her friends noticed that they're being followed as there was a group of men they saw in Fairfield and Woodland who were watching them intensely, and they were found here too, much to their confusion. On this deserted road, the road between woods, Melora and friends saw the same silver SUV on the other side of the road, a bit far away from their bus which was stopped as few of the children had to throw out.

A man in his thirties stood leaning towards the car, dressed in a suit and his gaze was upon Melora and her friends who were slowly walking from the bus, enjoying the surroundings. But finding those men again in their sight, they all got tensed and these men really seemed to be following them.

But why?

"We need to go back and inform them and need to get out of here quickly," Liana, who was Melora's close friend from the orphanage, said in an altered tone. "They're absolutely following us!"

"But why?" Melora managed to whisper. "I don't get it… But I understand one thing, they're sort of... creepy people." she said uncomfortably as she knew they were being watched.

"And rich," Evelyn, another friend of Melora, added, who stood on her other side, holding hands in tense. "But why are they looking at us? Us? Absolutely not by our charms,"

Melora rolled her eyes, "Very funny," she muttered before she turned her head a little to peek at those men. Her heart raced as her eyes fell upon them and saw the man was still looking at them… at her. On the other side of the car, stood a tall bald guy, who was so tall and fat . The bald guy was glaring at her, making her breath catch in her throat in fear. She immediately looked away from them, her heart pounding faster. "They're still looking at us," she informed her friends. "They're up to something, aren't they? I think we should we really head back and get out of here this instant."

"Right! I told you, didn't I?" a smirk formed on Liana's lips as she stepped from her friends, standing before, carefully trying not to let her gaze travel to those creepy men. "Reading a fantasy... and walking through the woods… uh, gonna be awesome feeling. Shouldn't we ask their permission, first?"

For a moment Melora didn't understand what her friend was saying. Liana was trying to change the subject, not wanting those creepy men to think they're talking about them. "O-oh...erm… yeah, I suppose, you're right." she laughed nervously.

It was such an uncomfortable feeling as they walked back to the bus. Few teens were sitting on the road, tired and few were trying to walk closer to the woods aside but Mrs. Twickenham warned them not to do so. Getting back to them, Melora and friends informed Mr & Mrs. Twickenham about those creepy men who were following them. Confused and shocked, they told everyone to get inside the bus and announced that they're heading back to the orphanage immediately.

Melora rushed inside the bus, letting out a deep breath she didn't realize she was holding. She, Liana and Evelyn took the very last seat behind everyone. Melora always liked to sit next to the window but she knew those men could see her if she would, so she sat between her friends and Liana who was next to the window, courageously looked outside at those creepy men and shut the window. "Oh God, I wish to know what they're up to!" Liana muttered under her breath as she sat down.

"I wonder if they're child kidnappers," Evelyn dropped out her confusion, making Melora snap her eyes to her in shock. "I-I mean I was only wondering. But I don't think we need to worry about that anyway."

Melora tried to relax herself but she couldn't as she was thinking about those creepy men who were following them for God knows why. She tried to think of something good but for her, there was no happy thought to get lost in. She was, after all, an orphan from the orphanage like everyone else on the bus.

The bus took off from there and Liana tried to engage Melora and Evelyn in a conversation as they were unusually silent. Talking on the way, as five minutes passed, making all of them to a sudden shock, the bus was immediately stopped with a loud sound of horning. Many of the girls there gasped in fright, "It's them!" one of them whispered to the trio behind, eyes went wide.

Melora's eyes widened and exchanged shocked and confused glances with her friends. What are they up to? Fear started to take over her body. They were indeed in need of something.

"What are they doing?" Mrs. Twickenham asked in a hissing voice.

"Move out of the way!" Mr. Twickenham, a man in his sixties, shouted to the men through the window, demandingly. "Move from the way!"

Holding her breath, Melora watched as Mr. Twickenham ordered them to move their car from the way. She wondered if the car had blocked their way. She wanted to stand up and go forward to see what exactly is happening, but she found no courage to do it. But suddenly, causing many to gasp, the bus' door was opened, making Mrs. Twickenham jump onto her feet.

There walked in the scary looking bald guy they had seen before, his eyes darkened as his eyes held a glare. His fist was clenched as if he's going to punch something or someone. The very sight of the tall bald fat man made everyone fear. Nothing was good. They wanted something from them...

"What on earth, man?!" Mr. Twickenham shouted, not understanding what those people were doing. "Who are you and what do you want?" he was raging as fear had taken place in all of them. "What is the meaning of this?"

Mrs. Twickenham clenched to her husband who stood daringly before the bald guy, hiding his fear as the bald guy looked at them with a murderous look. "I'm here for a girl." his voice was so rough and demanding.

Everyone gaped at him in utter fear. Melora gulped at his words; they're looking for a girl? Why would they want a girl? They were beyond creepy. Fear was taken completely over her as the strength in her had left. She was holding her friends' trembling hands for comfort.

Mrs. Twickenham gasped at his words, her eyes widening more. "What?" she whispered.

"What?!" Mr. Twickenham's furious voice thundered as he could. "This is a trip from Twickenham orphanage of children! Get out of here now! Immediately!"

"I will once I get the girl!" the bald guy's voice trembled all of them, including Mr. Twickenham. His dark eyes turned to the teens who were gaping at him and trembling. "I'm here for a girl in red hoodie."

Melora froze.

She was the one in red hoodie.

The only one.

Few girls gasped as their heads turned to Melora, gaping at her who was in a red hoodie. Mr & Mrs. Twickenham's eyes widened and looked at Melora.

Her heart skipped a beat; they were wanting her, but why? Her whole body was trembling, she felt so weak as strength in her had left her. Her breath caught in her throat as his murderous narrowing eyes turned and set on her. She has never experienced fear like how she was feeling at the moment. All she could feel was fear.

A pleasant smirk appeared on his lips as he firmly set his gaze on her. She shuddered more at his wicked smirk; why do they want her? Questions flooded in her head uncontrollably, weakening her more and more. She almost forgot how to breath at his gaze on her.

"Are you Melora?" he questioned, not moving his eyes from her nor even blinking.

She gulped, not knowing what to say. She blinked at him; how does he know her name? She was a normal orphan from a non-popular orphanage in California. But how come he knows her name and why on earth they want her? She glanced at Mr & Mrs. Twickenhams who were left utterly shocked and confused. "What? For heaven's sake, you man, get out of here!" Mr. Twickenham demanded him, wanting to save Melora from that stranger.

"Are you Melora?!" the bald man's voice shook the whole bus, his voice shaking with impatience and rage, or is that how his voice sounds?

But she couldn't find her tongue easily and that was driving her scared. She kept swallowing the hardness, and her friends were squeezing her hands in comfort but they were too lost in fear.

"I said, get out of here this instant! Get out now!"

But the bald man ignored him, firming his gaze on her harder, "Don't you hear me, you idiot?!" the bald guy roared in frustration. "Are you Melora?"

She shuddered at his words, her body burning as if she was set on fire. She was tensing fiercely and every inch of her were trembling.

"Are you deaf?!" on the other side, Mr. Twickenham yelled. "Get out immediately or I'll call FBI!" he threatened. The driver also came there, asking what's going on but none of their threatening or demanding behavior seemed to work.

The driver was about to call FBI immediately but the bald guy turned his narrowed eyes to him and quickly pulled a gun out of his pocket, causing gasps to rise from Mrs. Twickenham and a few girls and boys. Now all of them were under threat and the driver and Mr. Twickenham raised their hands in surrender. "Say it again," the bald guy challenged but none of them dared to open their mouths.

His grave dark eyes turned back to Melora who couldn't stop trembling, especially because of the gun. Her eyes had gone wide like never before and her friends' jaws had dropped to see that the man had a gun. He was dangerous. "Are you Melora?!" he thundered.

She gulped, her eyes getting wet as she was completely drowned in fear and especially because she was helpless. What do they want with her and what are they going to do with her? Every question was altering her. "Y-yes," she stuttered but hardly was able to find her voice.

"Come with me."

"What?" Melora and her friends asked together at the same time. Her friends clenched to her tightly as if they're not going to let her go.

"Come with me."

"If-if you're taking her, then take us with you!" Liana left Melora shocked and touched by her words.

He glared at her strongly, moving the gun to her and pointed it at her but Melora quickly jumped onto her feet, standing before Liana, taking the gun point at her. "Please don't do anything to her— Anything to my friends!" she pleaded.

"Then come with me! Don't make me repeat again!" he demanded and turned to walk, pointing the gun at Mr. Twickenham who opened his mouth to yell something. "If you tell this to anyone, anyone! That'll be your end." he threatened.

Melora stood helpless, tears filling up her eyes. She still didn''t understand, she understand nothing at all. But she had no choice, if she wouldn't go with him as he said, then he would harm any of them. She can't let that happen. "Mel–" Evelyn grabbed her arm when she took a step forward. Evelyn was crying and seeing her tears, Melora couldn't control her tears too. Because no one knows if they'll see each other again, none of them know what they're going to do with Melora.

The bald guy was waiting for her by the door, watching as she turned to her friend and embraced her. "I'm sorry, but I have no choice! I can't let anything happen to you because of me…" she immediately pulled away from the hug to hug Liana who was in tears too.

"Mel, please, don't… I can't let you–" Liana's words were interrupted by the roaring voice of the bald guy.

"Melora!" he was getting very impatient.

Melora startled and shuddered at his voice. "I-I'm sorry, Liana, I-I don't know what's going to happen but I gotta to go…" she couldn't say anything more as the bald guy had lost his total patience.

Breathing heavily and hardly, her heart thundering against her chest fiercely, she stepped forward. Her knees were trembling, she felt so weakened but she hardly and helplessly made it to the door, turning to Mr & Mrs. Twickenhams who were helpless too.

"Mel, we're so sorry… There's nothing we could do." Mr. Twickenham apologized, feeling guilty. Mrs. Twickenham was crying on his shoulder helplessly. All of them were helpless.

She followed the bald guy out of the bus and walked to the front of the bus, finding the luxurious SUV car stopped in front of the bus. Her heart was racing faster and her whole body was trembling more, tears had started to run down her eyes. Because she feared for her dear life. What will become of her life? What are they doing with her? Several questions passed through her mind, alarming her.

The man in his thirties was waiting outside the car and steadied himself as he saw her coming, looking down at the road. "Ah, Melora, finally!" he smirked as the bald guy led her to him.

His voice made her feel more uncomfortable and fearful. She looked at him with her tearful eyes, letting out a shaking breath. Only with the smirk he looked creepy, apart from it, he was a handsome man, dressed properly in a dark suit. But she knew they all were dangerous.

"I'm Jim Minzberg," he offered her a handshake, pretending to be friendly but she just stared at his hand and didn't accept it nor respond to him. "It's good to see you closely finally, Melora… the time I saw you… you were just a baby then."

Her eyes immediately snapped up to him, widening in shock. He has seen her when she was a baby? Was he related or anything? "How do you know me?" her voice was only able to make out above just a whisper.

Jim laughed, shaking his head, finding her question amusing, "How do I know you, huh? I think you must wait to get answered. I'm not the right one to tell you."

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Now, please get in, we have to get somewhere," he turned and opened the door of the back seat, gesturing inside.

She gulped, "W-where are you taking me to?" her voice couldn't hide the great fear she was lost in.

"Get in first,"

"What do you want with me?"

"I said, get in first,"

"I'm not coming anywhere–" she gasped, trailing off her words as the bald guy pointed the gun at her, making her shudder.

"Get. In." he threatened with the gun.

Gulping, she nodded helplessly and shivering, she took a step inside the car but before she got in, she looked back at the bus and saw her friends and others watching them from the front glass. Her heartstrings tightened, and swallowed the lump she felt in her throat. Once she got inside, the door was shut and opening the door on the other side, came in the bald guy and sat next to her, wickedly smirking at her, making her tremble.

There was someone already in the driver's seat and Jim got into the passenger's seat before they set off from there.

"Where are you taking me to and what do you want with me?" her voice trembled and they all knew she was so scared.

"Answers later," Jim dismissed her quickly. "And Melora, I warn you not to make any sound. We'll be reaching to our destination soon."

It was utterly confusing. She was just an ordinary and normal orphan girl and why do they want her anyway?

There must be a reason.

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Hey everyone!! Thank you so much for reading!! I'm so happy you've chosen Melora to read! I highly hope you'll absolutely enjoy this book! I'll be updating more chapters soon! Please let me know what do you think in the comments!

This book was officially begun on Wattpad, on 07/07/2022. But it's no longer available there. This book is an orginal book, a lot of things based on my own life experience. Please don't copy my book, it all belongs to me, the author. If you see this book anywhere else than Webnovel, then please inform me!

copyright © larelyn winter 2022