We're Here to Take Your Hearts

"This is it. This is where she pointed to." Sarah said.

"Okay." William instructed where everyone goes. Everyone nodded in agreement and turned on their flashlights, disappearing into the think trees.

Pete held Hemingway's leash as he tried to run around wild. Patrick held the flashlight as they headed towards the thickest part of the woods.

"Jesus, I tell her to stay in her room, But nooo! She just has to go and sneak off." Pete said quietly trying to get Hemingway to calm down.

"Pete, she's a kid..." Patrick said.

"Yeah, my kid!... Hemingway calm down!" Pete yelled holding onto the leash with two hands and still struggling.

"Why does he get like that?" Patrick asked.

"Whenever he smells food or something." They stopped, realizing. Patrick knealed down to the dog.

"Hem, do you smell Clarissa?" He said. Hemingway barked. "Pete, let go of the leash." He said looking up at Pete.

"Are you crazy! He's my dog!" Pete yelled.

"That's helping you find your daughter!" Patrick argued back.

"But it's my dog!" Pete yelled back.

"Do you want to find Clarissa or not?" Patrick said, standing up inches from Pete's face.

"Fine." Pete let go of the leash and both men ran after the dog.

Soon they were trudging threw thick leaves on the ground. Hemingway barked more and more as they ran, getting closer to Clarissa.

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Clarissa was on her way back home when she heard the familiar bark of Hemingway.

"Hemingway?" She said as the dog jumped on her knees. "What are you doing here?" She asked the dog, who just barked. She smiled at the familiar furry friend, but it quickly faded at the sound of Pete cursing, trying to get threw a tangle of branches. She avoided the flashlight's beam and ran the other way. Desperate to lose them.

Hemingway panted back to Pete and Patrick, who were now in the open area where Hemingway had encountered Clarissa.

"Shh... Do you hear that?" Patrick asked. Pete listened. In the distance was the sound of footsteps running away. "That way!" Patrick pointed. The group ran with Hemingway barking like crazy.

Clarissa approached a wall of trees and panicked, seeing there was no way out. She quickly jumped up and latched onto a branch and pulled herself up.

Patrick and Pete were just in time to see her converse disappear into the tree.

Clarissa situated herself on the strongest branch she could find.

Patrick put a finger to his lips to signal Pete to be quiet.

Clarissa couldn't see what was happening below her, because of the thick bush of leaves covering her view plus the darkness.

Patrick and Pete approached the tree slowly.

Clarissa held her breath and waited for them to pass.

"Clarissa! You there!" Patrick called. Clarissa picked up a rock and threw it in the opposite direction, causing the men to turn the other way. She quickly jumped down from the tree and began to run as fast as she could, out of the forest.

The men turned around at the sound of Clarissa running, and followed in pursuit, unable to see her they ran into the darkness.

Clarissa ran and ran, she turned her head back to see if they were following her. The men had slowed down, out of breath, a little hoping she would do the same.

Clarissa turned her head back forward but screamed at the site of the shadow of a person in front of her. She ran into the figure and the shadow held arms around her as she tried to get free. She screamed, not knowing who was holding her and the fact there were more shadows emerging. Her eyes went wild and she struggled to make out what was happening in the darkness. The arms around her got tighter as she squirmed.

"Let me go! Let me go!" She said threw tears. "Let me go! Don't hurt me!" She cried.

"Clarissa! It's me! It's me!" The shadow yelled, but Clarissa couldn't hear him over her own cries.

"Let me go! Let me go! No! No! No! Don't hurt me! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me! Please!" She yelled. The shadow moved to lift her up, so Clarissa screamed.

The shadow turned Clarissa around to face him.

"CLARISSA!" He yelled. Clarissa stopped screaming, shocked at hearing her name. "LISTEN! IT'S ME! IT'S ME RYAN!"

"R-Ryan?" She asked, still crying.

"Yes Ryan!" He yelled, tired from trying to hold her still. "Jesus, you scared the crap out of me Clarissa. We couldn't find you." He breathed. Clarissa sobbed harder, worried at what would happen when Pete found her. Ryan heard her sobs. "C'mere." He said, pulling her into a hug. Clarissa grabbed onto him as tight as she could, scared of what awaits her at home. Ryan held onto her just as tight, happy she wasn't hurt or kidnapped. Ryan pulled away, still holding onto her shoulders, he tried to make out her face.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked. She shook her head. As the moonlight crept over the trees it lit up he face. Her hair was down, half of it in her face. Her cheeks were covered with dry tears, reviving as new tears formed. Her eyes were watering and glistened with fear. "Thank God you're okay." He said pulling her into a hug again.

Clarissa felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around gasping in fear at the touch. It was Pete.