I was driving down the road with the radio blasting. The road was literally a backed up very bad. Sometimes that what is bad about living in San Diego. All I could see was a cluster bright red dots coming from my eyes because the headlights were as dazzling as the sun on a hot summer day. My 14 year-old sister, Kerry was sitting in the passenger seat messing with the radio. I was happy she was here though. There is nothing better than company at a time like this.



I could feel my phone vibrating letting me know that I had a text. I ignored it. It was probably one of those annoying aunts of mine telling me how 'sorry' they were about my mom. I wish she were back here. I miss her unbelievable. I finally turn the corner to get to the short cut to the beach. I need to be there right now. So does Kerry.



Kerry says in her 14-year-old attitude 'Emily where are we going!' 'We are going to the beach Kerry.' I said calmly. She doesn't say anything though. That's kind of how she is. She's quiet at times but when everything happy and ok she always smiling. Like my mother.



I park in the empty parking lot. For some reason it felt different from when mom and used to come. There was this weary feeling. It wasn't a good one either. It's probably just because the last time I was here it was with mom. I put it in the back of my mind. All that's in there is the sound of the waves.

We have our own private beach at our house but I like coming here more. It is where Mom and I used to come before we moved in the enormous house. It never really felt like a home though because mom was usually never home.

Kerry takes her yellow flip-flops off right when we got to the sand. I took mine off and carried them to the water. As we walked to the beach side by side we knew this is where we belonged. We grew up on the beach. Same attitude, Just different bodies.

We were almost identical too. We both had the same features: tan skin from being at the beach our whole lives, sandy long blonde hair and we were both perfectly built.

Kerry started to say something but it never came out of her mouth. Right when she was about to say something we both saw this strange man walking towards us.
I reach for my phone in my pocket but it wasn't there. 'Crap it's in the car', I said to myself. I look at Kerry to see her feeling her pocket for her phone. She nodded her head. Thank God.

The man was tall and skinny with jet-black hair. No disguise or anything. It was kind of weird. He said 'Hi. What's your name?' in a freakishly friendly way.

Kerry looked at me like when I'd told her there had been an accident with mom at the house when I had picked her up from school. I lied. I said that my name was Makala. Then he asked Kerry. She said 'Nicole.' We start to walk towards the car. He follows. 'Why didn't you ask me my name?' He sounded like he was irritated. 'We are in a hurry' I replied, still walking. 'Where are you going?'

I bet my face looked like I just lost my best friend. I asked him 'are you ok?'

It was rude in a way, but I don't care. He can't hurt us. We've have been though enough already.

He says 'Are you really talking to me like this'? I mean kids these days they are so rude and disrespectful. I just can't get over it.'

When I realized where we were and what kind of man he portrayed himself to be, I was shocked and terrified. I don't understand' hadn't we been though enough. All I wanted to do is go to the beach and relax. Is that too much to ask? It was with this man because the next thing he did was pull out a knife and held it up against my neck.

He said, 'Are you going to talk like that to me again?' I held my breath. I didn't even look at Kerry. I really couldn't. I bet she was scared out of her mind. He shook me and asked me again. I nodded not saying anything. The two words were so astonishing that he said next.

'WRONG ANSWER!'

He let go of my arm for a second and took the knife away from my neck and I started sprinting to the car. Kerry was a little ahead of me. I hit the button to start the car and unlock the doors. We were still about 10 feet away and the man was right behind me. Running in sand seems like running on water. It's very difficult. The sand between my toes used to feel so soothing but at the second it was different too. It felt itchy and annoying. Kerry made it in the car and just when I reached for the door he grabbed it.
In a very swift moment I put the key in the engine and got it in drive. In the same seconds Kerry pulled her phone out and dialed 911. She started telling the operator what was going on but once the man had gotten a hold of my arm she screamed. Then she got on top of my lap and put it in reverse and started driving. She really had no idea what she was doing but she saved my life. He let go of my arm but half of my body was out of the car. My arm had gotten dragged across the ground. Before that it was bent backwards just so He could keep a hold of me.

Kerry got off my lap and got back to the passenger seat. I couldn't drive because my hand was bleeding and my wrist was different colors. Blood was dripping all over my pants. Kerry drove and I accelerated. We got to the main road. The cops were coming. Kerry got out and started waving her arms to come here then she told the other one to go search for the man.

I was so proud of her. We had to go to the hospital and get examined to make sure we were ok. I had a broken left hand and Kerry was fine. Just shook up. When we were there, the police told us that they caught him.

His name was Ben Baits. He had murdered a woman last week. I asked the police what her name was terrified of the answer. Mary. That's my mom. Kerry burst in tears. So did I. It was a relief though to know that my mom's killer had been found.

I drove home. When we got home, I was ready to go to bed. Form then on I take things step by step. There's really nothing else you can do expect for that.