don't be a stranger.

Chapter 1, Nov, 6. 1983

It was Nov. 6, 1983, just 4 days after Helena went missing.  It was hard to believe that my best friend was gone, and it hurt even more that I could not do anything to stop it, but I knew I had to help and fast. I knew what took her, and what happened to her because it happened to me to, But I had no clue where she was. 

Helena and I were riding our bikes along the shore of the beach we knew as home, letting the sand and beach breeze blow through our hair as a golf cart pulled up next to us. The man in it was someone I never thought I would see again, the person who I put in jail for years, the person who stole 20 days (about 3 weeks) of my life, my kidnaper, 48-year-old Chand Miller. He threw us off our bikes and grabbed Helana by the arm. I had raced home to tell my mom, and once I did there was a search party out, about 120 people were out in the woods and on the shore searching high and low for Helana.

I decided to go to Helana's house and ask her mom if she knew anything, mainly because she was one of the main detectives on my case and because she was the neighborhood gossiper who knew everyone's secrets and she would only tell them to me and Helana. I pulled my bike into her driveway to see Mrs. lima was sitting on the little stool they had in front of the door. Somehow, I could sense she knew I would be here, she had 2 cups of coffee sitting next to her, I walked up the steps and stood there for a moment, I started to tear up but then pushed the tears away. I had to stay strong for my and Helana's sanity. I sat down next to Mrs. Lima and tried not to cry, looking at her like this made me want to just hug her and cry. But I couldn't, I had to stay strong, so I said, "I know who took her and I have a clue on where she is.'' she looked up at me, and for a second, she looked mad, then her face turned soft, "I know"