This story is inspired by a movie trailer of the Hong Kong movie Kidnap. Plot being completely original, this thriller is not unlike all my other works. Some people will happen to notice another story of mine titled Don't Talk to Strangers looks incredibly similar to this first chapter. As I explained in the intro of the other story, Don't Talk to Strangers was supposed to be an attempted remake of this story because I thought this one was not satisfactory. I abandoned this story to write it again. Later I decided this story should stay, and that Don't Talk to Strangers should be a story on its own. Therefore I made major modifications to both in order to change the plot. Some fine details, however, cannot be removed. Hence they look quite similar; the other story was supposed to be a more successful clone of this one.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hannah Montana.

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It was a dark night. The howling wind blew across the park, whipping my face hard and chilling every part of my body. The cold gale rustled up the leaves, shaking whole trees and branches like wind chimes. The grasses and dead leaves on the ground were sucked into the violent dance of the frigid winds. The park was eerily devoid of life, and apart from the cacophony of the gale, all else was silent.

I shuddered violently and pulled my wind coat tighter around me. A storm approached, and I had to get home before it started to rain. But when your mind gets desperate, things become impossible to accomplish. As I was hurrying off home both to get out of this chilling wind and not to make Dad worried, the park became an unsolvable maze. Soon I found myself lost in it.

It was the end of a party at Jake's temporary apartment. He invited basically everyone at school to go, and I was his guest star at the party. We danced, chatted and ate joyfully that night. Lilly and Oliver also had a great time: Lilly got hooked up with some guy from Spanish class, and Oliver spent the majority of his time pigging himself at the food table. Jake had offered to give me a ride back home, but concerned about my personal security I openly refused and told him I would walk back home through the park instead. Somehow, I felt like leaving the party before most people did, and vanished before Jake, Lilly or Oliver noticed.

I quietly cursed myself for leaving without Lilly and Oliver, with a dead cell phone battery to boot. I was lost in this damned park, which I never fathomed just how big it was. The temperature was blood-freezing low, the place was completely empty except for trees and stuff you see lying around the park and the sheer eeriness was starting to make my skin crawl. I mumbled a soft plea to Dad, hoping he would come and rescue me, but after a half-hour of fruitless wandering in the maze, I lost hope of ever returning home before the storm and began to consider taking cover under some tree upon feeling the minutest of raindrops.

The place was far scarier than I ever imagined in the darkness of night.

Yet even as I contemplated sleeping in the park until dawn broke, I heard a voice carry along with the merciless wind beating at all parts of my body. Was it a voice? Or was it the wind playing tricks on me? Curiosity piqued, I began to investigate, hopeful for someone to direct me out of here.

Not far from where I stood a few minutes ago, I saw a little man half-sitting, half-squatting on a dark red wooden bench, clad in dirty rags. He was mumbling broodingly to himself as if he bore a hundred grudges, arms folded, protecting himself from the treacherous whipping gale. Feeling a little sorry for the man, but having no desire to stay in this park for more than a minute longer, I made my way towards him.

However, as I approached him, I felt a dark coldness not related to the wind fill the air thickly. If possible, the temperature in the air plummeted further to sub-zero. An ominous feeling sprung up in my stomach; what if he was a bad guy? Daddy (and Mommy) told me many times not to talk to strangers. I always thought that as a teenager, that was kids' advice.

Still, I wanted to go home. Plucking up my courage, I walked up to his side. I whispered to him in a nervous trembling voice, "Excuse me, sir?" to alert him of my presence. He was nonetheless startled.

He turned his head sharply and fixed a sharp stare into my eyes. I shuddered at the look he gave me. His actions were slow and menacing as he got off the bench and drew himself to full height. Immediately I learned that he was bigger than I thought as I spotted him moments ago.

"What d'you want, girlie?" He asked frigidly. I shivered.

"I was kind of, well, lost...and, I'm hoping if you could...direct me out of this park..." I answered querulously. Butterflies began dancing in my stomach, as if they had seen a premonition and are trying to warning me.

"And I should care because?" He replied in cold indifference. I regretted walking up to him instantly.

"Sorry to bother you, sir..." I trailed awkwardly, thinking whether I should run or walk away from him. My feet were rooted to the pavement.

"Hmph! Sorry! That's all you can say, eh? For disturbing me?"

"I'm really sorry. I'll be on my way." I made to turn around, but my feet were stuck to the ground, immovable.

I noticed something curious. Despite his nonchalant words, I saw that he was scrutinizing me intensely. I backed away from him hastily as he took a step forward, my heart missing a beat. The butterflies in my stomach were positively zooming around my gut now.

"You're Robby Ray Stewart's girl." He whispered, wide-eyed. I stared back in shock; how did he identify me?

"Yes...?" I replied uncertainly.

His voice was curious at one moment, and then the next, burning with fury. I gasped audibly in alarm as he took another step forward, this one full of intimidation, his breath on fire. I did not understand why someone would react this way to a question, nor did I know why he knew my Dad.

"I've seen you! I recognise you! You're that bastard's daughter!" He growled.

"I'm very sorry." I said in a simple would-be-calm way, but inside, I was scared beyond my wits. I was also very mystified and confused.

"Do you think a simple "sorry" is going to earn you my forgiveness? You little whore?" The man snarled. My feet finally felt mobile.

I turned around and walked away hurriedly, sensing cold sweat trickling down my brows. The pressure in the air lifted suddenly; it was quite a relief to escape from that mysterious stranger who somehow recognise me and knew Daddy's name. I breathed in deeply to calm myself down, hoping the rustling sound of leaves coming from behind were not footsteps. I wrapped my shaking frozen hands around me and whispered reassuringly to myself, "It's alright, Miley. It's just a park. There's nothing to be afraid of."

I thought it was a relief.

It was relief too soon.

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For suddenly I felt rough hand snatch my shoulder roughly the same way terror gripped my heart. I felt a jolt of horror shake my whole body as I gasped in alarm. My heart stopped beating for a few seconds, and I forgot how to breathe, when I realised that the hand on my shoulder belonged to the stranger.

"You're not going anywhere, little girl."

In a blink of an eye, he seized me with his strong iron-grip hands and began to strangle me. Panic flooded my senses as I screamed in horror, struggling against the man's attack.

"AAAAAAAHHH!"

"Save your breath, girlie! You're coming with me!" He bellowed, strengthening his vice grip around my neck.

"STOP! STOP! HELP!!" I screamed desperately, kicking and punching every part of him that I can reach in retaliation. I feared the worst, thinking he was going to violate me.

"NO ONE'S GONNA HEAR YOU!" He bellowed maniacally.

"HEEEEEELLP! HEEEEEELP!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

"LET ME GO! HEEEEEEELP!"

I writhed like a fish and through sheer desperation and intense fear, all fatigue left my body and mind. I yanked my leg randomly; somehow my foot connected with his groin. He howled in agony and released his iron grip on me. Immediately, I darted away from this dangerous fiend. Panic flooded my mind, and I had only one goal in my head at that moment; to get away from this madman. My cries of help reaching the storm clouds above as I flew away from him. In this state of wild confusion, I managed to find the exit of the park, and without hesitation charged right out of it, the monster in hot pursuit.

"COME BACK HERE!!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

No sooner after I took off had he caught up to me on the pavement, tackling me onto the ground and pinning my arms behind me. I thrashed wildly in utmost terror, fearing whether my throat might be torn asunder if I screamed more. He moved his face close to mine – a mistake on his part, for in blind fear, I smashed my skull against his jaw. The blow caused him to reel back in pain once more, releasing me from his shackles. In an instant, I got up and tore down the street, hoping I would get a good distance away from him before he recovered.

"AAARRGH! You're gonna pay for this, little girl!" He yelled from twenty feet away and got up to continue the pursuit.

I lost track of time. I had no other intention but to return to Daddy's side and get away from this maniac. All I cared about was running. I never even thought about hiding and shaking him off my trail.

The door of my house! Now I can get help! Daddy, help me!!

My heart was going into hyper-drive. My burning lungs threatened to burst and give in, and my legs began to cramp up from the sudden flight. I was at the foot of the hill...ten yards from the door...just a few feet...a few feet more...

Two hands roughly gripped my shoulders and pulled me back. In horror, I saw myself being pulled away from the door fast, making a futile attempt to struggle against my captor. Abandoning all calm, I frantically screamed into the air, "DADDY! HELP! DADDYYY!!"

Breathing heavily, my captor subdued me, pinning me on the ground roughly. He then knocked me over the head with something that looked like an iron bar. Not willing to give in to him, I increased the volume in my desperate and terrified cries.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"SHUT UP!"

My ear-splitting scream was interrupted when he stuffed a handkerchief soaked with chloroform into my open mouth. Almost immediately I felt myself weaken; my eyelids grew heavy; my legs stopped kicking; and my whole body sagged down towards the earth. The merciless man kept his grip on me, and the last thing I remembered before darkness overcame my senses was an evil laugh of triumph, and me being hoisted on his shoulders…

Somewhere above me there was a ringing of maniacal laughter. Shadowy curtains closed before my eyes; my brain went numb; and I fell down an endless bottomless pit...

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That ends chapter one. And in case anyone did not get the picture just now, she was inches from the door until she was wrestled away from it and doped by chloroform. The bad guy dragged her away just as she fell to oblivion. That marks the beginning of a thriller. I hope I manage to do well for this story. Please tell me what you think and kindly state your favourite part of the chapter. Thank you. Chapter 2 will be up tomorrow.

Terrorking Tragedian