Brody
Once upon a time there was a girl named Cheryl. She is a very intelligent girl, has been in advanced classes all the way through high school and has kept her grades up since the beginning of time. Cheryl wasn’t only book smart though, she knew a lot of random things about life, people, and many other things. But what she doesn’t know is I’ll be going with her on this trip.
Cheryl

“Are you ready yet Cheryl?” My mom yells at me from the living room.

“Yes mom!” I yelled back grabbing my suitcase and purse.
My family and I are going to out winter house in Tahoe for Christmas as we do every year. But this year I won’t bring my boyfriend of two years coming with me. I decided to wear a grey and pink Fox jacket that has a fur lined hood, dark washed jeans, pink gloves, and grey boots. I try to be comfortable in what I wear. My long blonde wavy hair was pulled back into a pony tail.
I got my keys and unlocked the door for my mom, Anna and my brother, Taylor. I also popped the trunk and tried to fit all of the suitcases in my trunk in the most efficient way possible. I'm glad I played Tetris a lot as a kid. As soon as I got them in the way I wanted I got into the car and looked at the clock. Its 5:30am on December 23rd, we are on time for once. I assumed they were both going to be asleep by the time we hit the freeway, so I turned on my radio station and got on the road.
As I had predicted they were fast asleep by the time we got on the freeway. I turn up my music a little bit louder. When I get in the car I use that time to think, especially if I am on a long trip. I think about life a lot and about people. I knew I was going to miss him but it was only a week of no cell service. I also had no idea what I wanted to get my mom for Christmas I have been bugging Taylor for weeks about it. Almost half way to the house I started seeing snow on the ground. Not enough for chains but it was pretty and fluffy. When we got closer to the place where we were going to be staying I noticed that the same car has been following us since we left home. I didn’t think to much abut it; lots of people go to Tahoe for Christmas break.
We pulled up to the driveway of our winter house and I woke my mom and brother up. I watched the car that was behind us the whole time pass the house. I wondered about that mysterious car. I took a quick peek at the driver and the person was wearing a black hoodie, with the hood up, while driving. I found that interesting. Why would someone wear a hood in a car?
We grabbed all of our stuff and walked into the house we knew so well. I put all of my things in my room and made some hot cocoa that my mom had packed for us. My mom was already turned on the gas fire place for us when she walked in. The house is always super cold the first day because we don’t heat it while we’re gone. That would be pointless.
We spent the first night together watching Christmas movies and played Monopoly. Nothing all that special I just kept trying to think about what to get my mom for Christmas. I kept bugging Taylor until he told me he was going to bed. After a long day of driving and lazy fun I went to bed around 10:00pm.
…

The person in the black hoodie was chasing me, through the forest in my back yard. I was running as fast as I could but I couldn’t get him off my trail. I was jumping over roots of trees and small bushes. He kept getting closer and closer…
Anna

“Taylor have you seen your sister? I haven’t seen heard from her since she left a note saying she was going out for coffee this morning.” I asked my distracted son. I never understood those video games he’s so into.

“I don’t know then mom” he sighed, “I know she went shopping earlier. She told me to keep u here all day for some reason. Do you know what that is all about?”

“No, I’m getting worried it’s almost 8:00pm.”

I went to go and see if she was anywhere else in the house and I couldn’t find her. I started to worry. I made Taylor take on of the high tech walkie talkie things I bought the kids the last year we were here and go look in the woods for her.
I looked in her room nothing had been touched since she feel asleep last night not even her phone. This worried me even more. I double checked if her car was in the driveway and it was. “Have you found her yet?”
“No, I looked everywhere I'm starting to really worry mom.”
“Ok come back home I'm calling to police right now.”
“I’ll be right there.”
I started to panic and called 911. “911, what is your emergency?”
“My daughter is missing, her car is here and my son and I can’t find her any where.” I said trying to hold back tears.
“We will send a search party right now, what is your location?”
I gave her my address as Taylor came back inside. He hugged me and was obviously worried about his missing sister. The police arrived ten minutes later and after a few minutes of questioning they sent out the search party. We didn’t hear anything for a number of hours.
“Mom go to bed I’ll wait up for them.” Taylor commanded as he practically pushed me into my room. “Its almost midnight, if they call I will wake you up ok?”
“I won’t be able to sleep but if you insist I will go lie down and read a book or something.”
Cheryl

I woke up in a box. I feel like I’ve been asleep for a whole day. I start to panic. I don’t know what to do but this box wont break open. I don’t know what happened last night. I remember my dream and then I don’t remember anything, was I drugged? What time is it?
There was a key tied to one of the walls of the box, and there was a key hole on the other wall. I use it to open a 1x1 sq ft opening. I was completely confused. But I saw another box that was wrapped in wrapping paper next to me. I look around as much as the opening would allow me and I'm under the Christmas tree. At least now I know I'm in my house, I calm down a little more. But where was my mom? And Taylor?
I felt around the outside of the box and there was another key and a note. The note said “Love will set you free.” What could that mean? What is in that other box? Suddenly I heard something move in the other box. Fear flooded through my body. Then a door opened in the box next to me the same size as mine. I see my moms face look out the hole.
“Mom!” I yelled.
She looked at me “How the hell did we get here? Where did u go last night?”
“I don’t know what’s going on either mom I only remember going to sleep last night. The only thing I do know is that we are in boxes under the tree and we are wrapped like Christmas presents. Do you have a key outside your little door?”
She looks around with her arm and finds the key “Yes I have a key and a note”
“Ok what does the note say mom?”
“It says ‘Love will set you free’” She says confused.
“Same as mine, but what does that mean?” I look around my box and a thought had occurred to me. “Mom do you have another key hole somewhere in your box?”
She take a minute to look around. “Yes at the top of my box.”
“Does either key work for it?”
“No, you?”
“No, can u hand me the keys you have and I’ll give you mine.”
We stretched out as much as possible and we handed each other the keys. I hurried to open this damn box because whoever did this, I’m going to kill them. The first key I tried didn’t work but the second one opened the top of the box!
“Mom on of those keys should work I opened the top of my box” I said climbing out of the box. Soon after she climbs out of the box and we hug each other. Someone starts clapping. We turn to see Taylor sitting in the chair behind both of the boxes holding candy canes with a giant smile on his face, a long with Brody, my boyfriend, who was also smiling. They high fived each other, I felt my face get hot.
“What the hell kind of joke is this?!” I screamed at them. My mom looked like she wanted to cry.
“Don’t be mad babe; you both have been questioning us about what to get each other for Christmas for months, so Taylor and I agreed to help you out.” Brody tells me.
“How did you even get here? Were you who was following us here?!”
“Yes I drove my uncle’s car. Do you even see what we did for you both? Read your cards on top of your presents.”
I grabbed the card on the box my mom was in. it said “How much did you need and want your mom when you thought you had been kidnapped and stuffed in a box? We got her for you- Brody and Taylor” I turned to my mom that was crying as she read her card that said “We found your daughter. Merry Christmas- TPD” It was the scariest and most wonderful Christmas morning of my life. Every Christmas after that has never been about presents, but about family.