Dad Sees Daughter’s Photos from Vacation and Realizes She’s in Great Danger – Story of the Day

A retired cop sees his daughter's vacation pictures and spots a mysterious figure standing behind her. He takes a closer look and recognizes the serial killer from his past seeking revenge. Having realized his daughter is in great danger, the dad must race against time to save her.

It was a pleasant Friday morning.

The lawn glistened with dew, and a sweet symphony of chirping birds filled the air as 62-year-old David stood on the porch. He looked worried.

David felt unusually uneasy as he watched his daughter, Alison, excited about her vacation to a neighboring state.

Seeing her so thrilled about the trip, David couldn't bring himself to ruin her mood, certainly not when she had been chirping about this much-awaited vacation all week.

23-year-old Alison and her friend, Serena, were going on a short vacation to Florida before their final year in college.

They wanted to make every moment count because once back to college, they knew it would be one hell of a year with assignments and exams and that they would barely have any time to hang out often…

David had been glued to the same spot for over thirty minutes, just watching and helping his daughter load her luggage into the cab.

"Sweetheart, you sure about the cab?" David turned to a busy Alison as she loaded another bag into the trunk. "We can still cancel it…I can drive you girls to the airport."

The worry that kept gnawing at David wouldn't stop. Not that this was his daughter's first trip alone with her friends. Whenever she went away like this, David would start feeling restless, but this time, something didn't feel right.

"Dad! No…we're okay with the taxi ride," Alison said, smiling. "Besides, remember what you did last time when you drove me to the bus station? You got all emotional, telling me all those embarrassing childhood stories!" she chuckled.

"Dad, please stop worrying. And I want you to enjoy yourself. Chill out with your friends. Go to the bar! Hang out! But hey, not more than one bottle of whiskey, okay?!"

David smiled. Ever since he lost his wife, Sarah, Alison was the only family he had. So being without her pained him, even if it meant just for a few days.

"Alright! Have a wonderful trip, girls! Stay safe and enjoy every moment. If there's something, just call me…or go to the nearest police station like I always tell you. Okay?"

"Dad?! Why do you always have to think like a cop? Nothing's gonna happen to us. Relax. We're adults now! And this place we're going to is just around a thousand miles from here!" Alison smiled, shrugging.

"A THOUSAND MILES!" David sighed. "That's a long way from home, darling!"

"Mr. Winslow, don't worry. Alison's going to be fine. I'm going with her, so you don't have to worry about anything!" Serena chimed in, exchanging a smile with her best friend.

The girls finished loading the luggage into the trunk and chatted about all the places they planned to visit throughout their vacation.

David was quickly bored. Still, he nodded and furrowed his brows, showing he took every word the girls said seriously.

A couple of minutes later, he watched Alison go in and out of the house, and finally, it seemed like she had picked everything she needed for the trip.

"I'm done, and I'm ready! Finally, we're all set to go. Woohoo…Florida, here we come!" Alison exclaimed, joy beaming in her eyes. She couldn't wait to get into the car to take them to the airport.

Before getting in the car, Alison paused and turned around. "Dad, I'm gonna miss you. Please take care. I love you."

"Love you too, sweetheart. Have a lovely trip!" David whispered and hugged Alison while nodding at Serena.

David was still feeling pretty uneasy about this whole trip. Not that he wanted to get in the way of Alison's joy. What David felt in sending his daughter on that trip with only one friend, that too to a place they had never been to before, was the worry any parent would feel for their child.

Forcing a smile, he got ready to say his goodbyes.

"Finally, shall we go?" Alison turned to Serena after telling her father she was ready. But David knew she wasn't.

As a retired police officer, David was used to paying attention to the most minor details. And he was certain that Alison would've forgotten something in her last-minute rush with packing.

"Did you take your wallet, Ally?" He asked with a solemn expression, one a senior soldier would use for his junior officer.

"Check," Alison replied, pulling it out of her purse with a grin.

"Personal hygiene products?"

"Check!"

"Phone?"

"Check," Alison instantly responded even before she began searching her purse for it, only to look longer without finding it.

"OMG, I left it with the charger!" she yelled, bolting to the house in split seconds to pick it up. "Dad, thank goodness you remembered!"

David and Serena exchanged a smile.

"If 'Father of the Bride' is even gonna get a remake, you two would be in it!" Serena laughed as they watched Alison race into the house.

"I don't know what Alison would do without you, Mr. Winslow."

"And I don't know what I would do without her!" David said. "She hasn't changed a bit… she's just like her mother!"

David's eyes slowly grew moist as he remembered his late wife, Sarah. Alison was just two years old when Sarah died in an accident involving a drunk truck driver.

Following the tragic loss of the most beloved woman in their lives, David could not imagine what he would do without Alison.

One could guess what he was going through when Alison was leaving him for that trip to a totally new city a thousand miles away from him.

Moreover, it didn't help that, like her mother, Sarah, Alison had a petite figure and seemed easy to bully with her pleasant and friendly personality.

The one thing David often told Alison to watch out for was who she was making friends with.

The easy-going personality she was, Alison often made friends with almost anyone, and David was a bit unnerved by this. But at the same time, she was a big girl now, and David learned to trust Alison's choices over time despite all his insecurities.

After all, she is an ex-cop's daughter, he often thought.

Still, David could not bear the thought of how he would spend the next few days alone at home. That silence, without Alison around, would be haunting.

A few minutes later, Alison rushed back outside with her phone, and no matter how hard David looked at her, trying to convey his uneasiness, he couldn't find any valid way to delay their journey a little more.

"Ah, we're all set! Bye, Daddykins…Love you…more than you know!" Alison hugged him one last time before joining her friend, Serena, in the car.

"Take care, sweetheart. Love you too! Please don't forget to send messages at most every six hours, so I'll know you're fine," David told her as the car was about to leave.

When Alison was little and took bus rides to school, David would watch her wave goodbyes and blow flying kisses from the window. Today, watching her leave in the taxi and waving at him reminded him of that, and he kind of teared up.

She might have been twenty-three now, but to David, Alison was still a little girl.

"I will, Daddy. Don't worry. Don't forget to take your meds on time. See you soon!" Alison replied, waving as the car drove off.

He watched the car slowly disappear from the community gate and join the busy road ahead.

Moments later, the car was completely gone.

David's heart raced, and he wished he could just run behind that car and bring Alison back home. Or at least convince her to take him with her to the airport.

But he knew nothing of that sort would happen now.

Alison was…gone.

David pulled out his phone and smiled at seeing the last update on her social media page. She had posted a picture of her and Serena in the taxi with the caption: "Sunshine state of mind :) #FloridaAdventures."

A string of palm tree, beach, and cocktail emojis accompanied the caption, indicating just how thrilled Alison was about the vacation.

Sighing heavily, David tucked the phone away and stood still, staring at the empty space ahead.

He knew where Alison was headed was only about two hours away by flight. Still, he couldn't help but be worried about her. With each fleeting minute, his anxiety swelled.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed in his pocket. David's heart throbbed in excitement because he knew it would be a message from his daughter.

He pulled his phone out and teared up at seeing a new message from Alison flashing on the screen.

"I'm fine, Daddy. Take care of yourself. Go out and have some fun! I know you'll be sad now. But there's nothing to be worried about, okay? I'll be fine. I promise. Love you," she had pinged.

David shook his head with a slight smile on his face.

"Have a safe trip, sweetheart. Daddy's gonna miss you so much," he whispered and headed back inside.

A poignant sense of emptiness washed over him as David stepped inside the quiet house. He immediately turned on the TV to get rid of the grave silence.

What could an old retired officer of sixty-two possibly do for fun? David wondered as he walked across the living room and approached the fridge.

Grabbing a can of beer, David watched headlines on TV. He couldn't stick to one channel for more than two minutes. Most of the reports on TV involved some crime, robbery, and murder.

Although he was used to crime scenes during his days as a cop, David didn't want to watch any of that again. Certainly not when Alison was not home because it would worry him more about her safety.

David spent most of his time reading thriller movie plots online because he only watched those movies if the storyline piqued his interest.

But none seemed to intrigue David that day, so he decided to pursue one of his favorite hobbies: cooking new dishes by watching online videos.

When Alison was around, she would help him in the kitchen, and they never shied away from cooking something new, though most of the time, it would be a disaster!

David laughed, recalling those funny instances, and made chicken parmesan. The rest of his time, he checked Alison's messages the second she sent them.

David spent the second day by himself as usual, but he also played poker with some of his buddies and neighbors he had invited home. Having all that laughter and noise in his otherwise quiet house was relieving.

Regardless, David made sure to send messages to Alison, more than happy to see the many vacation pictures she began sending him.

"Yeah, that's her friend, Serena," David showed his friends pictures of Alison and Serena. "The girls were so excited about this trip!"

"The girls are surely having a great time, Dave!" one of his friends exclaimed.

David smiled, but only he knew how tense he was and that he could no longer wait for Alison to return home soon.

It had been three days since Alison left.

David assumed he would spend the day alone, only to get a call from Dan, one of his friends still active in the police force.

"Hey, buddy, shall we meet?" Dan said. "There's something really urgent I want to discuss with you, but not on the phone…it's about a case you handled some years back."

David's brows furrowed. After quitting his job in the police force, he never discussed past cases he was involved in. And by weighing the tension in Dan's voice, David knew something was up.

"Alright, pal. How about we meet at the café on Maple Street?"

"Cool, I'll be waiting at five. See you!"

Officer Dan was a little younger than David and still had a couple of more years before he could retire.

Nevertheless, he and David were still friends, although Dan was lately too busy with some investigations. So they never really got the time to hang out together often.

Two hours later, David arrived at the café and saw Dan already waiting for him at a corner table by the window.

"Hey, pal! How are you? How's everything going? How's Alison? It's been a while since we met," Dan rose and greeted David the second he arrived and sat beside him.

"Too long if you ask me!" David said before he signaled to the waiter. "Alison's fine, pal. She's vacationing in Florida with a friend."

"Florida, huh? I bet your girl would love The Sunshine State! Heard the weather is pleasant there…"

David sighed as he randomly checked his phone. But there was no recent message from Alison.

"Oh, by the way, how's your leg, pal? Are you taking the meds?" Dan gently asked the moment they were done exchanging pleasantries.

David had once gotten shot during a chase while arresting a criminal, and although his injury had somewhat healed over time, it was always a source of lingering pain, coupled with aging.

"It's so much better now that I'm retired. Thank goodness I quit…at least I don't have to chase criminals at gunpoint anymore!" David joked.

"I don't feel any pain as long as I don't put much pressure on it. The meds help," he added, tapping his left leg to show Dan it was fine.

Their drinks arrived, and they began catching up like they usually did every time they met.

"So, how is work?" David curiously asked. "You have five more years in the department until retiring, right?"

"Four!"

Even though David had retired from the force, he still enjoyed staying updated on recent incidents. He might have retired, but he was still very much the cop he was.

"Work is fine, pal…but it's also one of the reasons I asked you to meet me," Dan replied in a more serious tone.

"I wanted to discuss something really important with you. It's highly confidential, and you're the only person I can count on. Moreover, it's for your own safety…"

Dan sounded so serious and baffling that David slightly furrowed his brow.

He instantly sobered up, seeing the grave expression that replaced the smile that had been on Dan's face just moments ago.

"My safety? What about it? What is the matter, Dan? You look so tense. Did something happen?" he pressed Dan, knowing how unpredictable things can be in their line of work.

Taking one last sip, Dan looked up at David, certain what he was about to reveal would send shivers down his spine.

"It's Barry, the Serial Killer," Dan informed him in a profound tone that conveyed the seriousness of the situation.

"Remember him, Dave?"

"God, how can I forget that—" David blurted a curse word.

"He is one of those notorious guys I wished I could just shoot in the head instead of producing in court. My duty stopped me, and all I could do was just cuff that monster's hands and drag him to the cell…"

It was clear that this was one case that still haunted ex-cop David.

It had been seven years since he arrested Barry just before he could kill his last victim. David and his team had rescued the girl from the abandoned factory where Barry usually held his victims hostage before killing them.

David still remembered the way he arrested the serial killer at gunpoint. He couldn't shake his head off Barry's last words before he was forced into the police cruiser.

"I'll come for you."

Barry had told him.

Those menacing words kept ringing in David's head now, although he didn't attach much importance back then.

"What happened to him? I caught the murderer myself and put him in jail," David said with a hint of pride. "How I wish I could just go back to the department, grab my gun, and…"

"Dave, Barry, he—"

David's brows arched.

"Did that scoundrel manage to kill someone in jail? This is why I wanted to shoot that guy the moment we found him. But no. You guys got in my way…with telltales about rules, regulations, and laws…and stopped me. Don't tell me that psychopath murdered someone again."

"No. Dave…actually, Barry somehow managed to escape without leaving any traces behind. We aren't even sure if he's still in the state," Dan replied.

"WHAT??" David's eyes bulged in horror.

"He-He escaped tight security? God, when did this happen? You guys have no trace of where he went? How can you guys be so careless? He is a goddamn serial killer…how long has he been on the run?"

"Three days. The CCTV cameras in the corridors were tampered with. So we couldn't find any evidence of how this guy managed to escape. Looks like a well-executed plan…"

David was alarmed. Moreover, he understood Dan gave him confidential information because Barry could be out for revenge.

Barry's grim words he told David at the time of his arrest kept ringing in David's head.

"Did you…did you guys investigate the other inmates? You sure he didn't reveal his escape plan with anybody else in jail?"

Dan shook his head.

"Barry was assigned with cleaning duties in the warehouse. Nobody saw him after that. We realized he was missing during the roll call for dinner."

"Man, this is serious. Did you guys check the CCTV footage of areas close by…in shops? Streets? Gas stations?"

"We did. No traces. Found his jail uniform two streets away…in a dumpster."

A chilling feeling engulfed David.

I'm glad Alison isn't close by, he thought to himself, pleased that she would be safe at least for a couple of days while the police looked for the serial killer and arrested him.

"Man, I just wanted to keep you informed so you stay alert. Just keep your doors locked at night. Hope you have your gun with you…just in case…"

David nodded.

"I'll be careful and on the lookout. Thanks, Dan! This will stay between us…you can count on me," he said, thanking Dan for how quickly he thought to pass the information to him.

"Don't worry about it, pal. You would have done the same if you were in my shoes. I'm sure we'll capture this Barry guy soon. The search is on. But just be a little careful," Dan replied.

Afterward, they ate some food and talked a little more over a few drinks before they each decided to head home.

David knew the first thing he would have to do upon reaching home was to find his gun and load it with bullets.

For so long until now, he didn't find a reason to use it, although it was for defense purposes due to the threats David had been receiving while on duty.

He and Alison lived in a gated community with tight security and surveillance.

Still, he knew that this was no ordinary criminal on the loose. It was Barry, the serial killer, and the very thought of this urged David to be cautious.

With an adult daughter under his care, David knew he couldn't take the risk of acting like a cop. He had to think like a father and do everything he could to protect his child.

"Be careful, Dave," Dan called out to him once again as they parted ways. "If possible, call some friends over. Don't be alone. We're dealing with a dangerous serial killer who could be out on a violent revenge spree...we have to be very careful."

"I will," David yelled before waving goodbye and getting into his car.

But he decided not to disturb his friends by calling them over. Each of them had a family and kids.

David thought it would be strange to call them over for safety. What would they think of him? He was a brave cop known for his courageous feats in the department.

No, David had decided to handle this on his own and drove home that evening.

The second he got home, he checked and double-checked his cameras and doors, ensuring nothing was out of place. He then headed to the cabinet in his room, where he kept his gun.

David sat on the bed, just staring at the pistol. He hadn't used it in years. It was just sitting in the dark corner of the drawer, like a showpiece.

"Darling, how is everything going?" David sent a text to Alison after that. He just wanted to be sure she was safe in Florida.

A soft chime alerted David five minutes later, and he couldn't have been more relieved when he saw it was a message from Alison.

"Hi, Dad! It's amazing. How's everything there?"

"All good. Be safe, darling. Love you."

"Sure, Dad. Love you too :)"

Sighing heavily with relief, David rechecked all the doors and windows, ensuring they were locked. The shrill cries of crickets filled the night air as David loomed over the quiet neighborhood from his apartment window.

There were no signs of unusual activity. The neighborhood basked in the quietness of the night. The only other noise was that of the stray cats scavenging the dumpsters and street dogs barking in the distance.

Sure that everything was fine, David retired to his bedroom and checked his phone for Alison's messages. He was sure she would have bombed his inbox with amazing pictures by now.

A soft glow sparked at the corner of his lips when he tapped open his phone inbox and saw Alison's messages. David couldn't help but smile as he glanced through the pictures she sent him before going to bed.

"Dad, you should visit Florida soon. It's so freaking amazzzinggg!! ;)" she had last written, followed by a string of heart and smiley emojis.

David's smile grew wide.

He was so happy to see Alison happy. After one more busy year in college, she would be out in Paris, pursuing her master's in arts. Then, she would eventually find a job, find love, get married, and leave him to start a new chapter of her life.

David spent the night scouring through the pictures Alison had sent him and reading her texts again and again. He dozed off like that, only to wake up to warm streaks of light penetrating through the huge stained-glass window.

David rose with a start. The gun was still on the bedside table the way he had kept it the previous night. It was fully loaded...just in case.

The next day went by in a blur, and the day after that. Nothing seemed unusual, and David was now all excited. There were only two days left for Alison to return.

So he cleaned the house, brought in her favorite lavender room fresheners, and got everything ready for her life back home. He remembered she wanted some new books from the library and decided to drive to the local library.

David grew impatient for his daughter to return so they could spend time together before she had to go back to college.

Meanwhile, he thought about the killer on the loose, but not enough to worry him. He was sure he wouldn't be touched as long as he took precautions.

The next day, his phone buzzed in his pocket while doing the dishes. Wiping his hands dry, David grabbed his phone from the counter and saw more pictures from Alison than she usually sent him since her vacation was quickly coming to an end.

David smiled and decided to look at the pictures after his meal.

He had just finished cooking lunch, and with nothing else to do after eating, he decided to carefully go through the pictures and see the places Alison had been to.

He slowly began to go through it, smiling at all the goofy poses she and her friend Serena made in each of the pictures when suddenly he jerked upright in shock.

"Oh my God!" David froze in horror. His body trembled, and tremors shot up his spine at seeing one particular photo.

It was the last picture Alison had sent about three hours ago.

The picture showed Alison and Serena standing in a park, and they looked happy, holding a big cone of ice cream in each hand.

But behind them was a man.

David scrolled up to check the last few pictures Alison had taken at that park. This mysterious man was in most of them.

He was clad in black clothes and a black fedora, trying to hide his face. David zoomed in on the pictures to have a clearer glimpse.

The creepy guy's face was blurry in the rest of the pictures. But the one David vigorously stared at exposed his face — one that instantly made David shiver in panic and break into a cold sweat.

Barry, the Serial Killer, stood a few feet away from Alison, under a tree…watching her.

"Jesus Christ…Alison…Oh my God…" David began to shake in fear.

He was already calling Alison's number even before he jumped off the chair he had been sitting on.

David's heart was racing in fear, and it got much worse when all his calls to Alison's number went unanswered and then to voicemail before the phone was unusually switched off.

However, David kept calling her, thinking she had a dead battery.

He waited a few minutes and called again but got no response.

Something had to be wrong. There had never been a time he had called his daughter that she wouldn't pick up his call or switch off her phone.

It wasn't something Alison would ever do.

David had had enough. He could wait no further, and with a pounding heart, he tremblingly dialed Serena's number. It jolted David like a thunderbolt when even Serena wasn't answering his calls.

Oh my God…My daughter's in danger, David nervously concluded as he quickly booked a plane ticket to Florida, glad to find one leaving that afternoon.

He instantly headed to the airport after sending Dan the picture he had spotted Barry in.

"We need to find him, Dan. He is in Florida. With Alison," read his message to Dan.

"Dan, get everyone you can. Alison's in danger! We need to save her before he gets to her," David urgently exclaimed on the phone after explaining that she and her friend weren't picking up their phones.

It took him three hours and a couple of minutes to get to where they had lodged in a hotel after Serena finally picked up her phone. Luckily, David had been constantly calling her number, and she had finally answered.

"Alison? Where is she? Is she with you? Is she alright? I want to talk to her," David calmly asked, doing his best to appear brave, especially when Serena was already a bundle of tears.

Something is seriously wrong, David thought.

"Mr. Winslow, sh-she said she wanted to use the restroom in the mall. We went shopping after our outing at the park. I even stayed right in front of the restroom, but she never returned," Serena stuttered as she explained.

Just as David was about to ask her more questions to try and find out exactly what happened, she burst into tears, speaking in such an incoherent manner that he had to stop her.

"Serena, look, stop crying. Please. Just calm down and tell me what exactly happened. Did you see her with someone? A man…in black clothes or something?"

"I don't remember, Mr. Winslow," Serena wept.

"I was standing outside, waiting for her. I…I got this call from Mom, and I only stepped away for like two minutes. Alison never came out after that. I checked the restroom, but all the stalls were empty…

…If only...I..." she said before all he could hear was the sound of heavy sobbing.

He would have consoled her if not that he was too scared and worried to do so. Several horrifying thoughts plagued David.

He could not bring himself to imagine anything else other than hope his daughter would be okay. And most of all,…alive.

Serena was in one piece, but his daughter might not have been. David's mind triggered his worst fears. But his heart told him to hold onto his hopes of finding Alison, no matter what it took.

Thirty minutes later, Dan arrived at the mall where Alison and Serena were last together. Strings had been pulled, and people were already serving a thirty-mile radius from where Alison was last seen.

Police squads and K-9 units sprawled the scene.

"She gave this to me before heading to the restroom," Serena handed Alison's scarf so the K9s could catch her scent and lead the team to her whereabouts.

Meanwhile, David was a bundle of nerves as he tried to keep his cool, but a heavy look of fear and worry was fixed on his face.

He knew this was not the time to panic. He had to pull himself together to be strong. Alison needed him. She would be counting on him. So he knew he had to stay strong for her.

No, nothing would've happened to her. Alison is a strong girl. She's a fighter...She's MY daughter, he whispered to himself.

He followed the police officers through every strategy used to find traces of Barry's movements. They scoured through numerous CCTV footage in the mall and streets.

But nothing could be said for sure yet as most of the places in the recordings were crowded.

"Barry could be just anyone in that crowd. Our only lead was the black fedora he was wearing. But many people are wearing such fedoras in most of the footage," Dan told David.

"We'll find her, Dave. Stay strong. We'll not let anything happen to her," he reassured David, patting him on his shoulder as he watched him suddenly stop moving to hold his left leg with a painful grin.

"IT'S NOT ENOUGH, DAN! It's been five freaking hours, and it's turning dark. I cannot even imagine what he would be doing to her now…Who knows what he—"

David yelled angrily, gritting his teeth and balling his fists to stop himself from finishing his statement.

Dan understood what David was trying to say and sighed heavily.

Barry was a notorious killer, and the fact that it had been hours and Alison was still missing meant only one thing.

"She's—" David whispered as tears sprang into his eyes.

David was not ready to imagine anything horrific. If something ever happened to Alison and he never made it in time to save her, David knew he would die then and there.

Twenty minutes passed.

"Dave, are you alright? Dave??" Dan's voice snapped David out of his thoughts.

"WHAT?? Did they find her?" David sprang to his feet.

Dan did not know how he would tell this to David. But it was his and the entire team's last hope. "Dave, we traced the location where Alison's phone was last active."

A look of relief washed over David, only to disappear almost instantly.

"We need to get to the woods," Dan finished as the hair on David's neck stood on end.

"The woods? Oh my God…he took her to the woods? Did he—"

Half an hour later, David arrived at the edge of the forest with Dan and his team. The moonlight filtering through the tall, dark trees was haunting as they started combing through the woods.

Suddenly, David froze in his tracks.

"That's Alison's…that's her shoe. Oh my God…"

David dropped to his knees as he picked up Alison's white sneakers.

"Begin the search and notify all units. I repeat, begin the search, and notify all units. The victim is a 23-year-old girl named Alison. Petite. Blonde. She was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans," Dan instructed his team over the mic.

David was paralyzed with shock. He could not move an inch but forced himself to get up. His heart told him Alison was still alive…somewhere in that woods.

"Dan, hurry, we need to keep looking."

The K9 units followed the scent of Alison's shoe, and soon, the team arrived in the heart of the forest. It was much darker, and they were attacked by pirate bugs and beetles.

Just as they kept looking around with the help of flashlights, Dan stumbled over something hard on the ground.

It was a shovel. And near it lay the other missing shoe that belonged to Alison. Finding them in the middle of the forest could mean only one thing.

"Christ, no, this can't be. No, God, no…" David grew pale and numb when Dan shone the flashlight on the shovel bearing traces of fresh, wet soil.

David lost it completely. He yelled all the swear words he knew of. He wished he could find Barry and shoot him until all the bullets in his gun were exhausted.

"NO! ALISON…Why did he do this to my child? Why did he—"

Dan, who was that confident about finding Alison until moments ago, could not muster the courage to console David.

He understood the pain David was experiencing as a father. But as a cop, he knew the mission wasn't over until they found Alison's body...if she had been killed.

Just as the team dispersed to look for any signs of fresh earth mounds in the woods, an officer bolted in their direction, screaming.

"We found her…we found the girl!" the cop yelled, interrupting whatever had been haunting David and Dan. A small sliver of hope sparked in David's eyes.

"Alison? Is she…is she alright?" he shakily rose from the ground.

Ignoring the pain in his knee, he ran as fast as he could to the deserted cabin in the woods where Alison was found, all thanks to the K9 units that managed to sniff her scent and lead the search team all the way to her whereabouts.

David had never been so scared as he wondered in what state he would find his daughter. His mind was haunted with thoughts.

If he had run the math right, Alison would have spent seven horrifying hours with the killer.

"Be alright…Daddy's coming…be strong…hold on, Ally. I'll not let anything happen to you," David whispered as he barged into the cabin.

David still hoped to find his daughter alive.

He was frightened but also very angry, determined to kill Barry on sight if a single hair was missing from his daughter's body.

The eerily dark cabin was suddenly lit up with flashlights. From the dingy corner, a voice that David instantly recognized cried out to him.

"DADDY!"

"ALISON…ALLY…Oh my God…You alright?" David screamed in alarm, shocked to see blood smeared on Alison's hands.

"Did he—"

"Sweetie, did he do anything to you? Are you alright?"

"Daddy, I'm fine. He kidnapped me from the mall's restroom. But my instincts kicked in when he brought me to the woods. While he carried me on his shoulder, he didn't notice me removing my shoes and tossing them around so you could track me down...I knew you would come looking for me...

...Your many self-defense lessons finally proved useful, Daddy! He didn't see me as a threat at all…so it was easy for me to knock him out with a beer bottle," Alison explained.

David barely listened as he pulled her in for a tight hug. He wiped her hands clean with his handkerchief. He had a lot to tell her how happy he was to see her. But words were stuck in his throat like a lump.

"I thought I would never see you again, Ally," David cried in relief. A few minutes later, he continued to hug her, unwilling to let her go.

"I almost died. I got so scared. Please, don't ever leave me again. Please."

"Nothing will ever happen to me, Daddy, coz I'm your daughter."

David and Alison boarded a cruiser and watched Dan load Barry into another vehicle. Dan turned to them and waved before the patrol car sped out of the woods.

David returned to the hotel with Alison, and Serena was relieved to see her. They hugged each other as Alison recounted her experience.

"Well! It also helped that you're pretty small! Did you kick that scoundrel in the groin?" Serena cried, hugging Alison when David finally let her go.

Alison laughed at Serena's joke, glad to be reunited safely with her father and everyone she loved. They left for their hometown on the next flight, each taking this incident as a lesson for life.

The self-defense techniques her dad had taught her urged Alison to understand the importance of these skills for all girls. David, too, realized the same.

So, as soon as they headed back home, David, together with his daughter, started a coaching center where he offered free self-defense training to young girls in town.

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

16-year-old Joey abandons his mother and runs away from home to pursue his dreams. When he returns thirteen years later as a successful man to see his mother, all he gets to see is a deserted house and a half-burnt note. Here's the full story.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.