Revision #2

Driving down the road, out of nowhere she came. I was terrified, worried if she were going to hurt me. But I proceeded to stop and ask if she was okay. Before I could even finish she jumped into the back and begged me to drive as far away from this spot as I could. I was a bit worried but more for her than myself because she seemed petrified of something or maybe even someone. So I did as I was asked, I drove. After about an hour of silence with a stranger in the back of my cab I asked,

“Miss, are you okay?”

“I am now.” She replied short and quick

Unsure how to keep things going I went ahead and asked “What’s your name?”

“Rebecca” she mumbled

“I’m James” I returned

We went on talking for a little while, she told me what had happened to her and why she was so scared. She said that some friends of hers, as well as herself went down to Cancun for a vacation, and they met a few guys down there that seemed really friendly. So rather than staying in their hotel they decided to go stay with these guys. I thought I sounded like a dumb idea when she told me but I remember being in my twenties as well, so I kept my mouth shut. Rebecca was a pretty girl and couldn’t have been a day over 23 so I figured I probably shouldn’t act like a parent after all she has had to deal with. So I just let her go on. She said her and her friends went down there to celebrate her friend Jessica’s 21st birthday. She went on to explain that after about a week of staying with them she starting dating one of the men. She said he told her his name was Matt, and that at first she was practically in love with him. He showered her with affection and gifts for not only her, but her friends as well. They all were supposedly staying at Matt’s mansion. She explained it to be extravagant, large towers and a huge pool that her and her friends were at daily. But she said that after about 3 months Matt began to act strange. Lots of late night hours as a construction worker, she said some nights he wouldn’t even come home. She wasn’t really upset just curious but didn’t give it much of a second thought. Until one day Matt brought his “clients” home, and that’s when she realized things probably weren’t going to be good. These men took her friends and beat them repeatedly. She yelled for them to stop and they did, they shot her friends right in front of her. Then they ran for her, she bolted. Still in her bikini as they had just came from the pool she ran as fast as she could, but then she tells me that all she remembers from then on is waking up in what she describes as a cage, where she says she was for what likely seems like forever. She was supposed to be sold into the sex trade. But she says that one night they left the key close enough to where she could reach. And now she was with me.

“That’s all I remember” I told the officer.

“Thank you for your help” he said as he turned to leave

“Wait!!” I exclaimed

“Yes?” he replied

“Is she okay”

He looked at the other officer and told me the worst news imaginable

“No, she didn’t make it. I’m sorry son”

I then rolled over and proceeded to cry.

The men I thought I was helping her escape from rammed our car and caused us to roll. Ejecting Rebecca from the car resulting in this young lady who had nearly escaped impossible odds to lose her life.

I remember this day as if it were today. I still get a feeling of fear every time i remember this night. It has been nearly 5 years since the incident. I have since moved far far away. Im now in Colorado, living with some close friends i grew up with, just until i am able to get enough money saved up to get my own place. I still fly back and visit her grave every year, i can't help but feeling like a failure for letting this happen to her.  I dont even want to remember this, but i feel that it is my fault, so there is no forgetting it.  Nobody other than the police and myself know what happened to the girl. She was a traveler who ended up in a really crappy situation. I made it my mission to find her family and apologizing for my failures. So after months of looking for her family, I finally found them in a small town in idaho. It took me nearly a month to work up the courage to tell talk to them about what had happened and when i told them, they thanked me. I was totally thrown off guard. They told me that they were so thankful for the fact that i “risked my life to save hers” when i just wanted to make sure a scared girl had somebody on her side. I would want someone to do that for my daughter if needed. I later became good friends with her family and i go to visit with them sometimes and that helps to repress my feelings of failure. But they will always be there.

R.I.P. Rebecca

I'm sorry..