God please get me home safe

Sally could hear the footsteps behind her as she walked toward home.  The thought of being followed made her heart beat faster.  "You're being silly," she told herself.  "No one is following you."  To be safe, she began to walk faster, but the footsteps kept up with her pace.  She was afraid to look back and she was glad she was almost home.  Sally said a quick prayer, "God please get me home safe."  She saw the patio light burning and ran the rest of the way to her house.  Once inside, she lent on the door for a moment, relived to be in the safety of her home.  She glanced out the window to see if anyone was there.  The footpath was empty.  After tossing her books on the couch, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line.  She logged in under her screen name NetChick202.  She checked her Buddy List and saw TopGun378 was on.  She sent him an instant message:

NetChick202:     Hi I'm glad you are on!  I thought someone was following me home today.  It was really weird!

TopGun378: LOL You watch too much TV.  Why would someone be following you?  Don't you live in a safe neighbourhood?

NetChick202:     Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.

TopGun378:       Unless you gave your name out on line.  You haven't done that have you?

NetChick202:     Of course not.  I'm not stupid you know.

TopGun378:       Did you have a netball game after school today?

NetChick202:     Yes and we won!!

TopGun378:       That's great.  Who did you play?

NetChick202:     We played the Hornets. LOL.  Their uniforms are so gross!  They look like bees.  LOL

TopGun378:       What is your team called?

NetChick202:     We are the Kenmore Kats.  We have tiger paws on our uniforms.  They are really kewl.

TopGun378:       Did you get any goals?

NetChick202:     No.  I'm a goal defence.  I got to go.  My homework has to be done before my parents get home.  I don't want them mad at me.  Bye.

Meanwhile..................... 

TopGun378 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile.  When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out.  He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about NetChick so far:

Her name:         Sally

Birthday            25th March 1985.

Age:     14

State:   Queensland

Hobbies:           Netball, choir, skating and shopping.

Besides this information, he knew she lived at Kenmore because she had just told him.  He knew that she stayed by herself until 6.30p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work.  He knew she played netball on Tuesday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Kenmore Kats.  She wore  'G.D.' on her netball uniform and she was in the ninth grade at Kenmore High School.  She had told him all this in the conversations they had on line.

He had enough information to find her now.  Sally didn't tell her parents about the incident on her way home from the netball courts that day.  She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her walking home from the netball games.  Parents were always over reacting and hers were the worst.

By Tuesday, Sally had forgotten about the footsteps following her.  Her game was in full swing when she felt someone staring at her.  It was then that the memory came back.  She glanced up from the court to see a man watching her closely.  He was standing at the other end of the court and he smiled when she looked at him.  He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the fear she had felt.  After the game, he sat near the drink fountain while she talked to the coach.  She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him.  He nodded and she smiled back.  He knew he had found her.

Quietly he walked a safe distance behind her.  It was only a few streets to Sally's home, and once he saw where she lived, he quickly returned to the carpark to get his car.  He now had to wait.  He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Sally's house.  He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until it was time to make his move.

Sally was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.  "Sally come here!" her father called.  He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why.  She went into the room to see the man from the netball courts, sitting on the couch.  "Sit down," her father began, "this man just told us a most interesting story about you."  Sally moved cautiously to a chair across from the man.  How could he tell her parents anything?  She had never seen him before today!  "Do you know who I am Sally?" the man asked.  "No." Sally answered.  I am a Police Officer and your on-line friend TopGun378."

Sally was stunned.  "That's impossible!   TopGun is a kid my age!  He's 15 and lives in Melbourne!"  The man smiled.  "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true.  You see Sally, there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them.  But while others do it to find kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators.  I came here to find you and to teach you how dangerous it is to give out too much information to people on-line.  You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you.  Your name, the school you go to, the name of your netball team and the position you played.  The 'G.D' on your uniform made finding you a breeze."

Sally was stunned.  "You mean you don't live in Melbourne?"  He laughed.  "No, I live at Toowong.  It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?"  She nodded.

"I had a friend whose daughter was like you, only she wasn't as lucky.  The man found her and murdered her while she was home alone.  Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time, on-line.  The wrong people trick you into giving out information, a little here and there.  Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realising you have done it.  I hope you have learned a lesson from this and won't do it again."  "I won't." Sally promised solemnly.  Will you tell others about this so they will be safe too?"  "It's a promise."

That night Sally and her Mum and dad all knelt down and prayed.  They thanked God for protecting Sally from what could have been a tragic situation.

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- Author unknown