There were journalists taking pictures of me as two policewomen held my hands and tried to protect me from the cameras being shoved in my face. The journalists were like vultures and everyone was shouting. They were asking weird questions like was I a slave? Was I abused? Was I this and that. I held tight on to the policewoman's hands as she led me into the police station. I saw one journalist looking at her camera and heard her say that "Ariel Powers was kidnapped 9 years ago when she was only 2. Today is a great day for Ariel and her family. Against all odds, she has been rescued." I didn't hear more of what she said because the other journalists started asking their strange questions before.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYbr7iBrtp
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I was so afraid. I looked around to see if I could see mom or Dad. Tears were running down my cheeks as I could only see police and journalists. I was the center of attention, and I was not used to it! What did I do wrong that I had to be dragged into a police station with a media circus outside? I held on to Mr. Teddy very tight. It was my teddy bear.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAMrCPXBgM
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Flashback: I woke up in a great mood. Yesterday was my 11th birthday and it was a great day. I didn't have friends over for a party, because I really had no friends. I was homeschooled, so I knew no one my age. Mom told me I would get anxiety and sick if I went to a real school. The children there were evil, and they would most likely hurt me or corrupt me. So the party was just me and my parents. We sang the birthday song and I opened my new present, which was a huge dollhouse! I was so happy as I always wanted a dollhouse. In the evening we had my favorite food which was homemade lasagna. Dad gave a speech on how much they loved me and how I was so special.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRo7KjQsER
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So I woke up and went down for breakfast. Dad joked and asked me did I want cornflakes. He knew very well that I hated cornflakes. I smiled as I sat down and ate my toast. Mom was walking in the kitchen after she had a shower. Then there was lots of noise. Men were screaming for us to lay down on the floor. I was screaming and crying and asking what was going on. I looked up and seen policemen put handcuffs on mom and Dad and telling them they were under arrest for kidnapping.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPifwmsqNQ
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I was now safe in the police station, and I was sitting in a small room. I could still feel my heart beating fast as I wondered why I was arrested. This policewoman was sitting across from me, and an old woman was sitting next to her. I was told that she was a social worker.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXP7PgFU3q
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"You are safe now Ariel." the policewoman started.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYBS3Fsxps
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"My name is not Arial, my name is Kimberly!" I protested.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJBgXKCXDN
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"Calm down. We just want to talk about your life since you were kidnapped."482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2JHwH5lWH
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I held Mr. Teddy close to me and said I wanted to see my mom and Dad. I shouted at the policewoman that they had the wrong people. My name was not Ariel and I knew nothing about any kidnapping! I told them that the people that they arrested were my parents and then I laid my head down on the table and cried. This was a nightmare, and I was so afraid and confused. Why did they have to arrest us and say things that made no sense?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeVUQlhC9T
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The social worker was the first to speak. She told the policewoman that I did not remember anything. She suggested that a child psychologist should come in and see me. The policewoman agreed. She also asked me if I was hungry. Then without even waiting for an answer, she came back with some chocolate and coke. I held on to my teddy as I was eating it. I did not trust the policewoman. She and her police buddies barged into our house and arrested people for something they never have done!482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WqRQb7984
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A very old man came in and sat down at the table. He started by saying that he was a shrink and will help me understand reality. I wondered what he meant by "reality". The social worker must also have understood as she asked him did he have experience with children. He admitted that he did not. This upset the social worker that reminded him that I was only 11. She reminded him that I most likely did not remember anything. She told him I was confused and in a state of shock. The social worker must have made the policewoman mad, as she told the social worker that the police needed answers. I felt like I was an ornament that people were talking about.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNV7ZadF2f9
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I interrupted them and told them that my family was not criminals. I wanted them to get my mom and dad, and let us go home.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoemHqFbv45
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The old man told me he will tell me a story.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbnZeogjsw
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"There was once a husband and wife that had a small girl. They felt so happy that they had this girl. They tried for years to have a girl but could not have one. In the end they had the girl with the help of doctors and test tubes. This man and woman finally had the daughter they wished for so many years. They named the girl Ariel. This small family was so happy and it was like they were in heaven. This was one day until the mother and Ariel were at the park. Ariel's mom let her daughter play in the sand.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl337l5R6cH
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Then the mother answered her cell phone. It was her husband asking if he could buy Ariel a kitten on the way home from work. Ariel's mother for some reason was not looking at Ariel at this time. The request to buy a kitten made her mother smile, and she said she could ask her daughter. She was told not to, as he wanted it to be a surprise. Ariel's mom turned around to smile at her daughter. Ariel was not there. The mother threw the cell phone down and looked all over the park for her daughter. Soon the police were called and it was obvious that Ariel was kidnapped."482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIICViG4HX
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The old man put some newspapers on the table. They had pictures of a toddler girl. The headlines were "kidnapped" as well as other things like if Ariel was still alive? Was she sold to some people that would abuse her? Did her mother kill her? I stared at the pictures and could see how much this girl resembled me. I could feel the anxiety build up in my body. It felt like my heart was jumping out of my body. Was all this because the adults thought that the girl was me? Did they believe I was Ariel? How could they even think I was kidnapped. I surely would know if I was kidnapped482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zsgg0XH9g
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"As you can see," the man continued, "Ariel's kidnapping was national news. Thousands of children go missing every year, and for some reason, Ariel became a symbol of this. It was in the media for a year. Not only the media were interested, but people flocked to churches to pray for Ariel and hoped she would be found. Since that day 9 years ago, Ariel's parents never stopped looking for her and neither have the police. The media are still interested, as there have even been documentaries about Ariel."482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGGG4ZZL72
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I kept looking at the picture of Ariel in the newspaper. I wanted him to stop talking about her.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa5JDmBP71
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Flashback: I was about 9 years old when I was watching a Disney film with my parents. I looked around and seen there were so many pictures of me. This usually made me feel lucky and loved. I knew I was the center of their lives, and they loved me and wanted to keep me safe and all that. However, this time I looked at all the pictures. There was something that was odd and it bothered me. I asked them why were there no baby pictures of me? They were silent for a while looking at each other, waiting for the other to answer me. Dad told me that I was a handful when I was a baby. They really did not have time to take pictures of me. They quickly changed the subject. I never really understood the answer. How hard could it be to take a picture of a baby? At the same time, I knew they did not want to discuss it!482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7jhmqoCKl
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"Your parents were arrested today" he continued, "They have been questioned and have admitted that they kidnapped you when you were two. They were similar to your birth parents. They could never have a child. This led them to kidnap you. They named you Kimberly. The fact is that you are Ariel. You were so young when you were kidnapped, you have forgotten all this."482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbYYVZ1GIZ
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This was a lot for me to accept and understand, my parents were not my parents. They kidnapped me! My mind was going around in circles. How could this be? My parents were not bad people that kidnapped small children. I wanted these people to leave me alone with Mr. Teddy. My teddy was the only thing that I had left from the life I knew. I felt so alone. The thing was even if I was kidnapped, I did not want to be found. I had a good and happy life, The thing now was what would happen to me?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzcuLZOuY2
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The policewoman told me this is a lot for me. She suggested that we get done with the police things, so I could go home and have time to adjust. I wondered what she meant by adjust and where was my home now? Did this mean my parents would be released?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYSUOi1YY1
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The policewoman told me she would ask me a few questions. She told me I had to be honest. Then she said a doctor would check me.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTRaxsmN5F
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She started by asking did I Iove the parents that kidnapped me? I told them that they were the best parents. They took care of me and loved me. They spent time with me and taught me a lot. I looked in the policewoman's eyes and said they were not criminals. They were the nicest people on the planet. She smiled as I said this and told me that I was lucky.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc5dBRgwLi
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She didn't stop asking questions. She asked did they make me do lots of work? Did they lock me in my room? She even asked me did they use chains on me! I told her I was not a pet or a slave. I did some chores, but mom and dad would often help me with them. I told her that we did things together. I did not even consider these things as chores. We did things like any family!482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwGGzP5uf8
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She asked me was I allowed out or why did I not go to school. This was hard to answer as it was something that I did not understand myself. I told them that Mom did not like crowds, so we went to places that did not have lots of people. I also explained that they did not like public schools and I would have a better education if I was homeschooled. I did not tell the policewoman that I often wished I went to school and had friends.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp8uX1ArRP
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Then she asked me was I hit. Did they take pictures of me without clothes? Did my Dad abuse me? Did he let others abuse me? I hugged Mr. Teddy harder and shouted no! I knew what a pervert was and Dad was no pervert. I shouted at the policewoman that they were not like that. They were good parents!482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2qIT01tin
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The Social worker also had enough. She told the policewoman that I been through a lot. This questioning was just adding to the crises and turmoil I was in. She demanded that the policewoman stopped asking these questions. 482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuDuZYBiab
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The policewoman nodded and said that I just had to be checked by the doctor. So she told me to follow her. She told me I could take Mr. Teddy with me. I followed her through some hallways and could see other police look at me in a strange way. I was the sensation of the day. I looked down and hugged Mr. Teddy harder as I followed the policewoman.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1h13RwTV8
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Then I heard a woman shout, "its Ariel!", I looked up and seen her. This woman was crying. There was a man next to her. He also had tears running down his cheeks. I hugged the teddy bear even more. There were too many people there. Things got also worse. The strange woman shoved her way through the police and came running towards me. I was more afraid than I was since the police barged in our house that morning. I wanted to run and hide. There was no place I could run to. All I could see was this strange woman running towards me!482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3Et9bzEvW
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Flashback: When I was 7, I had some nightmares and started wetting the bed. Mom and Dad were worried because they wanted to know why I was wetting the bed. I could not even remember the nightmares, but I know they scared me. The bed-wetting continued, so mom told me that I had to wear diapers in bed. This really upset me and I felt like I was a baby again. The fact that I had to wear diapers to bed made me sad and depressed. I cried every time I saw them.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2b7gBay0aU
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One night, Dad came into my room. He told me that many children wet the bed, so I was not alone. He also gave me a present. It was Mr. Teddy! He told me Mr. Teddy was a good friend and would and would protect me when I slept. Then he told me diapers were to help me for the time being. When he thought of me, he did not think I was a baby. I was his princess. The good thing is I stopped getting nightmares when I was given Mr. Teddy482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSOQ1kfutY
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The strange woman reached me and gave me a hug. She was crying that she always knew I would be found. The policewoman said that she was my birth mom. I started to cry. This was not because I suddenly missed this woman. It was because so much was happening and my life was turned upside down. I was confused and I was afraid. The policewoman told the woman that I needed to see the doctor, and then she would meet me. It took some persuading and time, but finally, this woman went back to the waiting room.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7j3R5jREZF
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The doctor told me to take off my clothes and to put some robe on. She was an old doctor and didn't smile much. She started doing what doctors do, like checking my lungs and eyes and reflexes. She kept on writing notes down and asking me questions like what I usually ate and what about exercise. I did smile when she told me I was in perfect health and had the perfect weight and height for my age. This made me happy as it proved that mom and Dad treated me right.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3btq0ImZa
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I sat on a chair outside the doctors and was now at my limits. I refused to answer any more questions or be probed like I was like some space alien. I was now frustrated and mad. This was the worse nightmare I ever had. When would I wake up and all this would be over?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXveJYLVMe1
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Suddenly a child was sitting next to me. I could not see if it was a boy or a girl. He looked like a boy but had long hair. He was also wearing this long white robe.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRr3zOxpHXA
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"My name is Gabriel," he said482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8b9JQXdvn
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"I am not sure what my name is," I admitted, "but I hope you are not here to visit the doctor"482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7Zv8a84GK
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"Today has been hard for you!" he smiled and said482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVfSoGyOMk
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"I no longer know who I am. I don't even know my name! I feel so alone"482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJKZDaTAWu
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"You are not alone. Trust in God and know that he is with you at all times. The future will be different from what you expected, and harder for some time. This being said, God is there all the time helping you"482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ81isggQh3
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Gabriel was so easy to talk with. It was like he was the only one that understood that this was hard for me. He did not imply that my parents were evil. He understood that my world was turned upside down.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ws6r6rMEu
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The policewoman came and asked if I was lonely. I told her I was speaking with Gabriel. When I said this, she looked so confused. I got confused when I pointed towards Gabriel and no one was sitting there. He was gone. Where did he go? The policewoman sighed, most likely thinking I had an imaginary friend. She told me it was time to meet my birth parents.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fM30fR50R
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Flashback: Every night, Dad and mom and I knelt beside the bed and prayed. Dad said a family that prays together stays together. I loved these nighttime prayers and looked forward to them482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbc00oZvEo
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One of the best things I liked was going to Church. Mom would dress me in a pretty dress and my hair would be done up. We would sit in a corner of the church where few people were. I loved the stories the priest would tell or when we sang songs. We never came out of the house so much, so going to church was special.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83Yz4xgDOk
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I was led into the waiting room while my so-called birth parents were waiting. They hugged me and cried. I wanted just to push them away and say that I did not know them. I could see how happy they were. The lady was crying telling me how much she loved me, and she knew I was alive. She told me she never stopped looking for me. I just looked into her face trying to see if I recognized her. This woman was a total stranger. She showed me this teddy bear and said it was a present. She said I didn't need the one that I had. I held on to Mr. Teddy for my life, He was the only thing I had left. So I stood there holding two teddy bears when I gave the man a hug. At least he didn't say much.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYdtBfYXL7
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On the way out of the police station, I dropped the new teddy bear.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmij7VSLD6y
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I was then in the backseat of their car. The woman kept on saying how much she loved me and that I would be happy now. I looked at the trees passing us by as we drove and drove.482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGfEZVxYDe
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What will my life be like now?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KaEarAARN
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Would I love my birth parents and forget my other ones?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uOvcZdBaZ
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How could I even call these people mom and Dad, when I already had a mom and Dad in jail?482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdc7XIE286
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A tear was running down my cheek. I felt so alone482Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5MG8maP6f
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