I was just a "kids game" for a bunch of strangers

I was 6 years old when this happened. I don't know how many people were involved but I only remember seeing 2 the night it all went down. The whole thing was very organized and it seemed like they had done this before. I was easy prey, as they say. I was a very friendly, naive young girl who trusted people. I still don't know why but something about me made people comfortable enough to trust me without question. Maybe it was because I was raised in the 80's and my parents, along with many other parents, didn't make a huge emphasis on stranger danger. Maybe it was just my demeanor. Whatever the reason, I was an easy target.<br><br>The night it happened, I wasn't even out of the house. I was in my own front yard playing with a ball and just tossing it around. It was dark out but our street light illuminated that area. I wasn't alone though, my grandpa was in the house right behind me. I was completely safe, or so I thought.<br><br>A woman slowed down in her car, calling my name with a super friendly tone. I didn't know her but she seemed nice. She was in a "van" but I don't really remember any details about it. All I remember is that she was alone in the vehicle and pulled up to the side of the road, 5 or 6 houses away from mine. She had the window rolled down and wasn't far from me at all. Then, she asked me how my sister was. I didn't have a sister, I had 2 brothers, and I told her that. She seemed confused and then exclaimed "I must have the wrong person". I agreed and turned my back on her. I heard the van pull away. She had thrown me off and I still remember wondering who she was and why she thought that. I turned back around and tossed the ball back and forth to myself a few times. It only took maybe 5 minutes for her to pull up again. This time, there was a man in the back seat. He had his arms crossed. She had "figured it out now" and it was ok. Again, I didn't know her and I was starting to get annoyed so I told her I wasn't the kid she was looking for. She said "I'm sure you're the one". She then offered to let her son out of the van to prove it. The man in the back seat, who had been silent up until then, threw the back door open and jumped out and ran down the street. I panicked and ran into the house to get my grandpa and as I looked back, I saw the van pull away. <br><br>I don't remember tbe conversation we had after that but my grandpa and I walked up and down the street to see if we could find him. He never did show back up. The next day, I told my mom about the weird events from the night before. I didn't know what to make of it. I didn't think much of it at the time. I just knew that it was weird but I was glad that I wasn't the kid they were after. My mom, however, was alarmed and called the police. She told me that I had almost been kidnapped. I didn't really understand. Last I knew, they were looking for the wrong person. I wasn't the person they were after. She assured me that they were playing a game and that they had been playing me. If I had just given them the answer they wanted, I would have been taken and I would have never seen my family again.<br><br>I don't know what they had planned for me, I don't know if I would have been the only one or not but I do know that I was very lucky.<br><br>Edit: I didn't realize that people would ask questions. There's not much information I can give now considering it's been over 30 years but I'll try my best. <br><br>As far as the van goes, I remember it being white and just know that it was a van. It was common for vans to be used for everything at that time so it didn't really stand out to me. <br>I don't know why they pulled away the first time and I don't know why they came back. The only thing I can think of is that maybe he wasn't in the van the first time or maybe they just didn't want to try to take me without him there. I really don't know.<br>I don't know what the man looked like. I can only remember that he had tanned skin and his arms were crossed. If they had wanted to take me, how would I have known what he looked like if he grabbed me? He wasn't the one talking to me. <br>I also don't know why they would have said "sister" specifically. Maybe it was just a dumb mistake.<br>I don't know how they had planned to grab me or where they had planned to take me. I obviously wasn't there.