Finding Freedom in the City

*The Naughty Student*

"I'm going to the shops," I said to my mum, throwing my backpack over my shoulder.

"Don't be long," she called after me as I slammed the door. I ran down the stairs and out into the street. It was hot outside, all the other kids were away at camp so it was empty and quiet. Perfect for exploring!

I started walking, trying to remember which direction the nearest shop was. I hadn't been out this way before, but I figured if I kept going straight then it couldn't be too far away. My thirst was getting pretty bad and I kept thinking about how nice it would be to have a drink, so when I finally saw a shop I practically ran inside. There were two people there - a man and a woman - both wearing suits and reading newspapers. They looked up as I entered and smiled, though they didn't look very happy with each other. The man put his paper down and walked over to me with an air of confidence that made me feel intimidated, "How can I help you?" he asked in an unusually deep voice.

"Um, yes please," I said, trying not to sound nervous. "I'd like a bottle of water please." His smile grew wider and he gestured towards the drinks shelf behind him while saying "No problem at all!" He reached up to get a bottle of water off the shelf behind him and he picked one up with each hand before turning around to face me again, "Now then," he started as he put one bottle on the counter in front of me and held out his other hand expectantly. "Can you pay for this please?"

I went through my pocket frantically searching for money until I realised that I'd completely forgotten my wallet at home. "Umm... no, thanks anyway but uh... could you hold that for me? I just need to go back home really quick."

He frowned at me disapprovingly, his smile instantly disappearing, "Well no can do sonny boy," he said sternly, putting down the second bottle of water beside the first one on the counter. "If you don't have any money then you'll have to leave."

"But-" I began to protest but he cut me off.

"No buts sonny boy," he said again sternly while looking directly into my eyes with such authority that it felt like he was trying to intimidate me.

*The Intruder*

I shrugged my shoulders in defeat and turned around, heading for the door when all of a sudden something hard hit me right in the stomach, knocking all of the wind out of me and leaving me gasping for breath on the floor as everything went dark around me. Suddenly there was shouting from all around me, someone pulled my backpack off my shoulders as another pair of hands grabbed hold of my arms above my elbows and dragged me across the floor towards some open double doors which lead outside into an alleyway between two buildings. There was more shouting as we got closer to them before suddenly there was silence again except for heavy breathing which sounded like mine own as someone forced my head against the wall next to where they were holding onto me by both my forearms above my elbows again while someone else stuck their foot against mine preventing me from kicking them away and another person laid something sharp against my throat and said: "One move and your dead kid."

*The Kidnappers*

When they let go of my arms and stepped back someone grabbed hold of one arm holding it behind my back while someone else grabbed hold of the other arm doing much the same thing in front of my body instead before leading me further into their hideout where there were five other people who looked exactly like them all dressed identically in black suits with white shirts underneath them holding weapons just like they had been holding when they kidnapped me outside earlier that day except this time two were holding screwdrivers which they were sticking into each others shoulders while one pulled out his mask revealing himself to be a girl who punched another girl several times in her jaw while another guy punched a guy several times in his face as well leaving him sprawled out unconscious on the floor somewhere near us and then another guy hit three girls across their faces knocking them unconscious on top of each other on some dirty mattresses hidden beneath some blankets thrown haphazardly over top of some wooden crates along with some empty bottles, rubbish overflowing from bins overflowing with more trash and cigarette butts lying around everywhere inside what looked like an abandoned warehouse or basement or something like that because there weren't any windows anywhere inside here either just bare brickwork walls from corner-to-corner that must have only been lit by dim candles flickering here-and-there everywhere throughout this place which smelled like dirt because it had clearly been raining outside today causing some dampness wherever we were standing inside here as we continued moving deeper within its confines until we reached what must have been its heart where four big guys dressed identically just stood around rubbing their hands together grinning menacingly at us threateningly before grabbing us roughly by our necks lifting us off our feet pressing us against a wall opposite their leader our kidnapper who still had his mask on hiding his identity beneath it still grinning menacingly at us threateningly before striking us repeatedly with his fists causing us pain until we eventually passed out leaving us lying on our sides unconscious on top of each other surrounded by darkness within this basement/warehouse/whatever we're currently being held captive in concealed beneath its filthy blankets overtop its wooden crates filled with empty bottles overflowing with rubbish overflowing with more rubbish smelling like dirt due to today's rain rotting away quietly somewhere deep within its depths which is almost certainly located underground somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this city somewhere beneath this ci..."

*The Kidnapper's Victim*

"Noooo!" Ellen screamed loudly waking herself up from her dream which had been so real she could almost smell something rotten emanating from that basement dungeon where her kidnapper dropped her gently down onto those filthy mattresses after beating her senselessly within an inch of her life later dropping lifeless beside her unconscious body after entering this same type of basement dungeon following her kidnapper's footsteps earlier that day when she'd finally met up with him earlier outside supermarket without any idea he'd been following her ever since she left home looking for shops when she decided to explore unfamiliar territory alone without telling anyone where she wanted to go or what she wanted or even why she wanted anything after running away from home briefly escaping mum's nagging insistence not to go wandering off alone unsupervised wondering why it was okay that dad insisted she stay locked up indoors studying instead whenever she didn't want to even though now she understood why having lived through what happened today having lived through those terrible events which somehow miraculously ended well today despite looking pretty much hopeless during most parts along way when she finally escaped those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived though those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived though those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived through those terrible events having lived though those terrible events having live...