Angel:
I twisted my hair into a ponytail, tucking it under my cap and lowering the brim. Then I took a final look around the room full of strangers, wondering which of them would help me escape, and which would try to kill me…
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. My story starts earlier that day. I drove myself home from school whistling cheerily to the pop music on the radio. I had had a great day and had fabulous news for my mom, Michelle. She always left for work early, and when I woke up and checked the mail before leaving for school this morning, I found that I had received an acceptance letter from Princeton! Everyone at school was very happy for me, but they weren’t surprised. “You had it coming,” they would say. I was glad they had faith in me, but I wanted someone to share my utter shock and excitement.
I knew my mom would be that person. I couldn’t wait to see the shock and surprise on her face when I told her the news in person. She had never gotten to attend college because of my untimely birth, and though I wouldn’t admit this to anybody, I felt responsible for this fact, so at a young age I told myself that I would work as hard as I needed to, to be able to go to her dream school—Princeton. I hadn’t even told my mom that I applied. I thought that her disappointment, or rather her attempts to cover up her disappointment if I didn’t get in would be too much for me to bear. That’s why I couldn’t wait to announce the news to her. She would be ecstatic! Little did I know, the scene I faced when I got home would be completely different than I could ever imagine.
I parked my car in the driveway and started walking towards the front door twirling my keys around and humming my favorite tune, unable to keep the doofy grin off my face. I walked into my house, hearing the satisfying click of the door shutting behind me. When I turned to face the kitchen and living room, I was shocked to see… well nothing. That’s what was so strange. Because of how early Mom has to leave for work in the mornings, she is always back home before I am.
I come home daily to the smell of fresh cookies baking, and hear my mom’s warm voice singing with happiness. What she is always happy about, I never can imagine. She got pregnant in high school and abandoned by the man whom she thought she loved—my father. I had never met him, and Mom didn’t like to talk about him much. She had been forced to drop out of school to care for me, and honestly, I’m nothing special. So, there my mother was, completely and utterly alone in the world, abandoned by her parents and the love of her life with a pretty average daughter and no other family. The only things going for my mom, even now, were her uncanny fashion sense, her breathtaking smile, and her friends and I who loved her immensely.
Anyways, we always sit around the small kitchen table eating her freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, laughing and conversing through full mouths about the highs and lows of our days. I always looked forward to this part of the day above everything else. But, I found nothing. No sound of singing, no smell of cookies, and most certainly no smiling mother in the kitchen.
So what did brilliant Princeton child do? Nada, nichts, rien. I stood there gaping like a fool. Sure, I am known for thinking fast, but honestly, this situation was too much to fathom. She must have just been late or something. It wasn’t that big of a deal right? Wrong. This tradition has been held every single day since my first day of kindergarten!
While I stood there, appalled at the eerie silence, my mouth hanging down to my feet, I felt my self being grabbed roughly from behind and gagged. I struggled and tried to scream (quite unsuccessfully due to the gag in my mouth, I might add). I attempted to turn around to face my attacker, but to no avail.
“We got us a feisty one here,” commented a high-pitched, squeaky voice. I heard deep, gravelly laughter. “You better get your filthy hands off of me!” I said to them bravely, or rather tried to say. It came out more like “Hhbbbfffsss hhuhbbbooothhhfff” because of the gag (damn this thing!). I heard more laughter, and felt myself turning red with fury. I struggled to turn and look at them, to escape from their iron grasps, but only saw a large blur rushing down at me, then darkness.
