Kidnapped

4

The sound of footsteps echoing in the hall outside my room wakes me before the gruff man opens the door. "Time to get up," he growls. I don't answer, only get into a crouching position in my corner. The man sighs when he hears no response and steps towards my bed, leaving the door behind him open.

My eyes widen. Could it really be this easy? Just like a miracle, the perfect escape opportunity awaits me like a gift on Christmas Day (not that I'd know what that was like). While he 'wakes me up' I tip toe with my blanket to the wide open door to freedom. Maybe this blanket will keep me warm on the streets and I can tell the street children stories of how I stole it from my kidnapers.

Just as I got to the doorway, there was a suprised shout of "HEY!" behind me. I throw the blanket over the man's head and sprinted away. All I could think of as I sprinted away was that I could never show off my prized trophy blanket.

Muffled shouts flew around me and I ran through twist and turns of confusing hallways trying to find an exit. I stopped to catch my breath and listen for footsteps at a grand staircase. Then I realized it was hopeless. They'll have guys at every exit waiting for me to try and escape.

But they'll never expected me to hide inside the house. I glanced at the stairs, then down the other hallway.

A shout not to far away makes up my mind and I race up the stairs as fast as I can. The hallways twisted and turned, crossed and circled, but anytime I found a stair case I went up.

My calves burned as I went up my fifth flight. Gosh, how many stairs does this place have?! This place is a mansion.

Finally, I found a promising door and I  locked myself into what seemed like a dusty, storage room. Boxes sat in the corner looking as if they had never been opened. Couches covered in sheets were crammed awkwardly into the open spaces. I spotted a closet and scurried towards it.

I shut myself in and turned on the light to get myself situated when I realized there was a ladder on the wall with a trap door above it.

What the heck, why not.

I gripped the metal rings and turned off the light. Slowly I made my way up the ladder in the dark. I yelped and cursed when my head suddenly rammed into the top. I pushed it with my hand and light flooded into the closet.

Come on, these guys are loaded! A like, thousand story mansion and with secret passages and millions of rooms. Can you get much more than that? I hoisted myself into the new room which I quickly discovered was a small attic space.

A window was level with the roof to where I could crawl onto it if I needed. Old clothes were in piles along with moth eaten blankets and more crumbling boxes.

I could stay up hear for a while, but I will need food and water. What happens then? Will I be able to sneak out and find the kitchen? How will I find this place again? I heard shouts and thundering footsteps under me and without thinking I shove open the window and climbed onto the roof.

I shut the glass panes silently and securely before ducking behind a chimney. I heard the window slide open and I held my breath. This was it. Once they found me, I'd surely be killed. Not pretty enough to sell, no family to bargain with, I'm useless. I'm as good as dead. I began to mummer a silent pray, welcoming death.

Instead, all I heard was a shout of "She's not here boss!" The window slams shut. I let out a breath of relief. Safe, for now.

I gazed around at my surroundings. The manor was surrounded by large field, but towering barb wire fences enclosed it, with guards at the entrance. Around the fence were dense woods for as far as I could seem