His Trophies

Part 1 - TRAPPED

The air around was diminishing, so still and cold. Her heart racing as if it was going to burst from her body, "there must be a way out" she whispers. He needed his trophies and she was going to be the 5th, at least that's what he wanted but Emily, an advanced 15-year-old overachiever who had a love for life was not going to be trapped down there like the other girls.

It was a regular Monday morning, "Emily wake up!" her mum Beth screamed as she was making breakfast. "She's already awake dear, besides she still has plenty of time until she has to leave," says her dad trying to calm her down. Beth was not extremely strict but always expected a lot from Emily. Thomas, on the other hand, was a laid-back dad and Emily was his little princess. "I was in the bathroom," Emily delicately stated whilst walking down the stairs into the kitchen. She kisses her mum on the cheek and takes a piece of toast from her plate. Emily was an only child and that's how she liked it, all the attention on her and no siblings to compete with. She had lived in this house all her life and she loved it, all her friends were close by and her neighbor Mr. Rumely would always give her a sweet every morning before school (he was her favorite neighbor). Rumely was a single 40-year-old army veteran who had recently become a teaching assistant in a primary school nearby. With piercing blue eyes and a raspy deep voice, he yells "Good morning Emily!" from across the road, Emily smiles whilst tossing her backpack over one shoulder "Hey Mr. Rumley" her eyes opening wide as she sees the bunch of sweets in his hand. She runs across the road and in her kindest voice she utters "Thanks for the sweets Mr. Rumley", he lets out a small chuckle "You are very welcome my sweetheart". "
See you tomorrow" she waves goodbye as she walks towards the bus stop to go to school.

Its almost 3 pm, Emily stares at the clock as if she's in a trance. She lets out a deep sigh of relief as the school bell rings, she excited as today is a daddy-daughter day and they had planned to go to her favorite restaurant Jenny's to get burgers and milkshakes. "Bye guys!" she shouts to her friends as she speedwalks out of the school doors. As she desperately looks around for her dad shes hears a familiar voice in the distance "Hey sweetheart" she knows this person, she turns around slowly and to her surprise; standing against his car in a ripped grey top with his arms crossed is Mr. Rumley. She stands still and confused as she has never seen Rumley around her school, "what are you doing here" she asks softly "I'm here for you" eyes glaring at her without breaking eye contact. "Your dad asked me to pick you up as he is running a bit late" confused and upset she walks slowly towards him. He normally would have called me if he was running late; if he wanted me to go home he would have texted me to take the school bus Emily thought to herself but brushed it off. Hesitantly she gets in his car, she knows to never get into a strangers car but this is Mr. Rumley, he is no stranger he knows her family "I'll drop you home hopefully, your dad will be back" with a smile he starts the engine and they set off.

"Oh gosh! it's 3:15 I forgot I need to pick up Emily" Thomas frantically packs his papers away as he tries to call her but there's no answer. She has never been alone with Rumley for longer than the 2 minutes it takes for her to grab her sweets in the morning, silence fills the car. Emily takes out her phone a worried Rumley with his voice slightly shaking asks "what are you doing" oblivious to the worry smeared across his face she says cheerfully "just going to let my dad know I'm with you" before he could reply she taps her phone and sighs "it's dead!". A sense of relief crosses his face as he lets out a small chuckle "you kids and forgetting to charge your phones". They arrive outside Rumley's house she glances at her house; the lights are off and it doesn't seem like anyone is home. "I bet you're in a hurry to get home but could I ask for a huge favor, I know your good with technology and I'm just too old to understand whats wrong with my computer could you take a look at it". She paused, his eyes stuck on her shes stutters "I...I...I don't" he interrupts "it will only take a minute" she glances back at her house and nods "okay," she says quietly as she enters his house. She had never been inside his house before and to her surprise, everything was extremely tidy almost too tidy. He points to his computer in the corner and makes his way into the kitchen, she sits down at the computer as he returns with two glasses of juice he takes a sip out of one as he hands the other to Emily. She accepts it with a nervous smile "thank you" as she takes a big sip and turns to the computer "what exactly is wrong with it" she asks, his breath against her neck as he towers over her "I think there might be a virus of some sort". As she's scrolling through her vision becomes blurry " I don't feel so good" she slurs, everything goes black and a loud thud resonates throughout the house.

"Why is she not answering her phone hopefully she is still at the school" Thomas mutters to himself. As he pulls up towards the school doors there is no sign of Emily, he recognises her teacher as she is leaving the building, he rushes up to her out of breath "I'm late to pick up Emily is she waiting inside for me" she glances at her watch "Mr. Smith, it's 3:40 everyone has gone home I'm sure she must have taken the school bus" his stomach in knots he senses that something isn't right, she would have texted him from a friends phone. He rushes to his car without a word and heads home.

Emily wakes up confused, silence and darkness surrounds her "where on earth am I?" she mumbles to herself. She feels around to make sense of her surroundings, somethings not right she can reach out and touch the walls around her. In a small metal box she lays dazed, she's trapped.