Trapped

Chapter 1

Cleo Washington POV

My alarm rang its annoying sound at 8:00 am. I put it on snooze and exactly five minutes after, it went off again. Not wanting to repeat this dreadful cycle any more, I crawled off my bed and went to the kitchen.

It was Sunday so that meant Pancake day! My mom is a fabulous chef and she always surprises me with a new pancake recipe.

I plopped myself down on a stool in front of the kitchen island and asked, " What are we having today?"

" Pumpkin cinnamon pancakes."

My mouth watered when she placed a stack of three pancakes on my plate. The distinct scent of cinnamon traveled up my nostrils releasing a pleasing sight out of my lips.

Mom watched me take the first bite waiting for my opinion eagerly. The second the amazing food touch my mouth, a million fireworks ran in off in my head.

" It's delicious!" She smiled and wrote down the recipe in her notebook. She is making her own cookbook. Every pancake that I like, which has been all of them, she adds.

I can't wait until the final product comes out. I know it will be a huge success.

When I cleared my plate, I placed it in the sink, and turned on the news.

Most teenagers my age, don't watch the news, but I do. My friend Casey so delicately puts it as, " The news is something you watch only if you're on your death bed and saying, ' hey maybe boredom will kill me faster'."

I like watching the news because I like knowing what's occurring around me.

The newscaster began by saying, "There have been many fires In Los Angeles this morning. It is not unusual for the casual wildfire, but many suspect that these are no wildfires at all. Some have said that they have seen ' masked bandits', starting them. The number of casualties are high. There have been forty-nine deaths, and over two-hundred injured. Claire Fillmore will discuss more."

" We suspect that these fires are not wildfires because they are happening all over the city of Los Angeles. It isn't in one specific cluster and are in fact spread out. Firefighters are having a tough time getting people out of their homes because the doors and windows have been nailed down, entrapping residents", she said.

My mom switched off the TV and asked, " Why must you watch this? The news is always so morbid."

" You aren't scared of the fires?"

" Our home is safe. You shouldn't worry about these things Cleo."

A loud bang startled both of us. I nearly jumped off the couch. I mentally cursed my mom for jinxing us.

I whispered, "What's going on?"

" Hide."

" But-",

"I said hide Cleo!" She had a warning tone which was laced with fear. I did what she said, and tiptoed into the powder room and locked the door.

I heard my mom's voice and she said, " Who are y-". She was quickly cut off by another large boom. It sounded like a gunshot.

Was my mom just killed? Am I now an orphan? Am I going to die too? Tears immediately started running down my cheeks. I heard footsteps approaching and I swallowed a gasp.

The footsteps finally stopped and then I heard a voice.

" Open the door or you will be punished."

What do I do? I can't listen because they might just kill me too. Or will they let me go if I oblige? I am too frozen in fear to move to the door anyways so I stay put letting tears sting my cheeks.

Another large boom sounds and I realized that the door was being kicked down. I looked around the small powder room and there is no place to hide. There was only the toilet I was sitting on and the sink.

If only I was Nemo and I could flush myself down the toilet. Before I could fantasize any longer, the door was opened and I was facing almost a dozen people dressed in black, pointing guns at my face.

In the corner of my eyes I could see my mom's blonde hair coated in red. More tears trickled down my face.

The same menacing voice that spoke before lifted my chin said, " I don't tolerate insubordination."

Two more men came in the tiny powder room and grabbed me. One held both of my arms and the others held my leg. I tried freeing my limbs but it was no use.

One of the men with blue eyes asked, " Is she the one we are looking for?"

A women came forward but she was dressed in white. She must be a leader of some sort. Her dark brown hair was neatly tied back in a lower bun, and her piercing green eyes looked at me. It looked like she was analyzing all my features.

" That's her. She has her father's golden hair and her mother's distinctive purple eyes."

Is this girl crazy?

My mom has brown eyes and in all the photos of my dad that I have seen, he has brown hair. Before I could tell her that she had the wrong person I was gagged. I tried speaking through the cloth stuck in my mouth but all that came out was muffled nonsense.

" Load her in the helicopter. We are done here", she said.

The two men carrying me listened, and we head outside where a helicopter was placed.

I realized that I was still in my pajamas and the only showed I had on we're fluffy pink poodle slippers. This is so embarrassing. I haven't even combed my hair or brushed my teeth!

How rude.

They sat me down in a seat in the back and handcuffed my hand to the side of the helicopter. Dozen of all black dressed people held the outside of the helicopter as we lifted off from the ground.

Were they going to hold on the outside of the helicopter all day? That is crazy! There is no way I'll ever participate in something like that.

Questions started swarming my head. Where am I going? What kind of crazy cult is this? Is my mother truly dead? Who do these people think I am? Is this even real or some kind of sick dream? Is that a no on having a second serving of pancakes? Will there ever be a pancake Sunday again?

Today started out as any normal day, and as I am looking out my window I'm wondering how I got here. In a helicopter, overlooking the burning city I call home.

That menacing voice was heard again and it said, " Night. Night."

Then darkness overcame me.

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AN: Please comment and vote :)!