Held For Ransom

Run

I'm walking my Freshman neighbor home from school. Rylie's a sweetheart. I think she looks up to me, me being a Junior and all.

We've walked home together since the first day of school, and even though it's April we keep up the tradition.

We run across the street laughing our heads off for no reason. Two men wearing all black turn the corner behind us. I put a little pep into my step and walk fast causing Rylie to speed up as well. The men speed up as well. I walk faster, they walk even faster.

I lean down whisper "Run" to Rylie stopping her mid sentence.

"What?" She asks.

"Run." I yell. Both of us take off. The men run and catch up to us. One of them grabs Rylie by her ponytail, holding her back. The other grabs me around the waist. I thrash.

"Help!" I scream to no one in particular. The man puts a hand over my mouth. I bite, hard. I taste blood, it's bittersweet. He releases his hand from my mouth and I start screaming again.

He puts me in a choke hold, the world is starting to spin. I hear a van pull up beside us. I hear sweet Rylie scream. I feel my limp body get shoved into the van before the world goes dark.