Aladdin {Joshler}

6. Trapped

After escaping the guards, Josh takes Tyler to his home for shelter.

"Do you think we lost them?" Tyler asked; out of breath.

"Don't worry." Josh replied. "They'll never find us up here."

He sat down next to Tyler.

"So... where are you from?"

"I thought you had me all figured out." Tyler said.

"Well, you're definitely not a local boy, which means you must be on the run from something."

"My father."

"Running away from home?" Josh asked.

"Running away from life." Tyler said. "He's trying time force me to marry against my will."

"That's terrible. You should be free to make your own choices, right?"

"Right."

Tyler looks around Josh's home, shocked by the poverty.

"Do you live here?"

"Oh, I know it's not much to look at. But how about the view? Look how beautiful the palace is."

Tyler looks at it, not pleased.

"Spectacular."

"Not impressed?" Josh asked.

"It's beautiful, but why should some people get to live in such splendor when others... don't?"

He looks around again.

"That's not fair."

"Welcome to my life!" Josh cried.

He looks out at the palace.

"I wonder what it would be like to live there, to have servant and valets... and a bed."

"And people who keep you locked behind walls and then tell you what to do and who to love." Tyler added.

"It's better than here. Always scraping for food and dodging the guards."

"You're not free to make your own choices."

"Sometimes you feel so..."

"You're just..."

"Trapped."

Tyler and Josh smile as they look out toward the horizon.

"Have you ever imagined what it would be like to take off and never look back?" Josh asked.

"Only every hour of every day." Tyler replied.

Josh jumped up to his feet.

"What's stopping us? Why don't we leave tonight?"

As they looked to each other, two guards approach.

"This way!"

"They're after me!"

Tyler and Josh look at each other.

"They're after you?!"

"Search over there!"

Josh looks at Tyler.

"Do you trust me?"

"What did you say?" Tyler asked.

Josh reaches out his hand.

"Do you trust me?"

"I'm not sure why, but... yes."

Tyler takes Josh's hand.

"Then come on!"

Tyler and Josh dash off just as the guards enter his home, but do not find them.

When Tyler and Josh escape, thinking they lost them, they end up running into a guard, who takes Josh by the arm.

"I see you have a new partner in crime, street rat!"

Another guard detains Tyler.

"Let him go!" Josh cried. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

"Silence! Or I'll finish you both right here in the street!"

"Wait!" Tyler cried. "I command you to stop!"

The boy lowers his hood to reveal his tiara.

"Prince Tyler?!"

The guards bow.

Josh is shocked by Tyler's true identity.

"Prince? You're the Prince?!"

Gerard and Frank appear in the shadows, watching the scene.

"Found him!" Frank cried.

"The Diamond in the Rough!" Gerard cried.

"What's he doing with Prince Tyler?"

"Quiet, Frank."

Tyler looks at the guard leader.

"You will release Josh immediately."

"With all due respect, Prince, my orders come from Gerard, not you."

Tyler looks at Josh.

"Everything's going to be all right. The Sultan will straighten this out!"

"I didn't know you were the Prince."

"I know you didn't."

The boy smiled.

"And it was wonderful."

The guard leader looks to his first in command.

"Escort the Prince to the palace!"

The guard takes the Prince by his arm and they leave.

The guard leader looks back down on Josh.

"Now you will pay for your crimes, boy!"

As the guard leader raises his sword, Gerard steps forward, disguised as an old man, shaking a bag of coins. Frank, also in disguise, follows silently.

"I can pay for his crimes!"

"Who are you?" The guard leader asked.

"The boy's uncle!"

Josh is surprised, but improvises.

"Oh, yeah! Hey, Uncle! It's been so long, I hardly recognized you!"

The guard leader snatches the coins from Gerard.

"Consider this your final warning, street rat!"

The guard leader and his second in command leave.

Josh turns to Gerard.

"Who are you, and why did you help me?"

"Follow me, and all will be revealed..."

Josh becomes suspicious.

"Okay..."

He follows Gerard and Frank.