Snatched

The bus pulled up outside Tom-Toy Boys Fancy Dress shop and four young people got off . It was Halloween and they were out shopping for a costume .

Jack and Pete were escorted by Anna and Liz into the shop .They ended up purchasing four cool halloween get up's .
Complete with false faces , make up and other items they emerged from the shop dressed up as
A Fairy Godmother, an alien , a Vampire and a nurse .

Soon they began knocking on the doors of the village asking for a trick or a treat .

The night was falling when they were met by a friendly man on the street who pretended to jump in fright as they approached him .
He handed them some soft sweets and few chocolate bars which were devoured in seconds . But no sooner had they swallowed the chocolate and they passed out and fell to the ground .

When they woke up they were in the darkness of a strange room . Their hands and feet tied up .
As they all began to scream out for help a small manhole cover on the ceiling opened and a ladder was dropped down . A man climbed down holding a torch . He shone the light into each of their faces .He lit a cigarette and said ,

"Didn't your parents ever warn you about taking things from strangers ?"

Then he started to laugh .

"Who are you and what do you want ?"

Liz said ,
He reached out a grabbed her arm and squeezed .

"I ask the questions around here little what are you , the fairy Godmother ? You and all you funny looking friends are all my prisoners now ?"

He said in a harsh voice .

Anna replied .

"Our parents will be worried where we are . They will have already rang the police . "

He grabbed Anna by her pony tail and said .

"Right you little nurse .Come , follow me . Up the ladder . Now ."

He cut the ropes from around her wrist and feet and shone the light up the ladder to the hole in the roof .

Anna started screaming and crying .
"Leave me alone ."
She shouted .

The man closed his hand and made a fist . He was just about to punch her when he produced a long bladed knife and immediately cut off her pony tail . The hail fell to the floor and there was a deadly silence .Then he took a set of handcuffs from his pocket and placed them on her wrists and said .

"Don't try any funny business , I want names and addresses and then you're going to make a few phone calls ."

Anna shook her head and wiped away her tears .

"There now thats better. "
Said the man .
Then he went over to the ladder and climbed up to the top . Anna followed him and was so terrified she nearly fell three times down the ladder . Her legs were like jelly and her voice a scrambled mix of moans and whimpering .
Up the ladder she went until she went out through the hole in the ceiling to the outside . The ladder was pulled back up and the man looked down from the top and shouted ,

"You three freaks will remain here until I say different . "

After what seemed to be hours , the cover on the roof was opened and a ladder dropped down inside .
Anna climbed back down the ladder into the room . The mans mobile phone rang and he remained up there .

"Quickly Anna your hands are free untie us before he comes down .I have a knife in my pocket . Huury up for Gods sake and take it before he comes . "
Said Jack .

Anna wasted no time and soon had them all free . Jack told them all to remain calm and pretend as if they were still tied up .

The man soon returned and came down the ladder .
He tied Anna and said .

"Now the rest is up to your parents . If they can get what I asked for them you'll be returned safe . If not then I'm not sure if you'll ever leave this place ."

He climbed up the ladder and closed the cover leaving the place in darkness .
Anna spoke ,

"We are sitting inside a shipping container that is loaded on the back of a big truck .The truck is parked beside a site office or gatehouse near the docks ."

"So what does he want ?"
Jack asked .

" He made me ring all our parents then he asked for 4 million dollars before nightfall tomorrow ?"

"Our parents don't have that kind of money "
Liz replied .

"What will happen if he doesn't get the money ?
Pete asked .

Anna replied ,
"Didn't you hear him Pete , we;ll never get out of here ?"

Jack said .
"Listen , I have an idea that might work ."
Jack explained that they could use a little of their gymnastic experttise and by standing on each others shoulders, like a human chain they could reach the cover on the ceiling .

After breaking Anna free from her bonds they all got to work . It took a few attempts but finally they began to make the chain .
Jack was the last one on the chain .
He started to climb up the human tower until he felt around to open the cover on the ceiling .

Listening closely Jack was sure it was all clear and then he climbed out through the hole . He soon found the ladder on the roof and dropped it inside the container .

One by one they escaped from the container .
Instead of running away Jack told them how they were going to conclude the final part of his plan .
Under the cover of night , they waited in the back ground for their captor to return and when he did things swung into action .
As he opened the manhole cover to the container he lowered the ladder down inside and just as he was making ready to climb down the ladder the four friends pushed him down inside the container and pulled the ladder back up .

Now he was their prisoner .
Jack laughed at him when he screamed abuse back up at them .

"Scream for Halloween is almost over ."
Jack said .
The lid was closed over the hole and the four friends made their way over to the site office and called the police who informed their parents of the situation .

The End

By Paul McCann