Hostage

I grab my shoes and get out the door to go for an evening run. The best part of my day. The weather’s great today, the wind breezing across my skin. The smell of near winter time hangs in the air. Peace, all around me and then suddenly I hear a noise that sounds like 10 bombs going off all together. I look around myself and see everyone going on about their day, as if there was no sound. BOOM! I hear it again and then, I see a ray of light shining straight into the sky. I turn around towards the man closest to me. “Excuse me, can you see that streak of light?” I ask, pointing up into the sky. The man shakes his head at me and walks away. “I guess not.” I mutter to myself.

I start running again and fall on the ground In just a few seconds. A noise splitting ringing playing in my ears. I put my fingers in my ears and crouch down. I start screaming from the pain, my eyes shut tight. I open them after a few minutes and look around the street in a haze. The streets are empty now, except for one man who’s slowly walking towards me. I get up, my body feeling weaker with every muscle I move until I’m standing up straight. I look at the man once again and immediately turn around to run but I can’t. So I walk slowly but getting farther away from the man. I feel dizzy, as if every ounce of energy in me has been sucked out of me. I turn around to see if the man’s still behind me but don’t see him there. As I turn back to continue walking I hear someone say “not so fast.” Someone grabs me by the shoulder and turns me around, putting a cloth bag over my eyes. Before the bag closes over my face I’m able to see the man close up. Bald, probably in his mid 30s and he has a jagged scar that runs across one half of his face. He grabs my hands and ties them together. I hear a car pull up and before I know it I’m in the car. Finally being able to somewhat comprehend what’s going on I begin screaming, hoping someone hears me but instead I get a blow to the head and I fall on the car seat, or what I hope is the car seat.