Taken

When I was 8, I got kidnapped. I never saw my family again. Well, technically it was the day before my eight birthday, on the last day of school.
I was short for my age, though not particularly skinny. That was soon to change. My abductor was italian, but sometimes spoke in english as well. Before I was taken I'd never heard italian, so I nevr knew for sure that that was what he spoke. As I could understand the odd word of his english, I just figured I didn't speak english very well. Which was true of course, I only knew some because I kept asking anyone who would answer what different words meant. People soon got fed up, so I stopped asking. I'd always been good with languages though, and was one of the first in our class to crack the reading code when we got our first proper reading book. However, I didn't understand what a man who didn't speak norwegian was doing in Norway. At least I don't think he understood, he never answered me in a language I understood, norwegian being the only one of course.
I was reported missing the very same day. The police, and later volunteers searched the entire forest by my school. I sometimes used to walk through it on my way home if I wasn't in a rush. Which I certainly wasn't that day. It was 20 june 1997, and I'd just finished the last day of school before summer. I sometimes wonder how things would have turned out if I hadn't walked through the forest that day. There was no point searching the forest of course. By the time I was reported missing I were nowhere near that forest, although I cannot know that for sure, me being unconscious at the time, but I was either in the back of a van or locked up in a basement somewhere. A basement I would be stuck in for the next 3 months. I only know about the van because I was still conscious when he put me in the back of it. I distinctly remember a needle, but that is all. Next thing I know I'm in a dark basement, having no idea how far we'd driven or where we were. Not that it would have made a difference knowing how far we'd gone, I never was very good with geography and never paid attention when we were driving anywhere, so I probably wouldn't have been able to guess where we'd ended up.

The first couple of days I was sure I'd be rescued. After all, every child ever kidnapped on TV was rescued by a team of very clever FBI agents. Usually one of them would be a pretty woman. Later I was not so sure. I soon lost track of what day it was or how long I'd been there. In the beginning I'd get 3 meals a day. Usually bread with cheese. I never really liked cheese, but soon learned to eat it, otherwise I'd get a beating. Some days I had to go without food. On days like these I'd fill up on water, although that meant I'd be constantly running to the toilet. However that was better than feeling comletly empty. I'd often fall asleep from exhaustion, and I'd sometimes think about my little brother. He was only 3 year old when I was taken, and I wondered if he'd remember me. I was never worried about my parents forgetting me. 'Cause adults don't forget people as fast as children do. At least that's what I thought.

...

She walked past him without noticing. He looked at her, cuursing under his breath. Why did she have to be here? It would not end well, he felt it, an icy feeling in his stomach. He watched her as she approached her friend at the bar. He looked around the room, spotting trouble at once. The guy looked and smelt like trouble (although he could not actually smell him). He approached Analeigh and Juliet, whom had clearly not seen him coming. He felt his muscles tensing up, wanting to interfere, at the same time knowing it would not be appriciated. Analeigh had noticed him now, gesturing to Juliet that they should move, the music much too loud for talking. He felt his intestines squirm as the guy followed them. The girls had stopped now, talking to some girls they knew. They were hugging and smiling. he couldn't help thinking how pretty she was when she smiled, her green eyes shining even more brightly. The guy had stopped too, but was watching them still, looking like he didn't want any attention drawn to himself. A waste of time obviously, being the only guy in here not wearing jeans and a t-shirt. His leather jacket standing out more than his behaviour. Also, he was by far the oldest guy in here, well maybe except the barman, Mr. Rose, who would turn 55 next wednesday. He looked around again, Analeigh and Juliet leaving the other girls and heading for the toilets. What was it with girls anyway, going to the toilet every 10 minutes? Was the girls toilets so much more interesting than the gents?

The attack of Sasha...

So then she walked into the muscle function class. All tall in her boots and skinny jeans, with a leather jacket as a bonus. Her brown hair in perfect curls and a perfectly tanned face. “Is M here?” she asked the teacher. “I’m sorry; this is a big class, so I don’t know every single face in here”. She glanced out over the class to see if anyone else knew M, and so they did, but M was shaking her head quickly signalling that she was not there, or at least that she did not want to be recognised.
The woman suddenly smiled satisfyingly and turned to a blond girl: “you’re M right?”.
M turned to her and put on a confused look, “do I know you?”.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself have I… laughs… my name is Sasha I’m your dad’s fiancé”
“Good for you, although, the ring will loose its shine”
“Well well, he told me you’d be a smartass, why don’t you just come with me”
“Well, the thing is you see, this is not a good time, if you haven’t noticed I’m in a lecture right now…”
“Oh, I’m sure your teacher won’t mind you skipping this one class, you have your dad’s permission you know”
“It hasn’t occurred to you has it, that maybe I don’t want to talk to you…? And after all, I don’t have a dad, not even on paper, only in the most biological sense.”
“You know that’s not true darling, your dad adores you, you know that”.
“Of course he does, in the most your-so-cute-I-must-kill-you kind of way”. M standing up now.
“Why don’t you just come with me and we’ll discuss this outside, huh?”
“You can go outside, I’m staying here”.
“Do I have to bring out my gun?”
Putting on a fake smile M replied: “Whatever makes you happy”
Sasha taken aback by this slowly pulls out her gun and put it in M’s direction. “You come with me or I’ll shoot you!” M makes her way towards Sasha trying not to step on too many of her classmates feet or fall over for that matter.
“Oh, you know that’d upset him don’t you” M replies sarcastically. “After all, he wants the pleasure of that himself, and you know, going against him on that is worse than working with the police to imprison him, so… I dare you!”
Sasha now sending M into the wall and putting the gun up in her face. “You are really annoying and slightly illusional aren’t you?” “Of course your dad’s not going to shoot you, we’re just going to ship you of to boarding school in Switzerland when we get married”:
“I see. He hasn’t told you has he? He has no obligations or rights when it comes to me, so that’s not necessary, and also, just so you know, you’re not going to get married, he’s going back to prison for a couple of years still, and at this rate you’re joining him love” M smiles.
“What do you mean I’m joining him? I’m just picking up his daughter…right?”
“Well, you know, the last time I checked, carrying a gun without a licence to do so was illegal…”
“But…”
“POLICE! DROP THE WEAPON!” Officer Jackson yelled as he entered the room with his team. “Step away from the girl and put the gun on the floor”.
“And what if I don’t?” Sasha asked, a bit startled and confused.
“Then we’d have to shoot you” Sasha hesitated for a minute, but slowly put the gun to the floor and stepped away from M, raising her hands for protection.

The next thing she knows, M is sinking to the floor, closing her eyes to try to calm herself. She can vaguely sense someone bending down towards her, “you okay?” M turning to look at her now, “yeah, I’m fine, I just need some air”.