*First place - Jesseca Dawn*
I loved your exciting story, Jesseca! You've got quite the cliffhanger going there!! ;)
Reynold pressed himself against the cold, steel wall. His finger caressed the trigger on the deadly weapon that was held in his right hand. His left hand was pressed firmly over the mouth of the girl, stopping any sound from escaping. Just let Fillmore come, he thought to himself. One look at his pretty sister here in my arms oughta put a stop to any notions of putting me behind bars.
Yet for all his confident thoughts, a small prickle of doubt wormed it’s way into his mind. Fillmore isn’t stupid. He must have known I’d do something of this sort which means he must have a second plan.
He instantly pushed all thoughts out of his mind as the sound of footsteps was heard coming through the building. Reynold risked a quick glance around the wall. The afternoon sunlight that forced its way through the cracks in the walls silhouetted the man. Reynold’s face lit up with a smug smile. Although he couldn’t see the face, the figure all too familiar. It’s Fillmore alright.
The footsteps moved steadily closer and Reynold tightened his grip in the girl’s mouth as she began to struggle. Bringing his right hand up, he pressed the barrel of the gun against her temple. “Stop fighting.” he hissed. She instantly stiffened, not daring to move.
He leaned back against the wall, then jumped as a voice filled the silence.
“Reynold, I know you’re in here. Hiding isn’t going to make anything any better. Come out to where I can see you.”
Reynold inwardly chuckled as he listened. Of course. Trust Fillmore to stick with the same phrase every time.
A click interrupted his thoughts as a gun cocked in the darkness, not five feet from the wall he was hiding. In one swift motion he turned and swiveled around the corner, holding the girl in front of him. Taking his hand off her mouth, he wrapped an arm around her neck, nearly cutting off her oxygen supply.
“If you want me, Fillmore, your sister will die first.” The words echoed in the silent building as the afternoon sunlight illuminated both men.
No emotion showed on Fillmore’s face at the sight of his sister.
“Leave Tasha be, Raynold. Murder will only make everything worse.”
“No!” Reynold’s voice filled the room. “I will not let you ruin my life until I ruin yours! If you are going to get me, then your sister will be killed.” He leveled the gun at Fillmore. “Better yet, I’ll kill you first. Now, how do you think Tasha would like it to see her brother murdered by the very man who used to be her friend?” his voice turned patronizing.
Fillmore’s eyes glanced toward Tasha and Reynold tightened his hold, causing her to gasp for breath.
“What will it be, Fillmore?” Reynold asked.
Fillmore looked up and met his eyes, “There is something you don’t know, Reynold.”
“And what would that be?”
“My gun is loaded. Yours isn’t.”
*Second place - Lauren Stoner*
Your piece is so intriguing, Lauren. I'm dying to know what happens next! :-)
Kelly and her partner Phil entered the dark factory and paused a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim light.
“Nothing to see here,” Phil said, lowering his gun. “C’mon, let’s leave.”
Kelly shook her head. “No. Not yet. I have this feeling…let’s look upstairs.” Kelly pushed past Phil and looked around for the staircase.
Kelly Mauer and Phil Legaspi were both detectives who had working together for two years, trying to crack down on an illegal black market operation. Upon receiving some new information, Kelly pinpointed the main headquarters of the black market to be in this old factory. She would not rest until she ended the illegal operation.
“Shh!” Kelly hissed. “Can’t you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Phil said.
“That sound…it’s a generator! Someone has a generator here.” Kelly spun around to face Phil. “Why would a generator be running in a closed factory?”
Phil glanced around, “You’re right…”
“This way!” Kelly finished mounting the stairs and pointed at the door before her. “It’s coming from here.” She motioned with her hand for Phil to cover her as she opened the door.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and knocked the gun from her hands.
“Sorry, Kelly,” Phil’s voice whispered in her ear.
Kelly turned her head to see that Phil was the one holding her captive. “Phil?! What on earth!?”
Phil nestled his gun barrel into Kelly’s back to keep her from moving around. “I didn’t want it to come to this, Kelly.”
“What?!”
“I’m not a real detective,” Phil explained with a light laugh. “I was sent to work with you to keep you away from our operation. And you believed me! I had you fooled for two years…but I suppose all good things must come to an end.”
Kelly felt a ripple of panic course through her body. Phil was a fake? He was part of the black market? How did she not realize this earlier?
Kelly’s radio system buzzed to life and a voice began speaking.
“Detective Mauer? Come in, Mauer.”
Kelly looked at Phil, “I have to answer or they’ll know something’s wrong.”
Phil let go of Kelly’s one arm but continued to keep a tight grip on her other arm. Kelly reached up to her walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
“This is detective Mauer, over.”
“State your location. Over.”
Kelly glanced nervously at Phil. “What should I tell them?” she asked.
“Tell them that we’re leaving the factory right now. Tell them we didn’t find anything.” Phil nudged his gun into Kelly’s back. “And don’t try anything stupid.”
Kelly took her walkie-talkie, “Detective Legaspi and I just left the factory. Over.”
“Did you find anything? Over.”
“No. We didn’t find anything. Over.”
“Alright, see you back at the station. Over and out.”
“Copy that. Over and out.” Kelly dropped her hand to her side, still clutching the walkie-talkie unit in her fist.
“Good girl,” Phil sneered. “Now follow me.” Phil pushed Kelly forward and led her from the stairway into the room.
Inside was a dozen or so people busily moving about. A generator was in the back corner of the room, powering the many computers lined up in the room. A group of four people were stacking boxes against the far wall.
“Welcome to my little operation, detective Mauer,” Phil introduced with a mocking tone.
Kelly stared at the commotion in disgust. “I can’t believe this. I was this close to cracking the case and I let you stop me.”
Phil chuckled. “Well, enjoy the view while it lasts Mauer. You won’t be able to enjoy any view much longer.”
Phil pushed Kelly to the ground and made her sit there while he spoke with one of his colleagues.
A few minutes later, there was a noise from down below.
“Move! Move! Move!”
Phil whirled around. “What?” He exited the room and peeked over the stair railing. He roughly pulled Kelly up off the ground. “Did you call in backup?”
Kelly smiled and held up her hand, revealing the walkie-talkie unit. “They heard every word you said,” Kelly said with a smirk.
Phil glared at Kelly in outrage. “Oh no, I’m not letting you ruin this for me. I came this far, I’m not going to jail now.” He pushed Kelly in front of him and walked out onto the stairway.
“I have a hostage!” he screamed to the officers below. “I’ll shoot her if you don’t do as I say!” Phil kept his gun hand trained on the officers and with his other arm, he propped around Kelly’s neck.
“We have you surrounded!” an officer called up. “Surrender or else!”
“Or else what?!” Phil jeered.
“Nothing to see here,” Phil said, lowering his gun. “C’mon, let’s leave.”
Kelly shook her head. “No. Not yet. I have this feeling…let’s look upstairs.” Kelly pushed past Phil and looked around for the staircase.
Kelly Mauer and Phil Legaspi were both detectives who had working together for two years, trying to crack down on an illegal black market operation. Upon receiving some new information, Kelly pinpointed the main headquarters of the black market to be in this old factory. She would not rest until she ended the illegal operation.
“Shh!” Kelly hissed. “Can’t you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Phil said.
“That sound…it’s a generator! Someone has a generator here.” Kelly spun around to face Phil. “Why would a generator be running in a closed factory?”
Phil glanced around, “You’re right…”
“This way!” Kelly finished mounting the stairs and pointed at the door before her. “It’s coming from here.” She motioned with her hand for Phil to cover her as she opened the door.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and knocked the gun from her hands.
“Sorry, Kelly,” Phil’s voice whispered in her ear.
Kelly turned her head to see that Phil was the one holding her captive. “Phil?! What on earth!?”
Phil nestled his gun barrel into Kelly’s back to keep her from moving around. “I didn’t want it to come to this, Kelly.”
“What?!”
“I’m not a real detective,” Phil explained with a light laugh. “I was sent to work with you to keep you away from our operation. And you believed me! I had you fooled for two years…but I suppose all good things must come to an end.”
Kelly felt a ripple of panic course through her body. Phil was a fake? He was part of the black market? How did she not realize this earlier?
Kelly’s radio system buzzed to life and a voice began speaking.
“Detective Mauer? Come in, Mauer.”
Kelly looked at Phil, “I have to answer or they’ll know something’s wrong.”
Phil let go of Kelly’s one arm but continued to keep a tight grip on her other arm. Kelly reached up to her walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
“This is detective Mauer, over.”
“State your location. Over.”
Kelly glanced nervously at Phil. “What should I tell them?” she asked.
“Tell them that we’re leaving the factory right now. Tell them we didn’t find anything.” Phil nudged his gun into Kelly’s back. “And don’t try anything stupid.”
Kelly took her walkie-talkie, “Detective Legaspi and I just left the factory. Over.”
“Did you find anything? Over.”
“No. We didn’t find anything. Over.”
“Alright, see you back at the station. Over and out.”
“Copy that. Over and out.” Kelly dropped her hand to her side, still clutching the walkie-talkie unit in her fist.
“Good girl,” Phil sneered. “Now follow me.” Phil pushed Kelly forward and led her from the stairway into the room.
Inside was a dozen or so people busily moving about. A generator was in the back corner of the room, powering the many computers lined up in the room. A group of four people were stacking boxes against the far wall.
“Welcome to my little operation, detective Mauer,” Phil introduced with a mocking tone.
Kelly stared at the commotion in disgust. “I can’t believe this. I was this close to cracking the case and I let you stop me.”
Phil chuckled. “Well, enjoy the view while it lasts Mauer. You won’t be able to enjoy any view much longer.”
Phil pushed Kelly to the ground and made her sit there while he spoke with one of his colleagues.
A few minutes later, there was a noise from down below.
“Move! Move! Move!”
Phil whirled around. “What?” He exited the room and peeked over the stair railing. He roughly pulled Kelly up off the ground. “Did you call in backup?”
Kelly smiled and held up her hand, revealing the walkie-talkie unit. “They heard every word you said,” Kelly said with a smirk.
Phil glared at Kelly in outrage. “Oh no, I’m not letting you ruin this for me. I came this far, I’m not going to jail now.” He pushed Kelly in front of him and walked out onto the stairway.
“I have a hostage!” he screamed to the officers below. “I’ll shoot her if you don’t do as I say!” Phil kept his gun hand trained on the officers and with his other arm, he propped around Kelly’s neck.
“We have you surrounded!” an officer called up. “Surrender or else!”
“Or else what?!” Phil jeered.
*Tied for third place we have - Bethany R. & Tatiana*
Your story takes us on an interesting adventure, Bethany! :)
Twenty-year-old Denise opened the window of her apartment to let in some fresh air. Then she relaxed in her bed watching the local news. She was nearly asleep when she was startled awake by the urgent voices of the news reporters. Rolling over, she raised the volume. If you see anyone matching the picture of this young man, please dial the number on your screen.
She gasped when the picture rolled onto the screen. It was her sixteen-year-old brother! Scrambling for the phone, she called her parents. “Mom, where's David?”
“Your father and I haven't heard from him since he left for school this morning. We were just about to call you to see if he came there,” her mother answered with a note of worry in her voice.
“Get Dad and turn on the TV.”
After she hung up, she returned to her television. The young man in the photograph has not yet been identified but if you know him, please contact us. A witness has claimed that he was kidnapped near Lincoln High, Los Angeles by Jason Rither, wanted for murder.
In shock, Denise called the police and informed them of her brother's name and age. After she got off the phone, she left her apartment for a walk in the night air to clear her mind and calm her spirit.
She wandered aimlessly for an hour or more before she finally came to her senses. Looking around her as though she was seeing the area for the first time, she noticed that she was in downtown Los Angeles. She attempted to find her way home but found herself hopelessly lost. She dug into her pocket for her cell phone to call her parents but discovered that she left it in her apartment. Fear gripped her heart as she wandered around, searching for any familiar street, anything. Every dirty face she passed seemed to glare at her.
Suddenly, she felt a presence and heard a scuffling behind her and quickly whirled around but saw no one. Her heart pounded. Denise told herself that she had just imagined it. On she traveled growing more weary and hopeless with every step.
Again. She turned but once more saw no one. Finally, she gave up all hope and started searching for a hotel instead.
By midnight she still had found no hotel and was only deeper into the dreaded part of town. Turning down yet another street, Denise found an old, abandoned store. Surprisingly, the knob turned. As she stepped inside, she shuddered as rats scurried to hide. The store was mostly bare, probably from looters, she imagined.
She got the feel of the store before she curled up in a corner to rest. Once more, Denise was nearly asleep when she was startled awake. This time it was a definite scuffling. Before she could look around, a hand clamped over her mouth and she was seized. She struggled for a moment but then realized it was useless. She allowed herself to be drug into a back room that she had not previously seen. Just before Denise and her captor entered it, he hissed in her ear, “Be quite or else” and shoved her in.
As she hit the floor, she gasped to see her brother bound and gagged in the corner. She scurried over to him and wrapped him up in a huge hug and quickly removed his gag. “David!” She then turned toward Jason Rither. “What do you want with us?”
Grabbing her violently, Rither wrapped his arm around her and pointed his gun at David, “Don't give me anymore of yer sass gal. You hear?” He asked, shaking her before throwing her to the ground once more.
She could see that David was furious at Rither but she placed her hand onto his arm to keep him from trying anything.
After awhile, Rither left the room for only a moment and returned with a chair and several nearly empty bottles of whiskey. He settled himself down and began drinking. Denise watched bottle after bottle empty and debated her move. Finally, he was so drunk he fell out of the chair and, in the meantime, dropped his gun.
Denise leapt forward and wrapped her hand around the cool metal of the gun.
“Denise, look out!” David cried.
She looked up just in time to see Rither clumsily barreling toward her. She jumped backwards and fired a shot.
Rither howled and grabbed his injured leg. Meanwhile Denise grabbed his knife and cut David's bonds. Both siblings then tied up Rither and fled. Coming around the corner they spotted a police car. “Please! Help us!” Denise called and explained the situation.
~~~~~~~~
Back at their parent's house, the family had a joyous reunion. Denise called the police and was relieved to discover that Rither had already had been taken to jail. “God sure was good to us!” Denise exclaimed as she gave her brother a hug.
She gasped when the picture rolled onto the screen. It was her sixteen-year-old brother! Scrambling for the phone, she called her parents. “Mom, where's David?”
“Your father and I haven't heard from him since he left for school this morning. We were just about to call you to see if he came there,” her mother answered with a note of worry in her voice.
“Get Dad and turn on the TV.”
After she hung up, she returned to her television. The young man in the photograph has not yet been identified but if you know him, please contact us. A witness has claimed that he was kidnapped near Lincoln High, Los Angeles by Jason Rither, wanted for murder.
In shock, Denise called the police and informed them of her brother's name and age. After she got off the phone, she left her apartment for a walk in the night air to clear her mind and calm her spirit.
She wandered aimlessly for an hour or more before she finally came to her senses. Looking around her as though she was seeing the area for the first time, she noticed that she was in downtown Los Angeles. She attempted to find her way home but found herself hopelessly lost. She dug into her pocket for her cell phone to call her parents but discovered that she left it in her apartment. Fear gripped her heart as she wandered around, searching for any familiar street, anything. Every dirty face she passed seemed to glare at her.
Suddenly, she felt a presence and heard a scuffling behind her and quickly whirled around but saw no one. Her heart pounded. Denise told herself that she had just imagined it. On she traveled growing more weary and hopeless with every step.
Again. She turned but once more saw no one. Finally, she gave up all hope and started searching for a hotel instead.
By midnight she still had found no hotel and was only deeper into the dreaded part of town. Turning down yet another street, Denise found an old, abandoned store. Surprisingly, the knob turned. As she stepped inside, she shuddered as rats scurried to hide. The store was mostly bare, probably from looters, she imagined.
She got the feel of the store before she curled up in a corner to rest. Once more, Denise was nearly asleep when she was startled awake. This time it was a definite scuffling. Before she could look around, a hand clamped over her mouth and she was seized. She struggled for a moment but then realized it was useless. She allowed herself to be drug into a back room that she had not previously seen. Just before Denise and her captor entered it, he hissed in her ear, “Be quite or else” and shoved her in.
As she hit the floor, she gasped to see her brother bound and gagged in the corner. She scurried over to him and wrapped him up in a huge hug and quickly removed his gag. “David!” She then turned toward Jason Rither. “What do you want with us?”
Grabbing her violently, Rither wrapped his arm around her and pointed his gun at David, “Don't give me anymore of yer sass gal. You hear?” He asked, shaking her before throwing her to the ground once more.
She could see that David was furious at Rither but she placed her hand onto his arm to keep him from trying anything.
After awhile, Rither left the room for only a moment and returned with a chair and several nearly empty bottles of whiskey. He settled himself down and began drinking. Denise watched bottle after bottle empty and debated her move. Finally, he was so drunk he fell out of the chair and, in the meantime, dropped his gun.
Denise leapt forward and wrapped her hand around the cool metal of the gun.
“Denise, look out!” David cried.
She looked up just in time to see Rither clumsily barreling toward her. She jumped backwards and fired a shot.
Rither howled and grabbed his injured leg. Meanwhile Denise grabbed his knife and cut David's bonds. Both siblings then tied up Rither and fled. Coming around the corner they spotted a police car. “Please! Help us!” Denise called and explained the situation.
~~~~~~~~
Back at their parent's house, the family had a joyous reunion. Denise called the police and was relieved to discover that Rither had already had been taken to jail. “God sure was good to us!” Denise exclaimed as she gave her brother a hug.
Your piece was wonderful, Tatiana! A great way to show an about-face in someone's life. ;)
I don't know how I had gotten pulled into it. After my Dad died I felt like I didn't belong to anybody. My mom was working all the time and I barely got to see her. My whole attitude changed.I started being disrespectful to my school teachers and other grownups in my life.My grades dropped,and I didn't care I didn't care about anything.I started bullying other kids at school. I felt insecure and that things weren't in my control. I started to notice some other kids around school who acted the same way I did. One after noon two of the guys who I had noticed came up to me and cornered me outside the school.They said "they knew how I felt" and that I was"right in my actions." There whole concept seemed different and bad. But since I was feeling so insecure and wanted to feel secure I listened to them,and for a while I felt safe.But soon it became clear that I was not in a group of friends,but more in a "crime family" .Even than I din't care.I wanted to get back at the world.Now look where it had gotten me.One bad decision after another. First it was stealing things from other kids at school and than shoplifting than into dealing drugs.Now I was holding a person at gun point saying I would shoot her if the police came any closer. If I did that, it would just be another bad decision added to my long list of them. For the first time in a while I felt something. That something was guilt. I knew I had to get out of this trouble I was in. Slowly I unwrapped my arm from around her neck and dropped my gun to my side.In an instant I was shoved to the wall and being handcuffed,but I knew I had made the right choice.The choice to repent.
********
Thank you for entering everyone! :) I hope to have the What I Saw up in a few days.
Amy from Living in Faith and Fun posted one of my favorite songs, Letters From War. If your interested, you can see that here.
Thanks for reading!
-Faith
Great entries, Everyone! I enjoyed reading them all!
ReplyDeleteAwesome entries! All were so much fun to read.
ReplyDeleteWow, these were all really good!! :)
ReplyDelete