I woke up and it was cold and dark. I felt the rusty bars surrounding me. Where am I? The last thing I remember was walking home from Jessica’s party. Am I dreaming? This can’t be happening. As I looked around, waiting for my eyes to adjust, I heard a big bang and then creaking. I saw a door swing open at the end of the hallway, and I froze. Light flooded into this strangely large room.
A figure walked toward me, shoved a plate of what looked like crusty bread and water. Was I supposed to eat this? I set it aside, trying to remember what exactly happened last night. When my eyes finally adjusted to the cold darkness around me I realized I was not alone. There were many other cages, with people inside, who had clearly been here a while. They looked starved, and like they hadn’t had a shower in months. What is this place?
Then the memories started coming back. I was walking home from Jessica’s and two men came from behind me wearing gas masks and knocked me out. The door opened again, this time it was just two men. They were both carrying something that looked like weapons. I panicked as I realized what was about to happen. I eagerly felt around me to find some kind of latch. It was all blackness. I couldn’t see a thing. Then suddenly I felt this handle, and I pulled as hard as I could. I couldn’t do it, it required some kind of key. The men came closer and closer. I frantically grabbed a bobby pin from my hair, and shoved it in the slot. I turned and turned. Finally, it came loose. The cage door slowly creaked open, I was free! I ran, not knowing where I was going. Corridor after corridor, I ran. I only slowed down a little as I realized the madness around me. Cage after cage, filled with starving people inside them. The people’s dirty hands reached out and grazed my arms, begging for help. What was this? I needed to find a way to free them as well. I ran and never hesitated until I reached a set of stairs. I could hear the two men’s feet following quickly behind. I couldn’t waste anymore time, I hastily ran up the stairs, and opened the door at the top. I arrived in a very dim, dirty house. I saw the door and ran for it. As soon as I made it outside, I hit something hard. I inched back, terrified for my life, thinking I would be dead within seconds. But to my surprise it was a runner just as frightened as I. I quickly told him was wrong, and what had happened, he immediately pulled out his cell phone and called the police. “I’m Jack by the way,” said the runner. “I’m Karina,” I said with what probably seemed like a forced smile. As we stood, trying to catch our breath, I saw the two enraged men, running towards us holding some kind of homemade weapons. I couldn’t tell exactly what they were, but it didn’t matter, all that mattered was if we didn’t run, we would be right back into that dark, rusty place, in a matter of minutes. We bolted, as I thought of what was going on, I felt terrible for bringing Jack into this mess with me. He seemed nice, and if the men reached us we would both be dead.

“So what’s the deal with these guys anyways? What did you do to make them so mad?” said Jack, as we ran. “I have no clue, I don’t remember much, but I’ll explain it all when we are safe.” I added hastily. The men began to catch up, and just as I thought we were doomed, I heard the sirens. The police were behind us. As we frantically pointed in the other men’s direction, we slowed, realizing it was all over.

As the police cuffed the men, I explained everything to Jack. Apparently the police had been tracking these men, brothers, for months now. They would stalk their victims weeks before, and then when they were completely alone they would attack, and take them to their own ‘jail.’ These brothers had something wrong with them. They thought of their victims as prizes and didn’t mean to harm them, just wanted to keep them forever, to look at. We were basically just decorations to their basement, in their eyes.

As I sat, on the police car, wrapped in a blanket trying to make sense of all that had happened, Jack came over and sat next to me. “Thanks,” I muttered, too shaken up to even get a full sentence out. “No problem,” replied Jack “Anytime.” I smiled up at him and he smiled back, this time, it didn’t seem so forced. I was safe.