A Place to Hide

She peered through ice crippled trees, watching the shining road in front of her. She’d left a prison behind her, escaped, but wit so few places to hide, the girl crouched behind a Bush, one still dressed in green, although shimmering white now.

The road led to many places, including back from where she’d run. He’d snatched her on the way home from school, a van innocently parked, a side door opened and Josie was inside, gagged ad tied before she had a clue what was happening.

It had been many days since then, Josie was battered, bruised, to an extent she hadn’t thought possible. She was taken aback now by the beauty of her surroundings, never believing daylight would touch her eyes again. Despite the ice burning into her, pressing into every nerve, her only chance for escape was to choose carefully. Traffic used this road; it could be heard in the distance from her cellar confinement.

Listening, shivering, was all Josie was able to do, wondering if he would come looking for her on foot, or by car. She had looked as she ran, to see if he had another vehicle, she didn’t want to be caught unaware when she got to the road. She didn’t have much time to look, no more than a glance. She was lucky to spot a small blue car. Her hope was to wait in hiding until he’d stopped looking for her, but the cold meant there may not be as much time as she’d hoped. Josie may have to step out into the crisp sunlit morning and hope the red car coming toward her wasn’t him.

Grace spotted something moving by the side of the road, all had been still around her as she drove, it was early, not much traffic around, and out here no people, so the movement stood out. It was only as she got closer the figure could be recognised as a child. Barely thirteen or fourteen, hardly wearing anything and obviously in trouble. She pulled u quickly as she saw the child head toward her.

‘Can you help me please’ Josie managed to utter, in barely a whisper. Before she’d even finished the sentence, Grace had scooped her up, placed her into the back of the car, pulled a blanket from the back shelf almost in the same move, putting it over Josie. She slammed the car door, got into the driver’s seat and drove. She had no idea who had done this but there was no way she was hanging around to find out. Also, the girl needed a hospital urgently before she succumbed to hypothermia, or her injuries.

As they pulled away, a man stood behind spiked branches, taking note of the registration number of the car, smiling to himself.