Late For Dinner

• Patience Kuzmins, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2010

Mary ran.
She didn’t have much energy left and she knew it.
She slowed to a stop.
Then she heard the footsteps that could bring the young girl to her doom.
Suddenly, she felt a hand land on her shoulder Mary turned around in wide-eyed terror
“Come with me!” a voice boomed.
She didn’t remember much, but when she awoke she was tied to a chair
She screamed with all her might but realized she had tape on her mouth “DUCK TAPE!” Mary screamed in her thoughts, “that could rip all my skin off.”
The man threw his head back and laughed.
Mary shook the chair in fury.
“Mum and dad will be worried sick about me.
They’re probably waiting for me right now,” Trembled Mary.
She looked at the clock across the room “5:30 I was meant to be home half an hour ago. This crazy loony will pay for making me late,”
This crazy loony will pay for making me late,” she was thinking about how her dad would punch him in the head for grabbing her and making her late for tea.
The man who had confronted her came into the room and roared, “My name is Alex!” He pulled off the tape from Mary’s mouth. “AHHHHHHHHH!” she screamed in pain.
“Shut up,” he said, “I’m going to get some food.
Don’t try anything.”
An hour later he still hadn’t returned, she noticed a phone on a table in the corner of the room.
Mary pushed it off the hook with her tongue and dialled 000.
She looked out the window and remembered it used to be her grandmas house, lucky she knew the address.
“41 Rovers Street, hurry, its urgent! I’ve been held hostage,” Mary shouted into the phone.”
She hung up then hobbled back to the middle of the room.
Suddenly, Alex burst through the door.
“Caught you you little brat!” then he froze.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Mary said trying her best to look confused.
“I thought you were doing something sneaky.”
Suddenly, the police kicked in the door, they arrested Alex and untied Mary.
Then, her and her dad walked hand in hand down the street.
“Why did he take me to hold hostage?” Mary asked her father.
“Well were you the only person at the park.”
“Yes,” Mary replied.
“You were the only person there, so he took you and you are a little girl and knew you couldn’t do much about it.”
"Now can I have some dinner," Mary asked, her stomach growling.
"Of course," said Dad, "Of course."