It was a good thing it was so dark or I swear I would’ve given up right then. Tentatively, I slipped the first piece of wood under my arms, slid my foot down the rope, searching for the next, I stretched my body, terrified I wasn’t going to find it. 

My toes found the first knot and just another few inches below, there was the wood.  Sliding my body down, I gritted my teeth against the hiss of pain. Each time I grabbed hold of the knots between the rungs a searing heat shot up my arms. My palms were already bleeding, but what else could I do?

Every move was slow agony. I was terrified the rope would give way – someone would see me...

What I hadn’t worked out was that bandages stretch – a lot.  I’d tied them on to the end of the rope and, as I gripped the first white knot in the bandage, I knew I was in trouble.  I could feel it, pulling apart under my weight.  The whole thing was disintegrating.

I moved as fast as I could, but it wasn’t fast enough – There was an awful ripping sound and for long seconds I was dangling mid-air, held up by just a few tiny threads.

I don’t think I screamed when the last one snapped. I was falling – with no idea how far the ground was.  I pulled up my knees and...crunch – landed with a soft thud on what had to be a bush of some sort. I lay on my back, staring up at the dark cloudy sky and wanted to laugh.  The bandage must have stretched so much I couldn’t have been more than a few feet from the ground.

And then I saw the blood-soaked sleeves of my jumper, what was left of my palms... I had to get help. I had to get out of there!

Wherever they had brought me I didn’t recognise the house or the area. I slipped quietly around the building, staying well away from the lighted rooms on the ground floor. It would be too cruel if they spotted me now.  I could see the street. It was just a short distance away, through a small gate set in the laurel hedge.  I slid into the shadows and edged my way along the leafy boundary.
The tarmac under my feet felt amazing.

Don’t run I thought, not yet. There might be a guard, someone watching. 

It was almost two blocks before I plucked up the courage to wave down a car. When one finally stopped, he didn’t even give me a chance to speak. He took one look at my bloodied state and put his foot on the accelerator...

I saw two men about to get into a car, “Please,” I begged, “Can you phone the police or an ambulance...”

One of the men glanced over his shoulder. I could guess what he was thinking before he spoke.
“So where’s the pimp hiding? We’re not stupid, we know he’s waiting to jump us. Go use the phone box down the road if you’re really hurt. We’re not mugs...”

“No, you don’t understand I’ve been...” but they’d driven off before I could I finish.

It was hopeless. Any second now Paul was going to be screeching around the corner, searching for me.  My head was reeling, the rush of adrenaline, the blood loss, all of it was taking its toll. I staggered over to the wall of a building and slid down to the pavement.

I could hardly keep my eyes open.

“Woo is that blood on your sleeves?”

The young voice in my ear brought me back to the cold reality.

“What?”

“Is that really blood... Only there’s lots of it.”

“I need help.  I’m hurt. I need a phone to call the police. There are these men...”  I couldn’t stop the tears.

“Can you walk, only Mom won’t let me use a mobile yet?  My house is just around the corner if you can make it?”

He wasn’t very old I realised, maybe eleven or twelve; with a pair of dark hazel eyes which were watching me closely.

“Shall I help?” he asked reaching out as I struggled to my feet. 

“You’d better not,” I said. “I’m caked in blood.”

“Well, you can lean on my shoulder then, it’s about the right height.  It’s really not far and my Mom will sort you out, I promise...”

Edited by lindajonesAuthor

A/N What do you think about the attitude of the people around?

You must be wondering why the sudden update. My story was looking too bad for TheWattys where I left it at a cliffhanger... So I decided to update. Besides few were dying to know what happened to Phoebe... Sorry again... But it's here that I'll stop for now. Wish me luck.

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