I don't know where I am but I do know that this place stinks of-

Suddenly it all comes rushing back to me.

Blue-Cap, Kidnap, Black-Suit, Oldie, Kick's school.

I open my eyes. I'm in a dark, disused room, it is all bare and empty apart from some chains that I'm tied with ( aaah! No. Oh. No. Oh. No. No. NO ), two crates near the low door and a pot? Oh and I really CAN'T forget the cobwebs stretched across the room and their creators ( g-gross and ew, ew,ew! ) Then there's Blue-Cap, still asleep, tied to the chains opposite me. I must say, these people are from the olden days, I mean WHO ties people to chains?

I really don't know how I can see any of this, but as I glance around for a window I realise there is none. Y a a y! If Mum hadn't taken my phone . . . I'd be with 999 in an instant. EURGGHHH- No point in panicking Mel, keep c-calm- AAAH! 

Oldie was coming in with two other ancient ladies wearing long black robes, I pretended to be asleep and tried moving my body in a 'sleeping' position but the stiff chains stop me and I haven't fooled anyone.

" Girl! GIRL! Cut it out, you're fooling no-one," Thanks for reminding me Oldie! Okay, okay I got it! He's shaking me hard.

I jump up but the chains strain at my shoulders (?) and pull me back down.

Lady in Black One sits down on a crate ( it creaks at her weight ) and raises her eyebrows," So who are you noble stranger? "

" Why should I tell you? "

Oldie gets tense and brandishes a knife but Lady in Black One looks completely at ease, her evil friend smiles and goes," You come with an attitude, like it! "

Is she mad? Well of course, they all are. Kidnapping Blue-Cap for a start was a bad move, but ME?!?! That goes to a WHOLE new level.

" Listen up ladies in black, Oldie. Why did you kidnap Blue-Cap? In fact I don't need to know, but lemme just tell you that I have a Dad and he won't be pleased-"

" Oooh Daddy won't be pleased will he," Lady in Black One put on a baby voice.

" Whose Blue Cap and ladies in . . ." Lady in Black Two gives a girlish giggle," So sorry, let me introduce us, I'm Cor- No, no it wouldn't do if Daddy found out would it? You stick with Goldie and . . . err whatever you said, child."

"Cora, I think we should ask Girl a little about herself or else she'll never see the light of day again." Oldie interuppted.

Cora. Okay, something to tell the police. Though I prefer Lady in Black, you with me?

Lady in Black One glares at me," Go on, girl! Tell us where you live so we can get a message off to Daddy."

Oh, help . . . NOW WHAT? I need to buy some time, but I can't let Dad or Mum pay that money. It feels a tingey bit wrong, you with me? Anyways how, am I supposed to get a new phone? 

So I blurt it all out, my name, my phone-number and my address. Yipee! I really hope these people aren't related to BURGULARS, otherwise things are gonna get from bad to WORSE. And you probably know just how BAD bad is right now. You may wonder WHY I'm not going crazy. Well, I am.

Lady in Black Two goes out and comes back with some bread, water and a mop. Oldie walks out through the doorway, well there isn't a door, but I'm chained so I can't get out. The little light there is comes from the doorway, I can now see that the walls are grimy and the place is more than disused, it's NEVER been used. GROSS!

" Here Linda," Lady in Black Two passes me the bread and water.

" It's NOT Linda, Melinda!" Here's another thing I thought I'd never say, thing is I'm NOT letting them call me something like LINDA! Mel is w a a y too personal and well Melinda is my name- Why am I fretting about this? I have bigger problems. So I add," What's the MOP for? "

" Well, Linda, Emily's house isn't as clean as it used to be. A little free labour is needed," Lady in Black Two hinted heavily.

GROSS! No, NOT HAPPENING! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER! Emily. Cora. The Black sisters. 

" The bucket's downstairs, you don't clean well and Hector might just slit that knife of his down your throat before Daddy has anything to say about it," Lady in Black One threatened.

Empty threat much. They need the money they're NEVER gonna get, I hope. But still . . . I really don't wanna be killed, I shiver then look at the mop. I really dunno how it works, you slop it in some soapy water? Then you push it up and down hard? And apply lots of pressure? I don't know but that's what I'm going for. 

I'm not nuts, but I am hungry so I tuck into the STALE bread and DRY water ( it's not fizzy is it? )

Black Lady Two sticks around but Black Lady One swishes out of the room, soon after, Blue-Cap wakes up.

" Harrison, we know who your parents are don't we? We'll make sure you get back, as long as Mummy and Daddy pay the bill," Black Lady Two loosens Blue-Cap's shoulder chains so he can sit down comfortably then does the same with me.

Blue-Cap looks ultra-scared and ultra-panicked, I know I should do something but WHAT? I'm as scared as you, old fella? Naah, that wouldn't work.

I try shuffle closer to him and grab his hands, gently. He looks scared and his little cap falls of his head.

" Oh Blue-Cap," I say, and he starts sobbing, head in my arms. 

" Now, now kids, you'll both go home, if Mummy and Daddy pay the bill," Lady in Black Two looks a little worried and sits down with us," Linda, Harry come on. It'll be alright-"

Hmm, that's it, I got a genius idea, she's got a weak spot for kiddies. 

" That's it! WHAT THE HELL? IT WON'T BE 'ALRIGHT?' OUR PARENT'S MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PAY AND YOU MIGHT KILL US. IT'S NOT JUST THAT BUT SUPPOSE THEY DID PAY, WE'D ALL BE PENNILESS. We'd have NO money, we'd probably STARVE! It's not JUST that but you really HAVE scared the living daylight out of us, we will be scared for life, and SCARRED for life, inside. I REALLY don't know how I've been so calm for so long? Why can't just you get a decent job?" I froze after my rant, my chest heaving with emotion.

After that I just lost it and cried with Blue-Cap, he'd been quiet through my entire rant and seemed to know what I was getting at.

Lady in Black Two turned away and sighed," Oh kids, it can't be THAT bad-"

" Oh, yes it is," I was surprised to hear Blue-Cap's voice for the first time, it was miserable but full of hope and determination. 

I moved to give him a hug and surprisingly the chains were now loose enough to let me, I glanced back to see Lady in Black Two holding a key, her eyes shining with tears and . . . love. The love that stopped me from giving up, the love that kept me going. She's the only one who didn't make my heart throb with pain and worry . The only one who made an effort.