Chapter 5: when they cry

EMMA SIDE

The rain dripped slowly from the leak in the gutter, the constant drip a reminder to Emma of her depressing circumstance. She was sitting in her room, away from all her friends, with a splitting headache and no one to complain about it to. She took out her phone and scrolled through her Instagram mindlessly before putting it down, sighing dramatically and flopping down onto her bed.

A few hours later she woke up, and feeling much more energetic she jumped up from her bed and danced her way to the kitchen, where she was met by her mother.

"I'm just about to leave for the shops, do you wanna come?" her mother asked.

"Ok, let's go!" she replied energetically, "But I need to get changed first, just wait a second!"

Her mother groaned inwardly as Emma rushed to her room - she knew from experience that Emma changing into clothes that she would wear in public (no matter the occasion) was at least an hour long activity.

She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a black gloved hand covering her mouth. She tried to scream but nothing came out, before she was hit over the head with the decorated muzzle of her assaulter's gun.

She collapsed on the floor and the assaulter turned his back on her, walking quietly towards his next target, hiding behind the door and waiting for Emma to walk out, which would give him the opportune moment to strike.

Emma was slightly surprised that her mother hadn't called her to hurry up, even after her 5th outfit was rejected and thrown onto the floor. She was trying on her next outfit but didn't particularly like the shoes, so she opened her cupboard to find some better ones, and had to stifle her scream. Through the mirror of her cupboard she could see a black figure crouching just behind her door.

She slowly backed away from her door, towards her window, attempting to open it as quietly as possible. It creaked open and Emma scrambled through, jumping down into the garden bed below.

Her heart was racing and she took a moment to pause and clear her head: 'I'm in the backyard and there's someone creepy in my house.' That didn't help - she was still as scared and panicked as ever.

She crept around the house, to the front yard and glanced up the road. Her heart almost skipped a beat in relief - a small yellow taxi was driving slowly up the road, looking for its next passenger. She hailed it down frantically and rushed into the back seat, "Take me to the nearest shopping centre." She said as calmly as possible, before adding hastily, "As fast as you can please."

The taxi didn't move, and the driver said nothing. She leaned forward and opened her mouth to repeat herself, and the last thing she remembered before she blacked out was the driver's gleeful grin as he reached over and knocked her over the head.