I am Maisie...

Chapter One

Chapter One

I didn't even know she was there, not until she had me anyway. The tight grip of her sweaty hands made me gag and the sensation of her breath down my neck caused a shudder down my spine. She knew who she was after, and that someone was me, but why me? What have I done?

A blood curdling, endless room stood before me. She was at one end, bathing in the glory that she has finally succeeded in her mission, capturing me. And at the other end was a dark brown, brick wall. No paint, no carvings, just a wall. And there I was, stood right in the middle of it all.

Completely unaware of the life shattering changes happening around me.

"Help me! Please somebody help me! Mummy, where are you?" A piercing scream echoed through the cave, the voice high pitched and squeaky, like a little girl.

I ran, I didn't know what else to do, so I just ran. Faster and faster towards the voice. It was screaming, horrible cries for help that I just couldn't block from my head. Suddenly I skidded in my tracks, realisation suddenly hitting me, was it a trap? Was there really a little girl? How was I supposed to know, I had nothing to lose, I was already stuck there...

I almost turned around... Gave up, threw in the towel but something, no wait someone was telling me I couldn't, I suddenly felt a cold breeze surrounding me, It was grasping me by the arm, and a wispy hand engaged itself around my mouth, I knew there was nothing there, but somehow I couldn't shout. I needed to join in the chorus of screaming, but all I could manage was to keep standing, but I slowly fell down, down towards the ground and don't remember a single thing...

My life has changed since then, my parents disowned me, my friends abandoned me and my only point in life is to find that girl. I don't remember much, but I remember that. I could never in a million years shake those screams from my head, sounds that nobody ever wants to hear. I would've rather been murdered... Then and there on the spot. I wouldn't have had to go through a life without family and friends if I had been. I wouldn't be here, but I'd be happier. I know, that sounds extremely depressing, but it's true, you don't realise quite how much you love your family and friends until they're not there for you anymore, until they're gone forever and there's no way of ever getting life back to how it used to be. The cave has been closed off now, bars and tape closing the entrance, forbidding anyone else to enter and experience the same terrible fate as I did.

I don't know what happened to my brother, whether he got out alive, I'll probably never find out, I haven't heard a single word from my family since that day. Three years today to be exact. I do miss my family, each and everyday... But I can't think what it would be like to still be cooped up inside that little house, asking permission to go anywhere, do anything, have any freedom. I am free now, free and lonely, but free all the same.

I have so many questions whirring around my head, about what that horrific place actually is, who owns it and how twisted they must be to get satisfaction out of torture. I didn't think I would survive, I didn't see anyone while I was down there, but the stench of rotting human flesh flooded my nostrils, a smell I will always remember. I haven't shared my story with anyone until now, even if I'd wanted to I couldn't, as I said, I've been disowned. But for some reason, today, three years since the best and worst day of my life I decided to share my story.

It's not going to be easy, it's not going to be quick but I hope you will find it interesting... It might get a little scary, intense and you may feel some hardcore emotions along the way. But I'd love for you to stick by and listen until the end of my tale, my story that's just finished, but only just begun. You never think things will happen to you, news headlines, radio broadcast, you think yourself so lucky that nothing bad is happening to you. No wars, no kidnaping, no fires, you realise how lucky you are to have your life. This thought hits even harder when it's all been ripped away. When it's your name on the papers, you parents voice on the news, it seems so surreal and you realise how fortunate you really are... Or in my case, were.

They thought I'd been taken, snatched, never to be seen again, little did they know it was below them the whole time, quite literally underground, shouting for my freedom, only getting myself lost deeper. You don't expect to head into a cavern on a beach and find yourself in some hidden evil lair, that's only something that happens in stories. That's something I miss, when I was little, about 5 or 6 years old, Mum used to read my a bedtime story each and every night. I can hear it now, her soft voice, her slow steady breaths as she created voices for every character, making it come alive. I do miss moments like that... Indeed I do... But everything has to come to an end eventually. Each evening Dad would keep poking his head around the door, adding in the occasional squeak of a mouse, or moo of a cow, he helped to bring the books alive when Mum couldn't. You see, she was a lot happier when I was younger... Then my little brother was born and her happiness deteriorated, her smile faded and she didn't seem to have time for me anymore. Gone were the bedtime stories, her soft voice and Dad's animal noises. Gone were the amazing memories we shared together, all her attention was on him now, I could've walked out of their lives and they never would've noticed. That's basically what I did... I have been gone for three years, I am still alive and they haven't come chasing after me yet, I guess I was right. My little brother is more important than me.

I always felt like this, like he got more attention than me. Just because he's younger, more love when he got hurt, more hugs when he cried. I was just told to grow up and get on with life. Well what am I doing now? I seem to be quite successful by myself, I mean, I've been short of food a few times, I've had to do a bit of... Borrowing. But I'm sure nobody minds. I hope my little brother is happy now, he probably doesn't have a care in the world for his missing sister, even though I probably saved his life. Probably... There's a slim possibility that he's dead... Or like me, missing. Mum and Dad could be all alone in our house... Or they could be all alone, in separate houses. Perhaps my disappearance broke their hearts so badly they split away from each other? Each grieving separately, each and every day...

I need to stop thinking like this, and begin with my story... I am Maisie... And this is the story of the day that changed my life, and the life of many others, all over the world.