finally Ratio's...
The Masked Men
by- ratio6
One miserable evening a girl was sitting in her enormous bedroom watching television. During her favourite show a news flash pops up, “Police have uncovered a plan to assassinate the royal family and steal the throne.” This announcement made the girl sit up straight; she was part of the royal family. Her name was Miriam, the Princess of a rich and prosperous country. Miriam had been left at home with her brother, Peter, while her parents were on an emergency Royal visit.
“Peter,” Miriam yelled while running towards her brother’s room, “Peter, they want to kill us” she sobbed.
“Slow down, who wants to kill us?” inquired Peter. All of the colour drained from Miriam’s face, she was looking out of the rain streaked window, straight into the eyes of a masked man carrying a huge gun. He turned to see what had made his sister turn white. Peter only caught a glimpse of what his sister had seen, because the man had just sprinted away.
“I think he does,” Miriam squeaked, pointing towards the window.
“Let’s tell the guards,” said Peter, as bravely as he could.
Peter and Miriam walked down the dim hallway and then down the stairs into the main entrance where two guards should have been stationed.
“No one’s here,” Miriam whimpered, getting slightly hysterical.
“GUARDS, GUARDS” Peter yelled, expecting someone to come running. “Guards, anyone?” Peter said, his voice trailing off.
“Where have they gone?” croaked Miriam.
“I don’t know, but that’s the least of our worries right now. We have to get out of here,” Peter froze, “the assassin, he’s looking through the window by the door.”
“We have to get out,” Miriam said in a barely audible voice.
“Lets go and hide in the west wing, it’s under renovation so we might be able to get out of the palace that way” Peter commanded.
Miriam took Peter’s hand and they ran as fast as they could towards the west wing. As they rounded the corner they saw another man in the window.
“Another one,” gasped Miriam. Suddenly they heard the sickening sound of breaking glass. Miriam let out a blood curdling scream and ran down the hall pulling Peter with her. As they ran down the hallway they heard foot steps slapping the marble floor behind them. “He’s inside” Miriam stuttered.
“Look there’s another man in the window, and another,” Peter whispered. “Through that door, it should take us into the west wing” Peter commanded. Inside the west wing the overpowering stench of rotten wood and musty furniture filled the sibling’s nostrils. “Shh… do you hear that, it’s a walkie talkie,” hissed Peter, “He’s talking to the men outside.”
“If the people outside see us then the man inside will be able to find us,” wailed Miriam.
“Stay away from the windows, we need to find a room without windows to hide in and try to get help,” Peter decided. “Okay?” he asked Miriam. Miriam nodded her reply, and followed her brother through a heavy rotting door.
The footsteps got louder and Miriam’s stomach screwed up in a ball. Miriam had never been so scared in her life. “I’m going to get you,” roared the man.
“Hurry Miriam,” Peter said. They turned a corner and found themselves in front of an enormous bay window with five masked men on the other side. The foot steps got louder and Miriam could smell the man’s aftershave. A grubby arm reached out and grabbed Miriam round the waist.
“PETER!” screamed Miriam “PETER!”
“Don’t take her, you evil man,” Peter pleaded, but the man ignored his cry.
The man was running with Miriam under his arm. Fear was gripping Miriam’s mind and she could not think straight. She swallowed hard and started twisting and turning to try and break the man’s grasp. The man just smirked and squeezed even harder. The man used Miriam’s head to shove open a door. “You wanted a room with no windows, well, now you’ve got one,” grunted the man as he threw Miriam onto the grimy floor. The room was dimly lit and had neither furniture nor windows.
Hot tears spilled on to Miriam’s cheeks, she bravely lifted her head and looked in to the man’s face. A silver knife flashed in front of her eyes, “NO, NO please,” shrieked Miriam.
“Yes, yes please,” cackled the man sarcastically.
Suddenly the man’s walkie talkie crackled and a voice spoke, ‘the boy he is coming’ the heavily accented voice wheezed.
“I’m coming Miriam” Peter’s distant voice said.
“PETER,” Miriam shrieked, “HELP ME”
The man leaned towards Miriam and put the cool knife blade against her neck. Miriam could taste a mix of her lunch and fear. She began shaking, and the man pushed the blade into her neck. “No please don’t please,” Miriam begged quietly.
The door to the room burst open, letting in some light and sending a spray of dust into the air.
“Don’t touch her,” Peter ordered. Right when Peter opened his mouth to say that, Miriam screamed; the knife had just pierced her skin.