Trapped

My name is Rachel Smith. I am going to tell you the story of when my family and I got stuck in the local mall. This happened six years ago, but I remember everything as if it happened yesterday. I was only fourteen when this happened. My family and I were in the car listening to Christmas music. When we got to the mall mom found a parking place in the front. She turned off the car and we all got out of the car. For a moment, as we walked through the parking lot I had a weird feeling. Until my little brother threw himself at me and disturbed my thoughts.

As we entered the mall something just didn't feel right. Still, I didn't know what it was. The mall housed only five stores. JC Penney, Sears, Cato, Walmart, and bath & body works. The food court had more choices than the mall had stores. There was Chick Fil A, Subway, Dairy Queen, and Mcdonald's. We walked into Penney's first and mom immediately began picking up clothes. Before I knew it she was ready to check out. The line was long and I quickly became bored. I started looking at clothes right behind check out. That weird feeling suddenly hit me again. I looked up at the line of people and that was when I saw him. There was a man standing in the back of the line. He was tall and skinny with short dark brown hair. He was wearing all black, even his shoes and coat were black. I didn't know what it was but something didn't feel right about him. He was just creepy. I noticed that he had his hand in his coat and I thought that was weird. The more I watched him the worst my feeling got.

I thought about going over and telling mom about him. But before I could he pulled out a gun and started shouting at everyone. I got down on the floor and hid behind the clothes. They were long enough to keep me hidden. He was shouting and telling everyone to get on the floor. I was crying silently and my heart was pounding. Suddenly I didn't hear him shouting anymore, instead, I heard him talking to someone. I pulled myself together and peeked over the top of the clothes rack. Everyone was silently laying on the floor. I saw my mom and brother and they looked so scared. I saw the guy too, he was talking to two other guys who were also dressed in black. I couldn't hear what they were saying so I sat back down. I had to come up with a plan, I had to save my family. They didn't even know I was there, I had that on my side.

I got on my hands and knees and started crawling across the floor trying not to knock anything over. I was not successful. I bumped into one of the clothes racks and it fell over. My heart was pounding, I knew they heard it. I got up and started running. "Get her!" Someone shouted. I assumed it was the guy from the checkout line who yelled. I kept running, I heard the footsteps of the two guys running after me.

I ran into Walmart and down the cleaning aisle. My heart was beating so fast! Only one of the guys followed me in the store. I didn't know where the other guy was. "Come out stupid brat!" He said. I heard his footsteps and knew he was getting closer. I grabbed a bottle of bleach off the shelf. I opened it and poured it on the floor, then I threw the bottle on the floor. Then as I grabbed a mop I saw the guy. "There you are brat!" He shouted from the end of the aisle. He started running down the aisle and slipped in the bleach and fell backward on the floor. While he was laying on the floor stunned from the fall I hit him on the head with the mop and knocked him out. Then so he wouldn't get away I found some rope and I tied his hands and feet. A skill I learned in a nature class. I walked through the store and picked up a baseball bat and pepper spray.

As I walked out of Walmart before I even had a chance the second guy grabbed me from behind. "Let me go!" I shouted. "Shut up!" He yelled. As I was struggling to get away I dropped the bat but I was still holding the pepper spray. He had his arm wrapped around my stomach with my back facing him. I grabbed the spray and sprayed him in the face. He screamed and let go of me to grab his eyes. He was crying like a little girl. As he was laying on the floor I forcefully kicked him and knocked him out.

I picked up the baseball bat, then I checked the guy's pants and found his phone. I called the police then started walking back to Penney's. I carefully entered the store and walked back to the make-up and grabbed a bright red lipstick and headed back towards the checkout. I got to the checkout and hid behind more clothes. This time being very careful not to knock anything over. I saw the third guy was bent over my brother holding the gun at him. My brother was crying and I suddenly felt very mad. "Hey!" I shouted as I stood up from behind the rack. He turned around and looked at me and smiled. "I am not afraid of a little girl," he said. "You should be," I said proudly. He was still smiling as he pointed the gun at me. Before he could pull the trigger I ran over and hit his hand with the baseball bat. He screamed and dropped the gun. I grabbed the lipstick and stabbed him in the eye. He screamed again and covered his eye with his hand. "You brat!" He shouted. I smiled and punched him in the face and then sprayed him with pepper spray. He started crying just like his friend. I punched him again and he passed out. I ran over to my mom and brother and hugged them tightly. Tears streamed down my face. The police came along with ambulances and fire trucks. The police arrested the three guys and then talked to me and my family. We were taken to the hospital and statements were taken.

Thankfully we still had a wonderful Christmas that year. I think we were more grateful than usual.

It has been six years since that day. I am now a police officer and I love catching the bad guys!