Turn on Center Street and follow to 32nd Avenue, through the woods and back. That’s the pointless trip I must take to walk my dog. “A fit dog’s better than a lazy dog,” says my mom. So, of course, I have to walk Poco. I must endure the walks for the next two weeks. If I don’t, I won’t get my Animal Badge in my “Teen Ranger Scout’s Club”.

Oh! Well, sorry, let me introduce myself. The name is Alice, Alice Cane. I am a 16 year old “Teen Ranger” in the ARITP, Adult Ranger in Training Program.
“Come on Poco.” So I started walking again, but in the corner of my eye, I saw a gray work van. I noticed them following me.

So I sped up, and they did, too. I turned down the trail that leads back to my house. All of the sudden, Poco started barking. I glanced behind me, and there they were. They scooped Poco and me up and threw us in the back of the van.

The whole van was filled with gladiator stuff. I glanced at the two men sitting in the front of the van. The driver was wearing a black suit with a red bandanna around his arm and head. The passenger was wearing blue jeans with a red plaid button-up shirt. I wanted to ask the men what they wanted, but I was so startled that when I tried to speak, all that came out was “Whaaaa.”
The plaid shirt guy turned around and said, “What do’s ya want, girl?”

It wasn’t what he said that startled me; it was how he said it. He spoke as if he were from another planet. I noticed that the door was unlocked from when they tossed us in the van. I could take a dive for it, but I didn’t know how to do that without hurting Poco.
I carefully grabbed Poco. Luckily, he didn’t squirm or bark. I slowly creeped to the door. I had it open, but all of the sudden I felt a strong pull on my ribs. Plaid shirt guy had pulled me back into the van. He tied me up in the back. I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes, all I could see was smoke.
About five minutes later it cleared. I looked around the room to see where it was coming from. There it was, a big black stove with a metal pole sticking out of it. All of the sudden, I felt a sharp pain in my right shoulder. I looked on my arm, and there was a huge mark burned into my skin, but I wasn’t sure what it said. My main focus now was to find a way out of the building so Poco and I could get home as soon as possible.
I looked around the room for an exit. There was a small window in the
corner of the room. There was also a door, but it was blocked off by some kind and of metal object. It looked like my only way out was the window.

After about twenty minutes, I had gotten myself untied out of the over lapping rope that held me tight to a pole. I ran to the window to try to free myself from this god-awful place.
I reached up to open the rusted, old brown window. I struggled, but finally it budged. Poco and I were out of the building in a matter of seconds. I took off far into the woods, Poco right at my side. Midnight was close by; it was nearly pitch black outside. I spent nearly four long hours of painful jogging trying to get as far away from that horrible place as I could.
I reached a deserted highway. I started to walk on the road, hoping that someone would come and save Poco and me. Nearly one hour later, I saw a light about five miles up ahead. At last, we were saved. I waved my arms with the last bit of strength in my body to get the driver to stop and help me.
The driver pulled off the road and flagged me to get in the car. I grabbed Poco and jumped in the front seat. As I sat down, I hit my foot on a hard object. I looked to the ground, and there sat a gladiator helmet. I peered to the driver, and there he was, plaid shirt guy!