“Heyya kid, wherev’a been up too?”
My mom was sitting on the kitchen floor with a Champaign glass in her hand.
“I just went for a jog”
“Hey, hey, hey Shiloh, cmere. Wanna play twister? You used to love that game.”
“Mom, your drunk. Again.”
As I walked around her, I felt her hand grab my ankle.
“Cmon Shi. Lets just play a game. Don’t you wanna play with your old mom?”
I looked into her eyes. They were completely out of focus and red.
“Let go of him mom.”
I looked over. Jason was half way outside of his bedroom doorway, already dressed in pajamas. He was staring at mom with angry, determined eyes. I felt her hand slowly let go of my ankle.
“Sor-sorry Jason. * hiccup * I just wanted to play with Mr. Polka Dots.”
My brother motioned for me to go down the hallway. I walked down the hallway and into my room. Outside, I could hear my mom in a fit of laughter and hiccups. Fredrick was already in his pajamas too, and was reading a car magazine on his bed.
I went to the closet that Fredrick and I shared, and put on the only pajamas I own. They’re blue with giraffes all over them. I got them for Christmas when I was ten, and grew out of them two years ago. But since all of the money we make is going towards food and other essentials, I’ve had to wear them nonetheless. After I got changed, I went to Jason and Albert’s room. Albert was brushing his teeth and spitting out the window, and Jason was sitting on the floor with his back against his bed, writing on a small pad of paper.
“Hey, Jason, thanks for saving me out there in the kitchen. I had no clue what to do.”
Jason didn’t look up from his writings.
“Don’t mention it.”
“What are you writing?”
It was silent for a very long time.
“I’m just, trying to figure out how much money we’d need to save to get us out of here.”
I was shocked. I had never heard Jason ever mention a hope for us leaving our trailer. He always liked to talk ‘realistically’ and said dreaming never did anyone any good.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
I stood by his feet for a couple more minutes before going back to my room. Fredrick had already gone to sleep. I sat in my bed and stared at the wall. What would life be like outside the trailer park? Maybe if we earned enough money, we could afford a small apartment in town! Then we could get my parents some professional help, while we had a safe roof over our heads. I sat in bed and daydreamed until I heard a chorus of snores in every bedroom. Was everyone asleep already? I got up, and went to the kitchen to look at the only clock in our trailer. It was almost 2 am, and I was still wide-awake. I went in my bedroom to get changed out of my uncomfortable pajamas, and then went back into the kitchen. I got a small snack from the fridge, and on my way to the kitchen table I noticed my moms purse lying on the ground. I picked it up, reached in and found her keys to our car. I held them in my hand for a while, and decided my next move. It would be nice to go on a little drive, just till I get tired again. Then I’ll go straight home and to bed. I quickly ate my snack then bolted out the door.
We own a small, tan, rusty pick up truck. My brothers Jason and Albert use it the most, but two summers ago Albert taught me how to use it in secret, and since then I have been sneaking out a couple nights a month to take it for a drive. I got into the drivers seat and turned on the car.
I decided to avoid driving into town, cause then someone might see me and tell my parents. Instead, I went the opposite direction, towards south. There’s hardly any houses, and its mainly fields and farms. I rolled down the window, and felt the warm August wind whip my face. The radio was turned to a classic rock channel, but then I turned it completely off. I prefer the sound of bugs and nature to music.
After what could have been hours of driving, I decided it was time to head home. I was going to turn around, until I saw a car coming up close behind me. For a split second, I panicked. Then I realized that many cars drive on the road, and that this could just be a neighbor. Suddenly, top lights on the car began to flash blue and red. The cops? Did I do something wrong? I pulled over to the side of a cornfield. The only cop in our town is named Stan, who thinks he’s a big shot since he’s technically the chief of police for our town. I started searching through the glove box for car information of any sort that I could show Stan.
“Hello there, sport.”
I stopped dead. That wasn’t Stan’s voice talking to me through my window. In fact, I had never heard a man with that deep of a voice in my entire life. I looked up from my searching. A tall, muscular man dressed in a police officer suit was standing outside my car door.
“Uh, hello sir.”
He leaned in closer, his head nearly inside of my car.
“Do you know what time it is, kiddo?”
I kept my hand tightly on the key.
“No, I don’t, sorry.”
“Well, it’s nearly 4 am. Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“Yes..yes sir.”
“Then why aren’t you?”
“I couldn’t fall asleep.”
He chuckled.
“Okay, well I’m going to need you to step out of the car for a moment.”
I hesitated.
“Can I just stay in the car? I promise, you’ll never catch me out here again.”
“Sunny, get out of the car.”
Afraid of angering him, I slowly got out of the car.
“Okay, now, whose car is this?”
“My parents.”
“Oh, stealing you parents car at nighttime?”
“It’s not stealing. It belongs to the family.”
He chuckled again.
“Well, what is your family’s last name?”
“Slinger.”
He started writing it on a pad of paper he took out of his breast pocket.
“S-l-i---“
He froze.
“Did you say Slinger?”
His eyes widened twice their size, and his mouth was clenched shut. He looked like he was staring at a prized jewel that he had been searching for all of his life. He took a step closer to me. I felt my breath suddenly become very short and panicked. Obviously, this cop had heard of my family before.
“What is your first name, boy?”
I took a step backwards.
“Where’s Stan?”
“Tell me. What is your name.”
He took another step forward.
“No. I wont.”
He paused for a moment, as if to decide what to say next.
“Listen. I know all about the Slinger family. You and your 5 siblings live in a trailer park with parents Laine and Cory, who are alcoholics. Now, wouldn’t it be unfortunate if I go back to my police headquarters and tell them that these poor children need help, and that it’s important that we take immediate action? Maybe send a couple to Maine, a couple to Florida. Would you like that? Would you enjoy never seeing any of your family members ever again?”
His face was now two millimeters away from mine. I could feel my heart racing and my mouth was completely dry.
“So, tell me your name.”
I stared down at my feet.
“Shiloh Slinger.”

Splash!
I felt a stinging cold hit my face. I wiped my eyes, and saw a small boy holding a bucket standing above me.
“Wakey Wakey.”
I let out a smart yelp, and scooted backwards until my back hit a wall. I could feel my body trembling. Where am I?! I frantically glanced around the room. I was in a dimly lighted cement room, with no windows and two doors; I assumed one led to a bathroom. Inside were a couple of kids, who all looked about my age. None of them were paying attention to me; instead they were all sitting on bunk beds placed all around the room. Everyone seemed strangely calm, maybe even bored. I was in a panic.
The boy holding the bucket walked towards me.
“Hey, calm down, its alright.” The boy said. “Nobody’s going to hurt you.”
The boy was much smaller then me from what I could tell by looking at him. If he was lying, I could defiantly pin him down. The thought comforted me, and I began to slow down my breath. After a couple minutes, the boy spoke again.
“So, you must be Shiloh. You’re the only one missing from our room. See?”
The boy pointed to an empty bunk bed with my name written on the side banister.
“It’s about time you came.”
I heard a murmur of agreement from around the room. Now the other kids were looking at me from their beds.
I shut my eyes, and tried to remember how I had gotten here. I was driving…and driving…did I get home? No, wait, the policeman! My eyes snapped open
“Did a policeman capture you all too? Is that why we’re all here?”
A girl sitting on the lower bunk on the right side of the room spoke.
“No, I was knocked unconscious by a lady neighbor of mine while helping explain how to start her car.”
“Yeah, and I was captured while picking out a new surfboard.”
A tall muscular boy in red swimming trunks and a white surf shirt walked over. He had dark brown hair that fell right into his eyes, which also happened to be dark brown.
“Oh.” I mumbled. These kids acted like I had been here all along, and I was asking pointless question. I could feel my cheeks redden with embarrassment. I defiantly wasn’t going to cry, but I could feel some tears swell up behind my eyes.
“Now, where are our manners? Come on guys, let’s give the newcomer a hello and introduce ourselves.” Said the boy in the swimming trunks, whom I’m guessing had been watching me this whole time without me realizing it. That just made me even more embarrassed.
Everyone got off their beds and huddled around me. I noticed that they were all boys and only one girl.
“I’ll go first,” said the boy in the swim trunks. “Hi, my names Mark.”
“Maybe,” said the girl in the middle of the semi circle around me, “we should tell him something about ourselves too. Yknow, to make him feel more welcomed.”
“Yeah, good idea.”
He paused to think.
“ Hi, my name’s Mark. I like to surf, and any type of extreme sport that could possibly cause death. Those types are my favorite.”
I smiled. Mark and I would get along I think. Next in line was a slightly shorter and a little less muscular boy wearing a bright yellow long sleeved shirt and shorts. Instead of normal hair, he had a bright red Mohawk.
“Hey, my name’s Hector. I like to travel to cool places like Taiwan and England.”
“Hey, Hector, tell him how you got that bogus scar on your hand” said Mark in spontaneous excitement.
“Maybe some other time” Hector responded in a calm, cool voice. Hector reminded me of a warrior in medieval times, who fought battles but then never boasted or bragged. He seemed like a cool guy.
“Hi, my names Renee.” I looked up from staring at Hector’s scar. She had the longest hair I had ever seen; it went all the way down to her hips. She was about average height, and you could tell she was athletic. She was wearing a white tank top and blue shorts with tennis shoes.
“I like to work in my shed with my dad on the weekends, and paint.”
“Cool” I said, and then blushed. I didn’t respond to anyone else, I probably shouldn’t have said anything too Renee.
“And, you are?” I said quickly to the next kid in line. This was the same boy who had splashed water on me earlier, and he also looked quite young compared to the rest. He was very thin with little muscles on him and he had brown short cut hair with green eyes and braces. He was wearing a blue shirt with a Hershey bar on it, and shorts.
“My names Toby. I live in Florida, so my favorite thing is to go to Disney World and ride the rollercoaster’s.”
He sounded very abrupt and matter of fact like when he talked, like how a little kid talks. I didn’t like that, and I doubted he and I would be friends.
There was only one more boy in line. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes with a ring of green in the center. “Hey, my name’s Maxwell. I like to swim and write.”
Max had a strange way of talking, like he was talking in a dream. He didn’t seem focused, but you could tell he was talking to you.
“Hey, wait we’re missing someone! Where’s Flynn.” Said Hector.
“Who needs him” grumbled Toby. You could tell by everyone’s facial expressions that nobody missed Flynn one bit. Suddenly, there was a low eerie laugh that went around the room. Confused, everyone looked around. On the very last bunk bed in the back corner a shape emerged.
“Flynn, come and say hi to our new member.” Said Hector.
Flynn very slowly walked towards me. He had black hair that covered one eye, and deep brown eyes that almost looked red. He looked fragile like Toby, but he didn’t look weak. He was wearing a black button down shirt with a large tear in the sleeve, with black pants.
“Hello Shiloh. Its nice of you to finally show up.”
I didn’t like his tone. It was intense and aggressive. When he walked up to the circle, everyone quickly scooted over, as if to be too afraid to stand close to him. Renee was the only one who didn’t seem uncomfortable.
“Flynn” said Renee, “why don’t you tell Shiloh something about yourself.”
He smirked, then clasped his hands together like when kindergarten teachers are talking to their class.
“Shiloh, I am complex. I like complex things, like chess and riddles. I don’t like dumb people, or dumb things. I don’t like over half the people in this room because of that.”
I saw him glance over at Toby, who then crossed his arms.
“Now, if you want me to have any respect for you at all, then you will not talk to me, look at me, or breathe near me unless I ask you to. Is that clear?”
He was defiantly talking to me the way I talk to Wilma and Carey. I looked down at my feet.
“Good.”
He calmly walked towards his bed, and then crawled into the corner where you could only see his outline.
Once he was gone, everyone focused their attentions back on me. I could tell they were all embarrassed about Flynn.
“Sorry about him” said Mark, “he’s been like that ever since he’s gotten in this place.”
“I told you he shouldn’t have come over” Toby complained.
Mark reached out a hand to help me off the floor, where I had been sitting this whole time. I clumsily stood up, and almost tripped over my own feet.
“Careful there. Dude! You get to sleep right above me!” Mark said in excitement, and then grabbed my arm to show me where I would be sleeping.
“So, this is my bed?” I said, trying to start small talk.
“Yes sir. For the one and only Shiloh.”
I tried to smile, but something was defiantly off. Everyone here was so calm about being abducted and taken to a mysterious room. I am usually very optimistic, but there didn’t seem to be a real up side to this.
“So, why…exactly are we here?”
Mark suddenly got a sad look on his face, which almost made me regret asking.
“Well Shiloh, no one really knows. Some of us have been in here for months. We’ve tried every way possible to escape, but nothing worked. Then we figured we’d finally get our answer when the last kid arrived here, named Shiloh. Now that you’re here, we’re all hoping to get answers.”
He was now sitting on his bed, with his fingers intertwined in his lap. After a couple moments, he said in a slightly deflated voice “Okay, so I think its time for everyone to go to bed. Gnite dude.”
I looked around the room. Everyone was climbing into his or her bunk bed location. I looked over at Flynn’s bunk bed space, and I could see a small pair of deep brownish red eyes staring back at me. I quickly looked away, then climbed up to my bunk directly above Marks and tried to fall asleep. I tried for about an hour, then eventually gave up and decided to sit quietly and think about the situation I was in. It just didn’t make any sense. I guess this would be considered kidnapping, but why would the kidnappers handpick these random kids? I mean, Toby lives in Florida, and I live all the way in Oklahoma. Were all of these kids found in different states? I would have to ask that tomorrow. Something else was bothering me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but even though each kid looked very different, there was something very similar about how they looked too. It wasn’t their hair or eyes…suddenly, I hit me. Freckles! Every kid in the room had a face covered in freckles. Even Flynn, who was the palest of the group, had light freckles all around his face. A small coincidence I suppose.
I closed my eyes again, and started to feel myself dosing off into sleep. Abruptly, I felt a hand grab my ankle, and involuntarily I screamed, “Let go mom!”
“Shh!” I heard a whispered voice say.
I rubbed my eyes, and saw Maxwell standing on the ladder leading up to my bunk.
“Oh, Maxwell, its you.”
“Hey Shiloh, could we talk?”
I yawned. Great, another night with hardly any sleep.
“Couldn’t this wait till morning?”
Maxwell got an uneasy look on his face.
“Please, I think we should talk now.”
He was talking in the same faraway, unfocused voice he talked in earlier. I sat up in bed, then followed Maxwell down the ladder and over to the wall that I sat next to during their introductions.
“Okay, Maxwell, what’s up”?
He beckoned for me to sit down.
“I heard you asking earlier why we have been taken, and I think I can help answer your question.”
I was confused. How would shy little Maxwell know anything about why we were being captured and held in a room?
“Okay…you have my attention.”
He cleared his throat, and then began.
“Ever since I was little, I would have dreams, and they would come true. But I would never see exactly what would happen, it would always be pictures or flashes. One night, right before I got abducted during my swim meet, I had a dream that I was in a room with other kids. I couldn’t see their faces, but the number of kids in my dream was six, like the number of kids in this room. Anyways, each kid had a weird symbol floating above his or her head, and it was glowing too. Some were animals, and some were just symbols. And then, my dream changed and went to a different room. This room also had six kids in it, but each kid had different symbols above their heads then in the first room.”
He stopped, and stared at me. I didn’t know what to say. Some of the information seemed true, but glowing symbols? What is that supposed to mean?
“So, was that your whole dream?”
“No, not all of it. The rest was pictures of people exploding and dying. I didn’t know any of the people, but it was still awful.”
Once he said this, I stood up. This boy obviously had some issues to work out, or at least needed more sleep. Maxwell stayed sitting on the floor.
“Well, thank you for telling me. I think I’m going to go back to bed.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?” He said, with a small voice.
“Listen, it’s not that I don’t believe you, its just that it’s late and---“
“No, you listen. I’m not crazy.” His voice was still in whisper, but a determined one. “Lots of people are going to die because of us, I know it.”
He was now standing too.
I didn’t know how to respond. There was no way our small group of teens was going to cause people to die.
“Take it easy” I started, “No one’s going to die. Now, lets go back to bed. We’ll talk more about this later.”
Maxwell paused, obviously upset, and then walked back to his bunk.
“Night, Max.”
“Goodnight, Shiloh.”

I woke up the next morning in a puddle of sweat and my chest heaving up and down. I turned over, and looked down at the windowless room. “So it wasn’t a dream.” I sighed. I heard calm breathing from around the room; no one seemed to be awake yet. I staggered down the ladder leading off my bunk, and walked into the bathroom. The bathroom was a pale green color, with a black sink and toilet. In the back corner there was a shower that was even smaller then the one back in my trailer. On the sink there was a toothbrush holder with 6 toothbrushes inside. Each one had a name on it. I picked up the navy blue one with the name Shiloh on it. Man, I thought, these people really thought of everything.
I took a quick shower, and then put on one of the robes that I found in a small closet next to the shower.
“Hello? Is there someone in the bathroom?” I heard Renee’s voice on the other side of the door. I felt my face turning red.
“Oh, uh, yeah. I am. Its Shiloh.”
I heard her giggle.
“Sorry Shiloh. I’ll come back in a bit.”
I heard her walk away from the door, and then I slapped my forehead with my hand. Well, that was only incredibly awkward. I felt bad for Renee; she had to live with 5 other boys. She probably viewed all of us as her brothers, or annoying neighbors. I quickly brushed my teeth, and then unlocked the door. Renee and Flynn were talking on his bunk in what looked like a serious conversation, and Hector was the only other person awake. He was sitting up in his bed in the middle of a huge yawn. Maxwell, Toby, and Mark continued sleeping. Mark’s snores could make a bullhorn wake up.
“Could someone shut him up?” Toby mumbled, mid sleep. “Some of us are still sleeping.”
Renee and Flynn ignored him, but Hector went to over to Marks bed and tried to wake him up by shaking him, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Ugh. He sounds like a bulldozer moving a elephant that’s sneezing.” Said Toby, who had given up on sleeping and now was sitting on his bed too.
I glanced back over at Renee and Flynn, who were still talking in a whispered tone.
“I wonder what they talk about too.” Said Hector, who had noticed me staring.
“Yeah, the just seem like such opposites.” Renee seemed so cool and fun, while Flynn was so intense and proper. Even their appearances screamed that they weren’t meant to be friends.
“I don’t know man, I really don’t.” Hector said, then patted my shoulder and walked into the bathroom.
I was about to climb onto my bunk, but then Renee said “Hey Shiloh, mind coming over here for a minute?” She was smiling, but Flynn looked like if I took a step in their direction he would murder me on the spot.
“I…I can’t. Sorry.”
Her smile faded away instantly, and she looked at Flynn, who shrugged his shoulders. I felt bad, but I was not about to have Flynn attack me. Besides, Renee and I could talk later when Flynn’s busy. I climbed up my later and sat in my bed. I felt something poking at my thigh, and reached inside my pocket to find a small pencil I put in there while trying to escape Mrs. Kristin’s class. Suddenly, I had the thought, would I ever see Mrs. Kristin again? Or my parents? They probably think I stole the car and ran away. I imagined my mom and dad, holding a bottle of wine, sobbing at the kitchen table, with Fredrick, Albert, and Jason comforting them. The thought made tears swell up in my eyes, and I tried to think of something else, but I just couldn’t shake the thought. I quickly scooted next to the wall, and started to draw. I’m not really an artist, so I mainly just drew squiggly lines and stick figures. I was in the middle of drawing a knight fighting off a dragon, when I heard someone climbing up my ladder.
“Hey.”
It was Renee. She had just gotten out of the shower, so her hair was up in a towel. She was wearing one of the robes from the closet too. She didn’t climb fully onto my bunk; she just stayed on the ladder.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“ I just wanted to see how you’re doing. See maybe if you had anymore questions.”
“Actually yeah, I have loads.”
My stomach growling interrupted me, and I had an idea.
“So, how does everyone eat in this place?”
“Oh! Yeah sorry we forget that newcomers don’t know anything about this place.” A glimmer of white light appeared in my mind. If someone delivered the food, then maybe we could figure out a way to bribe him into telling us answers. I eagerly watched her hopped of the ladder and walked towards the door. Under the handle, there was a large rectangular outline cut into the door.
“Three times a day, this slot opens like a drawer, and our food is already prepared on top of it. Sometimes it will also have books or little games on it to. Then, once you’re done, you put the plates back on it, and it closes again. It stinks though because it’s built so you can’t see the outside.”
She walked back over to the ladder.
All hope faded from my eyes, and I felt deflated.“Anything else?” She asked with a smile. For some reason, her smile just made me angry. What’s so great about getting locked in a room and fed three times a day like guinea pigs? And why is this not freaking anyone out? I felt my teeth clench together, and a sudden pit of rage build up in my stomach. I felt the words spill out of my mouth before I could stop them, like they had been trying to escape this entire time.
“Yeah. I do, now that you mention it. Why the hell are you smiling?!”
Her smile faded as quickly as everyone’s eyes fell on me. I kept my gaze on Renee.
“Aren’t you worried? Or scared?” My voice had risen to a yell. The room was dead silent. I hopped off my bunk and stood at the front of the room.
“We were kidnapped, forced into this room with five other strangers, and fed through a box. Doesn’t this bother ANY of you?”
“Of course it does.” Said Renee coldly.
“Really? Cause you all could’ve fooled me. I haven’t seen one tear fall, one call for mom or dad, nothing. It’s like you all have just forgotten-“
“-We have not forgotten Shiloh.” It wasn’t Renee, but Hector, who interrupted me. “We’ve lost hope.”
With those words, I felt my stomach churn. I looked at Hector. His eyes were swelled with tears, but he stared straight at me. His gaze made me feel uncomfortable and guilty for saying something in the first place. Renee, too, had tears in her eyes, but her gaze was much colder then Hector’s. Mark had woken up now, and he was sitting on the side of his bed, looking down at his feet. Toby was shifting uncomfortably around in his bed, and was staring around the room to avoid making eye contact with anyone. Flynn was the only one who seemed undisturbed by this conversation, and was lying down with his hands under his head. I couldn’t find Maxwell; I assumed he was in the bathroom. I looked back at Renee, and knew I had to make amends for everything I said.
“I…I’m sorry everyone, especially you.” I gestured at Renee, who turned her head in disapproval. After an awkward pause, I cleared my throat and continued. “I forget you all have been here for a longer time then me. It’s just, I want answers, yknow? And it’s a horrible feeling knowing you’ve been kidnapped, but not knowing by who or why. It’s like feeling an itch, and not being able to scratch it. You feel so out of control.” Renee’s head turned in a sudden jolt, which made me jump back. She said ,in a yelling hiss ,“Yeah? Well, guess what. We’re all going through it, in fact, we’ve been going through it longer then you. You are the last person who gets to complain in this room, understand? You’re not special, Shiloh.”
She turned around and stomped back over to the bunks. Instead of getting in her own bed, however, she climbed up the ladder and went into Flynn’s. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room, and I didn’t know if I should keep apologizing, or just promise a vow of silence for the rest of my time here. Right as I opened my mouth to excuse me to the bathroom (Maxwell had come out now with red puffy cheeks) Hector spoke. “It’s okay Shiloh. I understand your feelings. I was the first person who was taken into this room, and I spent twelve days alone here. At first I was angry, upset, and confused. I realized something though, that whatever happened here, happened. And right now, there is nothing we can do about it.” He walked over to me and grabbed my shoulder. “Soon we’ll get our answers. Soon. But for right now, we need to think positive thoughts. That’s the only way we’ll stay sane.” Hector turned around and started walking back to the bunks, when mid way he turned back around to face me. “For example, we’re alive.”
“Yeah” I thought. “ But for how long?”