Katie’s face took the full force of the salty wind and she sighed as she sipped her iced tea. The summer day was heavenly. She turned to check on her daughter Lucilla but discovered she was missing. Frowning Katie searched the decks and finally her room. She was nowhere to be seen! A curious dread was overcoming her and she made her way to the bowels of the ship where the cargo was kept. There she heard a muffled sound. Her eyes darted back and forth and finally she lit a lantern. Suddenly her foot got caught by a rope and she went crashing down. The lantern broke and let out a hiss setting fire on the boxes nearby.
Katie was terrified. She thought she heard a wail from somewhere. On hands and knees she clumsily dodged the flickering flames and the wails got louder. At last she saw a little girl tied to a heavy box looking scared out of her wits. “Lucilla” Katie screamed in joy. She fought back tears when she saw Her precious daughter’s state. After carefully untying Lucilla, the pair jumped the burning ashes and opened the door.
They couldn’t see anything. Katie was astonished. She was expecting the stairway that led to the decks. They must have taken the wrong turn. With no light direction or stewardess Katie felt hopeless. Also, she felt that she was being followed. When was this horrible nightmare going to end? A glimmer of hope suddenly shone into her eyes. She remembered that she had seen a door which had been illuminated by the flames for a millisecond.
Unfortunately, now it was pitch dark. She felt the walls several times and finally her hand touched a wooden panel. She pulled it and she revealed a door. Suddenly a black hand shot out from behind, grabbed Lucilla and slammed the door shut. Katie recognized the masked figure as… Hans! The no good man who was in charge of wiping the pictures of the grand hall.
The footsteps of the masked figure died away as he vanished in the dark. A few minutes later she heard a click and the door was locked. Katie sank down and sobbed bitterly. She had tried so hard to save her daughter but she had failed. She wasn’t sure if she could save herself now. A few seconds later she slumped down unconscious.
Katie woke up blinking and staring at a hospital wall. She jerked up and cried. “Where’s Lucilla?” The doctor looked relieved. Then Katie saw the most wonderful sight. Her parents, husband and best of all Lucilla all standing there smiling. Her daughter flung herself on her mother and shared a memorable hug. When she recovered, the Newspapers answered her question. Hans was behind bars safely away from any kidnapping.
