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Warm sunlight streamed through my window, warming my face and lighting up the insides of my eyelids blood red. I couldn't open my eyes in bright light, so I simply enjoyed the sensation and lay listening to the sounds of everyday life coming through my open window. There were children laughing and playing in the park across from the house; people chattering as they walked to work along the quiet suburban street; a bicycle with a squeaky wheel passing by. I drifted back to sleep, dreaming I was floating in a balloon high above the beautiful English countryside, drinking white wine with my wife.
I awoke to the sound and smell of rain. The sky was dark grey with low heavy clouds and a cool gusty wind that blew wet leaves against my window. I couldn't see outside but imagined people scurrying along the street, straining to keep hold of their umbrellas, their faces contorted in the bad weather. I sat up, sighed, and scratched my head. My hair and skin were itchy and I needed a shower so much. I was also starving although it would be hours before they gave me something to eat. I had lost several kilos over the past few weeks, but there was nothing I could do about that.
Later that morning, the door opened and one of them came in. She was wearing a scarf over her face and never spoke, so I had no idea of her nationality. I had seen another one of them a week before. He was a large man and appeared to be their leader. She seemed slightly afraid of him. I only caught a glimpse, but I think he was caucasian. She put a tray of food on the dressing table and left. I heard her lock the door. The chains on my wrists and ankles allowed me to just reach the food, which I had to eat with my fingers. I thought about my family, what they would be doing and what they must be thinking at that moment. Most of all I wondered whether they were going to pay the ransom to the kidnappers.
I awoke at 5am to the sound of thunder and flashes of lightning illuminating the room in stark white light. The noise from the storm was deafening, but in my situation, I wasn't worried as I had a lot more to fear than a thunderstorm. Then suddenly, the glass in the window smashed and in a just a few seconds, three men in black combat gear jumped through the window and into the room beside me. Downstairs I could hear the doors being broken open and the loud 'crack crack crack' of gunfire. A few seconds later one of the men switched on the light. 'I'm major Jones, SAS,' he said. 'You are safe now sir. Oh!... and of course... good morning!'
Adjectives
everyday:
Usual, normal, routine.
squeaky:
Making a high noise, often because two things are rubbing together.
gusty:
Wind suddenly blowing fast and strong, then slow again.
contorted:
Something is twisted so that it has an unattractive shape.
starving:
Very hungry because you have no food.
caucasian:
A description of a person's colour meaning 'white'.
stark:
Very simple, obvious and severe.
deafening:
So loud that it hurts your ears.
Verbs
stream:
Here meaning 'continuous sunlight, like a river'.
chatter:
To talk quickly in a friendly way.
drift back to sleep:
To slowly fall asleep again when you are very relaxed.
scurry:
To move quickly, in a hurry, taking small steps.
strain:
Here meaning 'try very hard to do something, using all your energy'.
sigh:
To breathe out making a noise to show you are not happy, or bored.
illuminate:
To make light.
Nouns
a sensation:
In this case meaning 'a feeling'.
a glimpse:
The opportunity to see something for a very short time.
a ransom:
Money (or other valuable things) paid to free someone because they have
been taken prisoner.
a kidnapper:
A person who takes someone as a prisoner so that they can get money or
something valuable in return.
combat gear:
A strong uniform designed for soldiers to wear when fighting.
gunfire:
The sound of guns being fired repeatedly.
the SAS:
A group of special soldiers who deal with difficult situations.