The bank was still open when I entered, my heart in my mouth. Stoneton was a small town, and its residents were notorious gossips. But the bank staff had been good to me ever since I'd opened my account two months ago, and they'd made sure my parents never found out about the hidden funds I was squirreling away for a day such as this one.
Except, when I got to the counter, I found out they had in fact known about the account, and I felt the blood drain from my face when I learned my account had been drained of every last pence. I felt like throwing up.
"I'm so sorry," the teller confided. "I do wish there was a way we could have prevented this. Someone must have spoken to your parents; that's the only way such a thing would have happened. Werewolf laws don't apply to humans, so technically you're still a minor in their eyes."
I swore helplessly. I was broken, headed off at the pass before I could even make the first steps towards freedom. And it was highly unlikely I'd be able to try to open a second account. The teller confirmed this when I asked her.
"Your parents have put a note on your file stating they'll pursue legal action if we allow you to open another account," she said. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted to do something for yourself, but ..."67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFC5KBHzVgQ
"FREEZE!"
The command halted her words, and I turned, horrified to see several balaclava-clad men enter the bank, guns in hand. "THIS IS A HOLDUP!" the head robber bellowed. "EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR, NOW!"
I dropped to the floor, covering my head with my hands as the doors were shut and locked. Heart pounding, I heard several people exclaiming in muffled tones as they were presumably searched and relieved of their purses and wallets. I winced as rough hands pawed through my pockets, but soon they withdrew, and after a few more tense minutes, we were allowed to sit up. "I'm going to make this really easy for everyone," the head robber said, his voice milder now. "You've all noticed I've left your phones with you. That's for a reason. Right now there's going to be quite a lot of people worried about you when news of this leaks out. When they call or text you, you tell them the truth; you're being held hostage until our demands are met. If your loved ones ask further, well, you tell them you don't know what those demands are, and that you'll let them know as soon as you find out. Do I make myself clear?"
There were frightened nods all around, and I felt sick again as I found myself nodding along. "Good," the robber said. "Now, sit tight, and if anyone needs anything, sing out."
This shift took a few people by surprise, and one woman nervously lifted her hand. "Yes?" the head robber asked, his tone changing from commanding to conciliatory. "You're due soon?"
The woman blushed. "I am," she said in a small voice. "But I don't want my husband finding out where I am; he's tried to force me to have an abortion, and if he finds out I'm having this baby against his wishes, he'll come to the hospital as soon as it's born, and take him or her from me."
The robber frowned behind his mask. "You've left him."
"Yes," the young woman said, more confident now. "But he's drained my account, and I can't afford to pay this month's rent. He's intimidated my family so badly they won't help me for fear he'll come after them, and I don't blame them. But if I get kicked out, I've got nowhere else to go."
"George?" the head robber called. Another man came over. "Look after this lady," the head robber ordered him. "Whatever she needs, you give it to her."
"Yes, boss," George said, sitting down by the woman and taking her hand. As they began talking, some of the tension left the room. This emboldened an older man to speak up.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked, a slight snap to his words.
The head robber shrugged. "I've got reasons," he said. "Once you're all settled, I'll tell you what those reasons are. Right now, all you need to do is sit tight."
The older man wasn't mollified. "I'll have you know I know some names in this town," he said. "I can have this place surrounded before you can blink."
"You can," the head robber agreed amiably. He then aimed his gun at the older man. "And I can shoot a hell of a lot faster. You get your friends to surround this building, we'll soon find out if they're as quick on the draw as me. And I never miss."
This caused the older man's fire to die out, and he subsided, glaring daggers at the head robber, who ignored him and continued making the rounds. Most of the other hostages were torn between fear and trust, but on a whole, they generally felt safe enough to make their requests known, most of them simple needs like food, water, or to to answer nature's call. One by one, everyone's needs were met, and as night drew on, I felt more safe here than I ever had at home. In fact, I felt even safer than I did at the library, and that was saying something. I was still scared out of my wits, but so far, our captors had been nothing but generous.
Still, there was a down side to this silver lining; my parents would find out I was being held hostage. And they'd have the place stormed to get me back, even if it resulted in deaths. It wouldn't be out of concern for me, but rather a fear that I'd get out and find my own kind. I prayed, therefore, that they'd have the good sense to realise that trying to have the bank invaded would be bad news for the rest of my fellow hostages. 67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIIUfl7xJZ
