Accidentally Kidnapped

11-Grandpa

I drank three more bottles of water before we made it back into town and pulled up behind another old looking building. It was in the older part of town where there wasn't much foot traffic. Before we got out, Bill nodded to Joe, who turned around with a coil of rope and a cloth in his hands. He started to climb to the back, but Connor stopped him. "I think she'll behave," and he gave me another pointed look, but it also held some remorse.
"Ok," Bill grumbled, "but one word and-"
"I know. One word and we'll tie her up for the rest of the trip."
We got out of the car and walked into the back door and up the steps. I was thankful to not be restrained and surprised Connor did that for me. Bill led the way, followed by Connor, me, and then Joe. I still wasn't completely free yet, but I was thankful for what I had.
We found room 24 and walked in. A nurse got up from a chair next to a bed and walked over to us. "We're family," Bill explained. "Could you please give us a moment?" As she left the room, Joe saw me eye her with hope so he pushed me the rest of the way into the room. There, lying on the low bed, was a very old, gray man.
"Grandpa!" They all said as they rushed over to him. It wasn't the kind of greeting excited children would have exclaimed, it was a worried greeting that suggested he wasn't doing well. The poor man did not look well. He was very skinny, the skin around his eyes was drooping, and he was coughing weakly every few minutes. I would have gone over to him with them, but Joe had brought duct tape and taped me to a chair.
The next hour included tears of happiness, stories from decades past, and a struggle to get free. I had regained my strength, and I knew I had to get out of there. My captors were almost done with their visit. If they were going to let me go, they were going to have to do it soon. I remembered Bill telling me that they might not be able to let me go. I was going to have to start acting on my own. I don't believe they'd kill me, but I didn't want to spend the rest of my life as a hostage. Maybe they would demand a ransom from my parents. But what if they didn't want to pay it? I was being silly, right? I was just really stressed. The only thing I got from trying to get free were blisters on my wrists. Joe noticed and and thought we should start to leave. I guess he thought I was close to freeing myself and wanted to go before that happened. Grandpa looked five years younger just from the visit of his grandsons, and I knew from what Connor had told me that he would live longer now that he had his wife's journals. It was, in a way, really sweet.