Nine.  Elly

Elly ran, her head spinning; full of images she didn’t want to think about -  Clifford and Nick’s dad involved in some sort of shady dealing; her mum’s face as the cell door slammed shut; Nick pretending to be concerned about her and his fake apology. She ran on blindly, she thought she heard someone call out her name but she kept on running.

Suddenly she collided with something solid and staggered back; the wind knocked out of her. A hand grabbed her arm and twisted it back sharply, making her scream in pain.

“Look what I’ve caught” said a familiar voice, “little Olive, what are you doing out here all on your own? Won’t mummy be worried about you?” Elly couldn’t believe it, first Nick and now she’d run into his fan club; Baz was holding on to her, while Sam watched grinning from ear to ear. Baz appeared to be a lot more cocky when Nick wasn’t around.

Broken bottles were scattered over the ground, Sam picked up a stone and threw it at a bottle perched on a tree stump; the bottle smashed sending more fragments of glass flying. “Yes!” he shouted in triumph, “in one, did you see Baz?”
“Nice one.” Baz replied, turning Elly round so he could get a better look.

Elly struggled to break free but the grip on her arm tightened, “Let me go” she hissed; but Baz shook his head. “Tell us what you’re up to first” he said, “what’s in your bag? Sam, look and see if she’s got any money.”

Sam took the bag and tipped out the contents, he began rooting through them but gave a snort of disgust when he found nothing of interest. He picked up a mobile phone and examined it briefly. “Hasn’t even got a camera on it, might be worth something though, what do you reckon Baz?”

Baz nodded and shoved Elly away from him, she landed heavily; cutting her cheek on the broken glass as she fell. It started bleeding, the blood scarlet against the paleness of her skin.

Sam and Baz stared at her, Sam looking slightly green at the sight of the blood; neither of them tried to help her. She tried to sit up but she was starting to feel a bit strange, her arm was really hurting and her face was sticky with blood; its metallic taste in her mouth.

Everything was beginning to blur, from far away she could make out voices shouting, the sound of running feet and then nothing but dark silence.
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