AFTERNOON ABDUCTION - by D.C.B.J.

D.C.B.J. took the Grind Café Writers’ Group “Free-write Challenge” at this year’s Summer Dreams Literary Arts Festival at Trout Lake, Vancouver. The brave drew random prompts then took a break from the fest to go sit under a tree, and let it rip for 10 minutes without stopping in a free-write—and see what emerged. Braver yet, they agreed to let us post their raw version. So remember, this is unedited, unfinished output. Thanks to all participants.
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Prompt: This was a special prompt with a Part A and a Part B.
 

• In Part A people were asked to write for 10 mins. about a traumatic event in their lives and to write Part A before reading the instructions for Part B. 
• Part B asked them to go back and read what they wrote, and insert what their feelings and emotions were during the events they wrote about. 

This exercise was based on findings discussed in the book WRITING AS A WAY OF HEALING by Louise de Salvo – that if we merely chronicle traumatic events, that’s okay BUT if we write about what happened AND also write about what emotions we were feeling at the time, then  more healing occurs.

PART A: I was ten years old, living in London, England. It was daytime, so I was likely playing. Looking Canadian-born, I loved wandering around this strange (to me) city. So many wonderful places. I loved the big city parks because they reminded me of Stanley Park in my home city.  This one afternoon I was at Picadilly Circus, trying to cross the street. Taxis and other cars crept past me, slowed by heavy traffic. A man, older, maybe fifty, well-dressed, was standing next to me; a big wad of money in his hand caught my eye. I had never seen so much money. The man saw me looking at it. He said to me, “You want some of this?” I looked at him, shocked by the question. He grinned, then he hailed the taxi in front of us, opened the door and got in, pulling me in after him. I screamed. The driver, who had begun to drive away already, asked, “Little girl, do you want to be here?” I shouted, “No!” “Get ready to jump!” he said, and quickly jolted to a stop. I had the door open and I lept out and ran away before my captor could catch me. The driver, my hero, sped off, leaving me safely behind. ©2013 D.C.B.J.

PART B: I was very scared and shocked, then relieved to be safe. At the time, I had no idea how much trouble I was in.