• as i ran down the alleyway i couldnt help but wonder how i had gotten myself into this mess....again. the man behind me was gaining on me but i knew if i wanted to survive and if i wanted my friends to survive i had to get away. i dug down deep and pumped my legs harder, trying desperatly to get away....and failing. i looked behind me. big mistake. the man lept at me. i felt him land ON TOP OF my backpack that was up high on my back. as we both fell to the ground i knew i was going to have to try to find a way out of this mess. i hit the ground full force and scrambled away from the man. and then...it was fighting time, and he was not alone. more men came running up from behind. as they charged me i took my defensive stance. i took one down with a double punch and another one down with a kick. one of them grabbed me from behind in a bear hug. i pushed off the alley wall with my feet and sent us to the floor, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him to release me. as i got up again i swept another man's feet out from under him. then all of a sudden it went dark for me as someone shuved a black bag over my head. i threw my elbow where i guessed his face was and heard the satisfying yell of agony as i came in contact with his nose. however i didnt have time to take the bag off because more were coming...i could hear them. i lashed out at them with everything i had, my hands, elbows, feet, and knees. then all went quiet. i took the chance to take the bag off my head. i was momentarily blinded by the sun. and thats when he attacked. i was hit to the ground by the force of back of his fist hitting my cheek bone. i struggled to my hands and knees, already tasting blood in my mouth. my hands and feet shook with exhaustion. it looked like after 5 days of running from these men i had finally reached my limit. then with a grip of iron he grabbed me by the front of my shirt, and said quietly "either you come quietly with us...or we take you by force." my answer was to spit the blood from my mouth at him. anger flashed in his black eyes as he threw me to the ground. i didnt even get a chance to get to my hands and knees again before i was kicked again in the ribs with much more force than before. as i lay there panting, trying to make myself get up he put his foot in the middle of my back, pinning me. never before had i felt much strength. he tied my hands behind my back and my feet together. then as i strugled to get free, he shoved the black bag over my head again. i heard the opening of a van's sliding side door and i was thrown inside. i landed with a thud on that cold steal as he shut the door behind me. i heard the passenger door open and heard it close again. "go" was all he said to the driver. it was a bumpy ride and i knew i was going to have bruises in the morning but it was nothing new to me. as the car came to a stop i tensed up for i knew i was in some deep trouble. i was escourted inside, the black bag still on. they forced me into a chair and tied me to it. then before i had a second to think about anything the black bag was ripped off of my head. it didnt take long for my eyes to adjust to the gloom. what i saw made my blood run cold. the figure in front of me was shapeless, the only thing i could make out were his steal blue eyes. and even though i had trained myself to show no signs of fear, i couldnt help but tremble as he said, "long time no see, sakura."