At about 5.30 pm on Wednesday, Gerrard was approaching his house close to Duffle town, London, when three men armed with locally made guns pulled him over and surrounded the car forcing him to lay down on the back seat of the car, blindfolded and bound as they drove off.

The kidnappers had taken his phone and wallet, leaving him with nothing but his thoughts. He kept thinking about his family and wondered how they will cope if they never saw him again. He thought about the things he could have done better like saving up money for his family instead of spending it on liquor or even encouraging his wife to take up a job. I hope it’s not too late to make a change, said Gerrard to himself.

After what seemed like an eternity, the car finally stopped and when Gerrard raised his head still blindfolded, he was greeted with the smell of dung from a cowbarn and he knew that he was in the countryside far away from the city of London. He was taken to a small room where he was untied and unblindfolded. Whereas, back at home, Mary just finished tucking Gerrard’s boys to sleep then she gazed at the clock on her way out of the room wondering why Gerrard wasn’t back home from work but then again guessed that he must have been out drinking.

Another hour passed and she became more agitated at the fact that it was almost midnight and still no Gerrard. So, she picked up the phone to call Gerrard’s colleague named Collins. Hello, hon said Collins as he picked up the call. Mary then went ahead to ask if Gerrard was still at the office and Collins responded by telling her that Gerrard left the office hours ago, ‘ok, thanks, and see you on Friday’ Mary further replied as she dropped the call.

Still perplexed by the whereabouts of her husband, Mary kept looking through the window hoping to catch a glance of Gerrard driving in but saw nothing until she noticed what looked like his car parked at a distance with the headlight on. Mary quickly rushed to the car only to meet an empty car with the ignition still on.

It was then that it occurred to her that Gerrard might be in trouble, so she dialed 999 and then reported that her husband was missing. Two police officers arrived as soon as it was possible, collected the necessary information, and then promised Mary to find her husband.

Back in the countryside where the hideout was located, the kidnappers had already disposed Gerrard of his wallet, mobile phone (blackberry),ATM card, money, and wristwatch. He was also forced to disclose the PIN of his ATM card with a warning that if it was found not to be correct he would be killed.

One of the kidnappers then drove to a nearby gas station to use an automated teller machine to withdraw from the victim’s card only to find out that Gerrard had only 50 pounds in his account.

When he got back to the hideout and reported that only 50 pounds were in the account, the other kidnappers were so furious and decided to kill Gerrard.

Indeed, the kidnappers began to beat up Gerrard and did so within an inch of his life. Gerrard knew he had to do something. He couldn’t imagine how much his family would suffer as a result of his death so he thought hard, trying to come up with a plan. That’s when he came up with an idea. He would offer to help the kidnappers kidnap another person in exchange for his release.

He pleaded that he knows one of his colleagues who always boast of having loads of money on his card and that he will be willing to help the kidnappers in abducting this colleague.

The kidnappers pondered on the idea and eventually agreed to Gerrard’s suggestion. One of them then asked for the name and description of the person Gerrard would be willing to help them kidnap. Gerrard responded by naming Collins as the flamboyant colleague who will surely have the kind of money the kidnappers would need. ‘He is a single guy living alone’ said Gerrard ‘So there shouldn’t be any problem kidnapping him’ he stated further. He gave them all the information they needed to kidnap Collins. He even showed them pictures of what Collins looked like and what car he drove. A few seconds later, Gerrard’s face visibly became sour, and his heart sunk in shame as he realized what he had just done. He had put his colleague and friend in great danger, but he consoled himself with the fact that had he not done so, he might have been killed by the kidnappers.

Within a day, they all came up with a plan all through the night. It was the idea of one of the kidnappers that they should kidnap Collins

when leaving the office complex to his car which was agreed to by others including Gerrard who also informed the kidnappers of the closing time for most employees in the company.

The next day was Friday, the day the plan was to be carried out. At about 4 pm, they all drove out in an unmarked vehicle with Gerrard tied, blindfolded, and kept in the boot of the car. When they got to the vicinity of the office, they waited at the end of the underground parking lot hoping to grab Collins as he drives out. They had waited for about three hours and began to get frustrated at the fact that they may have just wasted their time. So one of the kidnappers furiously yelled at Gerrard that he could hear from the boot where he was kept that they were going to drive to his own house, kidnap his wife then he would know just how serious they were. Even when Gerrard began to cry and beg, they drove nevertheless to Gerrard’s house in a bid to kidnap his wife but on reaching the house, they saw a man come out of the house looking

tiresome with his trousers unzipped as he worked slowly to a car. Then it occurred to one of the kidnappers that the car was that of Collins and the beautiful lady in her underwear who closed the door after Collins must have been Gerrard’s wife.

Regardless, the kidnappers grabbed Collins, tied him up, blindfolded him, and kept him in the back seat of the car. They drove for about two hours and when they got to the outskirt of London, the kidnappers parked the car briefly and one of them came out, and opened the boot to release Gerrard. And before he stepped back into the car, he grabbed Gerrard by the head, raised his mask above his mouth, and whispered to Gerrard, “Collins isn’t your friend so don’t lose sleep over what you have done or this piece of shit”. So the kidnappers drove off with their new captive while Gerrard who was left by the roadside was able to lose the rope he was tied with and remove the blindfold.

After several attempts to hitch a ride late that night, Gerrard was able to find a driver who took him into town in a truck. He thanked the driver and found his way home.

He knocked on the door and was graced with the sight of his wife as he kissed her holding on to her tightly with the joy and relief only a free man can possess. She was happy at least he wasn’t dead; Gerrard was happy he was home no matter the cost.

Mary asked, and Gerrard recanted the ordeal he faced at the hands of the kidnappers while leaving out the details of how he convinced the kidnappers to kidnap Collins in exchange for his freedom.

They were both pleased it ended well. Gerrard then asked Mary as she stroll to the room if she reported the matter to the police and if anyone had come to the house, and she replied as she entered the room “Yes, just the police officers”. Shortly after, Gerrard followed Mary into the room but kept thinking about his friend Collins and hoped he was alive and well. Gerrard got to the room and as he was about to lay on the bed, he couldn’t but notice a blue tie sticking out from underneath the bed.

He picked it up and then chuckled while holding it because he was sure it wasn’t his tie. He then remembered what the kidnapper told him about Collins and then said out loud; Piece of Shit!!