Waking Up In Handcuffs

A Tribute to The Rangers Who Protect and Preserve Our National Parks.
Written by,
Ian Toomey

Augh, where am I? I thought as I opened my eyes.

I looked around. I was in a grey cement room that seemed to be filled about
three-fourths of the way with snow.
Thats weird. Why is there snow in the room? It feels really warm in here. I
thought.
There were two light rods on the ceiling, along with a fire sprinkler. The door
was grey as well and it had no windows. The only identifying feature was the key
hole in the lower middle left of the door. I moved my arms to prop myself up, but
they would not come apart. I looked back at my wrists and saw they were cuffed
together behind my back with metal hinged handcuffs.
Okay, well that complicates things. I whispered to myself.
Rolling over onto my back, I propped myself up into a sitting position, then I
wiggled forward until I slipped off the table I was resting on. When my feet hit the
floor, I instantly knew this wasnt snow. These were feathers. Down feathers.
Suddenly I succumbed to a sneezing fit, and I fell onto my stomach. That only made
the sneezing worse. It lasted for several seconds, then it finally ended. My eyes
itched, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I went over to the door and tried to get my finger in the keyhole. When I
finally did I pulled, but the door didnt budge. It was locked. I looked around for
other ways out. I saw a window, there are five bars going from the top of the
window to the bottom of the window, so there was no getting out of the window.
Next I turned my attention to the ceiling. It looked like the same type of roof that is
in my school. Drywall panels that if pushed upon would move upwards. I coughed a
few times, then had an idea.
I went over to the table and sat down on it. I curled my legs up to my chest
and tried to get my hands in front of me. It hurt a lot. I tried three times, but every
time the pain in my wrists was too much, and I eventually gave up and just kept my
hands behind me. These cuffs hurt, but I could live with them, I guess.
I dont remember anything as to how I got here before this. The only thing I
know is my name and my age. Im Flint and Im nine years old.
The table was the only thing in the whole room besides the down feathers. It
is about four feet above the floor, and it is cement too. I use the table to sit, sleep,

and think on. It is high enough that my feet dangle, but low enough that I can jump
and land just fine. It is the do everything place.
I sat on the table and swung my legs back and forth. I was bored, hungry, and
homesick. I had no idea where I was or how I had gotten here. Then I heard a click
and the door swung open. A person walked in. The person was wearing completely
black all over his body, even over his face. I could not see his face at all.
I see you have woken up. Are you okay? No broken bones right? The person
said.
The person sounded like a young man. I shook my head no, then asked Can
you take my cuffs off?
The man shook his head no.
Oh. Yeah. Okay. I said, disappointed.
I kept swinging my legs back and forth. The man set something down on the
table next to me, then he turned and went out the door. He closed it, and I heard a
click. I knew he had locked the door again. I still had no idea where I was or what I
was going to do to get out of here. The man had given me food. It was cold and
stale, but it was fuel. I couldnt eat the bread, and I didnt want to drink the water. It
had weird things floating in it. I kicked the food off the table and into a corner. Then
I went back to the table and laid down.
Today something weird happened. I was asleep on the table when I heard a
whooshing sound. I opened my eyes to see a hole in the ceiling with a tube sticking
out of it. It was sucking out all the down feathers! I stayed laying on my bed until all
the down feathers were gone. The tube was as big as I was and it was yellow. It had
metal loops every two inches, and it sucked out all the feathers in about three
minutes.
Well, at least the feathers are gone. Now I wont sneeze as much! I thought
to myself.
Once the feathers were gone, the tube was pulled back into the ceiling and
the panel was put back in its place. Then it looked like nothing had ever happened.
Except, that the feathers were gone. Then I realized something... the table was just
high enough that if I stood up and pulled myself up, I could get up above the ceiling.
Then I might be able to find a way out of here. But first, I have to get my hands in
front of me. I sat down on the table and brought my legs up to my chest, then I tried
to get my hands in front of me. I tried and tried and tired, and finally after on the
fifth try I finally got my hands in front of me. I whooped with joy. Then I stood up on
the table and pushed on the drywall panel. It moved up and I moved it over. Then I
grabbed the panels next to it and lifted my feet off the table. The panels held firm.
Then I started swinging back and forth until I had gotten up enough momentum that
I flung myself through the hole.
Ouch! I yelled.

My arm had hit the side of the panel right on my funny bone, and it hurt a lot.
And no, it isnt funny!
I cradled my arm until the pain went away, then I replaced the panel I had
moved so it looked like nothing had happened. I kept looking for a way out.
Pretty soon I found a duct vent. I removed the grille, then looked it over. I
would have to army crawl through. I put my wrists in first, then just wriggled in
head-first. I could just barely make out a tiny light about five hundred feet in front of
me, so I guessed that was the way out. Oh, and the duct was really warm!
It must be cold outside. I thought to myself.
Then I remembered I wasnt really prepared for cold weather, because I was
only wearing a tee-shirt, cargo shorts, and my old Velcro tennis shoes.
Well, Ill just run really fast and that will help me stay warm. And maybe
someone will help me before I freeze to death.
I was about 10 feet from the light, and I could see it led to a vent that was
closed. When I got to it I opened it, and a chilling blast of ice and snow fell on my
hands.
Great. Its snowing! I whispered.
I shook off the snow, then pushed the grille out. I wriggled out of the duct and
stood up. I stretched my muscles, then looked around me. I was outside a giant
cement building. I could see a window on every level, and I counted ten levels. I
started shivering. I seemed to be out in the middle of as forest. Just a random
building in the middle of a big white forest. I decided to start running so I could
warm up and get away from here. I bolted away from the building as fast as my legs
could carry me. I found a road about a quarter of a mile away from the building, and
there were tire tracks going and coming. I knew this was a good sign if I wanted to
get rescued. I ran along the road away from the building for a very long time.
Eventually I stopped running. I slowed to a fast walk. I was breathing hard,
but I wasnt cold anymore. My wrists hurt where the cuffs were digging into them
from running, but other than that I was okay. I walked for about an hour, then I
started feeling cold again, so I started running. Then I heard a siren bleep behind
me. I jumped and stopped running, turning around. There was a white Park Ranger
SUV behind me. The light bar on the top of the SUV was flashing. I grew shy and
scared. I didnt know if it was the weird man in black or someone who actually
wanted to help me. I backed up against a tree and prepared to bolt if it was the
weird man in black. The drivers door opened and out stepped a young looking
woman. She walked over to me and I went a few steps backwards. I still didnt trust
her.
Kid! Hey, its okay. Im not going to hurt you! I am here to help you! She
said.
She had a nice calming voice.

Do you work for the weird man in black? I asked.

What? No. I dont work for any man in black. I work for the United States
Forest Service. My name is Amy. The woman said.
Are you a bad guy? I asked, still not trusting her.
No. I am not a bad guy. Your Parents called us and told us to look for you!
Dont worry, I wont hurt you.
Promise? I questioned.
Promise. Amy said, holding up her right hand as if swearing an oath. I was
beginning to trust her, so I came close to her. She picked me up and held me
against her. I had kept my wrists hidden, but she could apparently feel the cuffs
digging in to her, because she put me back down.
Alright kiddo, what do you have on your hands? She asked, smiling.
I held out my wrists so she could see the cuffs that were latched tightly
around them. Oh my goodness! How long have those been on you? Amy asked.
I shrugged my shoulders.
Well, lets get them off you. She said.
She had gotten down to my eye level, and now she stood up and went over to
her SUV. She opened the driver side door again and reached in. When she came
back out she had a small silver key. She closed the car door, then came back to me.
Alright, let me see your hands. She said.
I stuck my wrists out, and Amy put the key into the key hole on my left wrist.
She tried to turn the key, but it wouldnt budge. She took the key out and tied the
right cuff, but got the same result.
Okay why isnt this working? Amy asked, clearly confused.
She tried turning the key the other way, but it still would not turn.
Alright, you know what? Come with me to my car. Lets call the dispatch and
see what they think I should do. Amy said after fruitlessly trying to get my cuffs off.
Okay. I said.
I followed her to the passenger door of her SUV, then she opened it and
helped me in. She closed the door, then she went around and got in the drivers
seat. She grabbed a mic off the dashboard and pushed the button.
20 minutes later I found myself at the ranger station. Still cuffed. I was
waiting for the Fire Department to get here so they could cut off the cuffs. Finally
the Fire Department arrived and they brought some cutters that could cut through
the metal. They cut the left cuff first, then the right. Finally the cuffs are off! I
rubbed my wrists where they were sore. There were marks all around my wrists that

would probably be there for a very long time. Then Ranger Amy wanted to take me
to an Urgent Care center to make sure I was okay.
When I got to the Urgent Care Center I was given an IV that had water with
nutrients in it, and a physical therapist (PT) checked all of my limbs to make sure
they were okay. My shoulders hurt when the PT rotated my arms behind me, but he
wrote down some exercises I should do to get the pain to go away. Then I finally ate
some actual food. Not just bread and water. I had roast beef, potatoes, corn, and
some juice. It tasted amazing!
Then the doctor tried to get ahold of Mom. He called a 911 dispatcher, who
gave her Moms home and cell number. The doctor tried to call the home number,
but there was no answer. Then he tried the cell number. It rang a few times, the she
answered.
Hi Maam, this is Dr. Jacobson at Betty Childrens Memorial Hospital. The
Doctor said.
Im good Mam. The reason I am calling is because I have your son here with
me.
Yes Mam. He was found and he is okay.
Okay Mam. Sounds good.
Alright Maam. Bye. The doctor hung up the phone and turned to me.
Alright Flint. Your Mom will be here soon.
Yay! I cheered.
20 minutes later Mom arrived.
She came into the Emergency Department and was led to my room by a
nurse. I was sitting on the bed, when she came in I jumped up and hugged her.
Flint! Mom said, picking me up and hugging me.
Mommy! I said back.
We laughed and cried tears of joy. Then Mom put me back on the bed. She
looked at my wrists where the handcuffs had been and she saw the marks.
Where are these from honey? she asked.
I then went on to explain what had happened. She never interrupted me, and
when I finished she was shaking her head in disbelief.
When you didnt come home from school I thought I lost my baby, but youre
alive! I am so glad youre alive! Mom said, and she hugged me again.
I love you Mommy. I said into her shoulder. I love you too finny." Finny is
my nickname. It is a combination of funny and Flint, but without the t at the end
of Flint. Mom checked me out of the hospital and then we went to a restaurant for

dinner. I ordered a double hamburger with endless fries and root beer. It was
delicious! After we ate we went home.
Okay. So I asked around and here is what I found out about how I ended up in
the grey room with handcuffs on. Apparently this is the story:
I was walking home from school when a black minivan pulled up behind me. I
ran away, and the van chased me. I tripped on something and toppled to the
ground, where the van stopped and a man wearing complete black got out and
cuffed my hands behind my back, then he threw me in the back of the van. Then
the van drove away.
I was put to sleep later by a chemical in a rag, and I woke up later in the room
with the cuffs on. Thats how I got in the room. I was kidnapped. The chemical must
have wiped my mind of everything that had happened, because I do not remember
it at all. Im just glad I am alive.
Well, its been a week since the incident, and the police have caught the
man. He is supposed to go before the judge today, and I have to go and tell my part
of the story, from when I woke up to when I was picked up by Mom.
-//This story is a tribute to the National Park Service Park Rangers who protect
and preserve our national parks. Thank you for what you do every day. I respect you
for what you do and I appreciate it. Thank you!