Linda worked in a solicitor's office in the city. She enjoyed her job as legal secretary and was well thought of by the firm. She was a good time keeper, smart and helpful, but she had no ambition to rise higher. She was hopeless at telling others what to do and usually ended up doing things herself, which suited her more junior colleagues very well. She knew that they often exploited her good nature and, although they liked her, probably poked gentle fun behind her back. She really lacked any sense of authority to deal with them and was given positive palpitations by the thought of a confrontation, however minor. Linda had been married when she was fairly young, but was now happily divorced and had been for three years. Her ex-husband was a tyrant who bullied, intimidated and humiliated her younger self for seventeen years, until she managed to break away from him. The abuse was at first emotional, then dominating and humiliatingly sexual and finally physical. A particularly nasty episode left her in hospital and him in police custody. They never had children, for which he obviously blamed her, but really it was because he was unable to. Linda had had several offers since, but felt that her experiences had left her too vulnerable and distrustful to attempt another relationship for some time.
She was 45, with a curvy figure, not angular, hard and toned like 21
st
century ideals, but in a well-rounded, softer way, more reminiscent of a mature, 1950's movie star. Linda liked clothes and fashion and knew how to dress stylishly in ways which flattered her curves. Although typically self-conscious, she always thought that she was overweight and to that end flitted from one fad diet to another, to little effect. She had a pretty face, large blue eyes, behind her designer glasses, small slightly snub nose and fashionably cut, shoulder length, auburn hair, which she often wore pinned elegantly up like today for the office. Truthfully for sometime now Linda had had to have it tinted to remove the encroaching traces of silver. When speaking Linda had a very soft, girly voice, which was another reason no one took her seriously. She could not change it, although she once sought professional help, but Linda still spoke in a light, whispery way which tended to amuse people, much to her annoyance. At least, she thought, the elocution lessons had given her the diction of a more refined, middle class lady, but unfortunately not the tone or self-assured manner of one.
Today, although she was completely unaware of it, Linda's cosy little life was about to change because of tiny differences to her regular routine. She hadn't driven in to work today, hitching a lift in with her neighbour, because one of the girls in the office was leaving and she had promised to have a quick drink with her and the others after work. Unfortunately new road works that morning had left the rush hour traffic at a crawl. Thinking it would be quicker, Linda agreed to hop out and walk the last few blocks rather than be late, she hated being late. She thought she knew her way around this area pretty well, even though she had only ever driven in to work. However the same road works which had delayed the car also spread across several pavements, workmen in high-visibility jackets and hard hats were seemingly everywhere with their diggers and lorries, in addition to the noise and crowds. It was chaos. When she couldn't get down one main street at all she was becoming exasperated. Not being exactly sure which alternative to take and feeling a little too self-conscious to ask directions, Linda followed a knot of people off at a right angle to where she thought she should be going, with the idea of taking the next road which seemed to lead in the direction she wanted. After a few minutes a smaller street presented itself and she took it gratefully, however this street did not look at all familiar and the crowd was becoming thinner. Linda stopped at a crossroads and looked at her watch, Oh no, now I am running late! Fumbling in her handbag she snatched at her mobile phone to ring in and tell them about her situation. Unfortunately grabbing at it in agitation caused it to catch on the handle of her bag and spin off across the pavement.
"Damn it... oh no!"
She watched helplessly as it bounced off a wall and came to rest. Linda walked over and picked it up, the screen was cracked and there was no sign of life. She looked around for help but people, as they do in a city, walked past her too busy to notice. Exactly as she would have done herself whilst rushing to get to work, she thought ruefully. Sighing Linda slipped the useless lump of technology back into her bag and walked on a little further. Finally she swallowed her pride and asked an elderly lady for directions. At first she seemed confused, apparently English was not her first language, but eventually the old lady, after some thought told Linda to go down this street and indicated vaguely left somewhere towards the end. However vague, she almost certainly knew more than Linda about the local geography and Linda hurried off as fast as her heels would carry her, shouting her thanks behind her. How absolutely stupid to become lost when only a short distance from where you work every day, she would never tell a soul about this foolish escapade. She would have to think of another excuse when she arrived at work late for the first time. Whilst thinking of this Linda realized that she hadn't noticed the left turn that the old lady had indicated, she'd been hurrying, how far had she come, had she rushed by it and not noticed? Damn it! She should have been concentrating, Linda actually felt quite breathless from anxiety and her unexpectedly long walk in her new shoes, a last minute decision for the after work drink. They would have been fine around the office, but they were pinching a bit now. There were only one or two people here and traffic was much less frequent. She slowed down spying a road on her left, it was quite narrow and quiet, mainly run down industrial units and lock up garages, Linda hesitated. But as she looked down it, to her relief she thought she could see a tall building which she recognized as the tall office block near to where she worked. It didn't appear too far away from here and it was something to aim for, the old lady was right after all, thought Linda breathing a sigh of relief, she set off down the side street and went back to thinking of a plausible excuse.
As Linda progressed down the small dingy road she noticed how quiet it seemed, she hadn't passed anyone for some time and no cars had passed her. Also there were no roads off this road, but there was what appeared to be a gated entrance to something at the end of this road. When she got there Linda realized that it was run down piece of inner city park, if you could call it that. It was just a fenced off area of scrubby grass a few broken swings and a concrete skateboarding area covered in graffiti. Linda walked through the rusty wrought iron gateway cautiously, peering in the distance to see if there was another gateway leading out, perhaps in her chosen direction. Following the perimeter around with her gaze, all she could see was overgrown chain-link fencing. Oh god! This was just awful. Now she faced the prospect of retracing her steps all the way...
"Are you lost lady?"
The voice came from almost directly behind her. Startled, Linda let out a little yell and wheeled around sharply; her heart lurched in her already anxious state. She hadn't seen or heard anyone.
"Wha...? Oh...er..."
It was a boy, well an older teenager really, skinny, baseball cap and baggy track suit, he was carrying a mobile phone and seemed to be just finishing a call or text. He was not dirty but a bit scruffy, she thought, straggly hair falling unkempt from under his 'beanie' hat, very pale, with a little stubble. He glanced at her impassively in between, as Linda could now see, texting on his phone. He didn't appear to be aggressive or in any way threatening, he wasn't much more than a boy after all. She scolded herself, just because people came from a certain area and didn't dress in a suit or speak with a plum in their mouth didn't make them "Mad, Bad or dangerous to know". In fact he might turn out to be Linda's saviour, especially if he could get her back to civilization. If he was helpful Linda thought, she would definitely give him a reward for his help. Linda smiled, slightly patronizingly, the way people do with other unfamiliar people, in order to illicit a smile in return.
"Well... Er...yes, but how did you...?"
The strange youth finished texting his unknown friend and pocketed the phone. He did not play the smile game, his young soft stubbled face remained fairly impassive, he shrugged looking at Linda in a very frank way and said, with a local accent,
"You stand out a mile... you ain't from around here... Nobody around here looks posh like you... it don't take much working out"
Although Linda's smile only slipped slightly, the boy's words jarred in her mind and she became aware of how incongruous she must appear in this situation.
Linda's appearance was more 'posh' than usual. Despite her obvious agitation and somewhat flustered air, Linda was impeccably smart. Her navy suit was her best, with shiny silver buttons on the tailored jacket and a white silky blouse which tied in a pussy bow high around her throat. The tight pencil skirt came exactly to her knee and freedom of movement, to a degree was made possible by the back slit vent. Below that her shapely calves gleamed in sheer, glossy, black stockings with seams. This was not standard office attire for Linda, but an added touch of glamour for the anticipated after work night out. As previously mentioned her new black stiletto heels were a good inch higher than normal, Linda liked men to notice her. Truthfully, since her divorce she had become aware of the effect that her attractive figure and stylish good looks had on men, particularly young men, and although she would deny it, Linda was not above a little flirtatious teasing. However, given the circumstances, being lost in such a grim part of the city in her best clothing and highly impractical footwear was both silly and risky. Linda could have cried with frustration, but she banished those thoughts and through sheer willpower, fought to fix the smile back on her pretty face,
OK time to use the well tested 'Damsel in distress' tactic.
Linda walked up to the youth and treated him to her warmest smile.
"Oh you are observant young man, that's amazing, you are absolutely right, I'm so scatty sometimes.." resting her well manicured hand gently upon his arm, Linda gazed up into his eyes and said,
"...do you think that you could help me?"
