(This story is based on a request by JennyTied. Credit to her for the concept)
Lila woke up to an empty house. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the drowsiness of sleep. It was a sunny morning, and the light filtering through the blinds cast a warm glow in her room. But something felt off. She looked at the clock on her bedside table and realized that it was later than she thought.
Lila was a pretty young girl with long, dark hair that fell in soft waves down her back. She had bright green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight, and a smile that could light up a room. She was average height and had a lean, athletic build from playing soccer and running track. Her skin was smooth and clear, with a light dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks.
As she got out of bed and stretched, she remembered that her parents had left early that morning to attend a funeral in another state. Lila's great aunt had passed away, and her parents had decided to go pay their respects. Lila was supposed to go with them, but she had begged to stay home alone. It was going to be her last summer before starting high school, and she wanted to have some time to herself.
Lila walked around the house, feeling the emptiness of the rooms. She had the entire house to herself for the next few days. It was an exciting prospect, but also a little daunting. She had never been alone for so long before, and the thought of being responsible for the house and herself made her a little nervous.
As she made her way to the kitchen, she noticed a note on the fridge. It was from her mom, reminding her to water the plants, feed the cat, and stay safe. Lila smiled, feeling a little more reassured. Her parents had always been overprotective, but she knew they cared about her deeply.
Lila poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the kitchen table. She looked out the window and saw the sun shining brightly outside. She decided that she would spend the day lounging by the pool and reading her favorite book.
Little did she know that the peacefulness of her day would soon be shattered by the arrival of unexpected visitors.
The three thieves huddled in the back of the van, staring at the blueprints of the house they were about to rob. They were dressed as utility workers, with orange vests and hard hats, their tools of the trade neatly organized in the back of the van.
The leader of the group, a burly man with a thick beard, studied the blueprints carefully.
"Alright, so we knock on the door and tell them we need to check the gas meter. If someone answers, we just pretend to do our job and come back later. If no one answers, we come back tonight and clean them out."
The female thief, a slim woman with short brown hair, nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan. But what if someone is home and they ask to see our ID?"
The leader grinned. "That's why we have these." He held up a fake ID badge with a photo of a generic utility worker and the name "John Smith" on it. "They won't know the difference. And if they get suspicious, we can always just tell them we're with a new company."
The second male thief, a wiry man with a scruffy beard, rubbed his hands together nervously. "What if they don't have a gas meter? Or what if they ask us to come back later when they're home?"
The leader scowled at him. "Then we improvise. We'll figure it out when we get there. The important thing is that we don't get caught."
The three of them fell silent as they drove towards the target house, their hearts pounding with adrenaline. They knew that this was a risky move, but they were determined to get their hands on whatever valuables were inside that house, no matter what it took.
As they pulled up to the house, the leader handed out the fake ID badges and reminded the others to stay calm and act professional. They got out of the van and walked up to the door, their tools in hand, ready to pull off the perfect heist.
Lila had been enjoying a quiet afternoon swimming in her pool when she heard an alert from the house alarm. She was surprised because she wasn't expecting anyone. She got out of the pool slowly, dried herself off, and picked up the phone to see who was at the door.
As she looked at the video feed, she saw three people dressed in orange vests and hard hats standing on her doorstep. They had tools in their hands and looked like city workers, but Lila was still confused as to why they were there.
Just as she was about to push the microphone button to speak to them, she heard one of them say, "Looks like nobody's home. Let's come back tonight and rob the place under cover of darkness."
Lila froze. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realized what was happening. watching as the three "city workers" got back into their van and drove away.
Although frightened by what she had just heard, she did not panic. She immediately called her dad but the call went directly to voicemail. With a groan she remembered that her parents had mentioned they would be turning off their phones over the weekend to avoid disrupting the funeral events and to catch up with old friends. Lila at first was thrilled to hear that because it meant they wouldn’t be calling to check on her but now she wished exactly the opposite.
Lila quickly dialed 911 and reported what had happened with the fake city workers at her door. However, she was disheartened to hear the operator's response.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but if the suspects have already left and you don't have any evidence, there's not much we can do at the moment," the operator said.
Lila felt her heart sink. She had hoped that the police would come and at least take a report or investigate further. But unfortunately she hadn’t pressed the record button on the app and without any evidence, she knew there was little they could do.
"But they were going to come back tonight and rob my house!" Lila protested.
"We understand, ma'am, but we have other emergencies we need to attend to right now. We can have a patrol car drive through the neighborhood later tonight. Please call back if you have any further information or if they come back," the operator replied.
Lila hung up the phone feeling scared and frustrated. She knew she had to do something to protect herself and her home, but she wasn't sure what. Despite her young age however, Lila had a maturity beyond her years, and she possessed a sharp mind. She started looking for ways to secure the house and keep it safe from any potential burglars.
Lila knew that the burglars might come back, so she decided to set up some traps to slow them down. She changed out of her swimming suit and into a pair of athletic black cycling shorts and tight fitting black tank top with soft ballet slippers. She searched around the house for items she could use and quickly came up with some ideas.
First, she went to the kitchen and grabbed a bag of marbles. She carefully placed them on each step of the stairs leading up to the second floor, hoping that the burglars would slip and fall if they tried to run up or down the stairs.
Next, she went to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of buckets. She filled them with water and then placed them on top of the doors leading to the bedrooms. The idea was that if the burglars opened the doors, the buckets would fall and drench them.
Lila scattered some tacks on the ground in front of the windows, hoping that the burglars would step on them and be forced to slow down or stop their pursuit. She also set an alarm clock to go off in the living room, along with some balloons she expected them to step on hoping that the loud noise would distract the burglars.
Finally, she went outside and found some string. She tied the string to the doorknob of the front door and then stretched it across the entranceway. She made sure that the string was just above the ground, so that the burglars would trip and fall if they walked into it.
It was dark outside as Lila finished setting up the last trap; suddenly she heard a noise outside. Her heart raced as she realized that the burglars must have come back. She quietly made her way to the living room and hid behind a couch, waiting for them to enter.
The three burglars entered Lila's house, moving silently through the darkened hallways. They were on the hunt for the safe, which they believed contained a large amount of cash and jewelry. The thieves' eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of the safe.
As they crept towards the stairs, they suddenly heard a loud noise. One of the burglars stumbled over a toy car that Lila had left on the floor, causing it to roll noisily across the hardwood. They froze in place, listening intently for any sign that someone might have heard them.
Feeling a bit unnerved, the burglars continued their search. However, as they turned the corner towards the staircase, one of them suddenly tripped and fell. Lila had strung a line of bells across the staircase, and the thief had walked straight into it. The bells jangled loudly, and the thief let out a curse as he stumbled to his feet.
Now more cautious, the burglars continued through the house. They turned a corner and saw a shadowy figure lurking ahead. The thieves crept slowly forward, weapons at the ready.
Suddenly, a bucket of water fell from above, drenching one of the burglars. The others jumped back in surprise, and the wet thief let out a startled yell.
As the thieves moved from room to room, Lila silently followed behind them, activating her traps. First, she set off a loud alarm that echoed throughout the house. The thieves were startled and looked around in confusion, giving Lila a chance to hide behind a nearby bookcase.
Next, she had placed a series of mousetraps on the floor. One of the thieves stepped on one and yelped in pain, alerting the others to the traps that Lila had set.
Lila grinned to herself as she heard the thieves cursing and complaining about the traps, but then suddenly one of them caught a glimpse of her. Lila screamed and ran, knowing that she had to escape.
The thieves chased after her, slipping on marbles that she had placed on the floor. One of them stumbled and fell, giving Lila a chance to run upstairs.
Lila had prepared a trap on the staircase, which was a vegetable oil spilled on the top step. The thief at the front slipped over it and tumbled down the stairs, knocking over the thief behind him.
Lila was about to make her escape through one of the upstairs windows when suddenly the female thief appeared, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back into the room.
“Gotcha, you little brat!” she exclaimed
"Let me go!" Lila yelled, trying to pull away.
Lila struggled against the grip of the female thief who had grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away and break free, but the woman's grip was too strong. Lila's heart raced as she looked up at the thief's cold, calculating eyes. She knew she was in trouble.
Before she could make another move, the other two thieves arrived, and they quickly overpowered her. Lila kicked and screamed as they dragged her through the house. She tried to twist and turn, but their grip was too strong. The leader of the group looked down at her with a cruel smile on his face.
"You thought you were so clever with your little traps didn't you, but in the end, you were no match for us?" he taunted, as they pushed her onto the ground.
The three thieves huddled together, whispering to each other about what to do with Lila now that they had caught her. Lila watched them, feeling helpless and scared. She knew she was in deep trouble.
Finally, the leader turned to Lila and said, "Alright, find something to tie her up with. We can't have her running around and causing any more trouble." The other two nodded in agreement and started searching the room for something to use.
After a few moments, one of the thieves found some rope in a closet, and the other found a dish towel in the kitchen. The leader ordered them to bring them over to him, and he proceeded to tie Lila's hands tightly behind her back with the rope.
Lila winced in pain as the rope cut into her skin, and tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to speak, but the female thief stuffed a dish towel into her mouth and tied it tightly behind her head. She struggled to breathe as the rough fabric filled her mouth, making it hard to swallow. She could taste the dust and dirt from the floor, and it made her gag.
The thieves then tied her ankles together, leaving her completely helpless. Lila squirmed and twisted, but the knots were too tight. She looked up at them, her eyes filled with fear and anger.
"You'll never get away with this," she said, her voice muffled by the gag.
Lila struggled against her bonds, her eyes wide with fear. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She had been so careful, so cautious, and yet these thieves had still managed to catch her. She tried to speak, but the dish towel muffled her voice, making it impossible for her to communicate.
The thieves stood back and looked at their handiwork, satisfied that Lila was securely tied up and gagged. The leader turned to the others. "Now that we’ve dealt with our little ‘pixie’ here let's finish the job and beat it," he said.
Lila lay on the ground, her hands tied tightly behind her back with the rough rope the thieves had found. She had been struggling to untie the knot for what felt like hours.
The female thief walked in and saw Lila on the floor. She walked over to her and checked the ropes to make sure they were still secure. Satisfied that Lila was still tied up, she left the room.
As soon as the female thief left the room, Lila resumed her efforts to escape. She had managed to maneuver herself into a sitting position and at one point, she had managed to wriggle her way out of the knots on her feet. With some additional effort she was nearly able to get one hand free when she heard the sound of the male thieves returning.
Her heart raced as she heard the burglars’ footsteps approaching, and she quickly flopped back down on the ground, pretending to still be tied up.
The sound of their footsteps echoed throughout the house, growing louder and louder until they entered the room. Lila tried to keep her breathing steady as they approached her. The leader of the group, a man with a menacing look on his face, bent down and removed the dish towel that had been gagging her.
"Where's the safe?" demanded the leader.
Lila didn't answer, but her mind was racing. She had to think of something fast, or they would surely find the safe and escape with everything of value in the house. She tried to stall for time.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, trying to sound as calm as possible.
The leader glared at her, clearly not believing her.
"You're lying," he said. "We know there's a safe in this house, and we're not leaving until we find it."
Lila could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she thought about what to do next. She knew she couldn't keep up the act for much longer.
Suddenly, she had an idea. She pretended to faint, slumping forward as if she had lost consciousness. The thieves rushed over to check on her, and she used the opportunity to kick one of them in the stomach and bite the other on the arm.
The thieves recoiled in surprise and pain, giving Lila just enough time to break free from her ropes and run out of the room. She heard them chasing after her, but she didn't look back. She ran through the house, darting from room to room and trying to stay ahead of them.
Just as she thought she had escaped, one of the thieves grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms behind her back.
She tried to fight back, struggling against his grip, but he was too strong and quickly the other two came to his aid. She was forced back down onto the couch, pinning her arms behind her back while the other two thieves rushed over to help.
Lila thrashed about, trying to break free, but they held her tightly. The female thief grabbed some more rope and they quickly retied her, cinching the rope tightly around her wrists and ankles. They also used another rope to tie her to the couch, making sure she couldn't escape again.
As they finished tying her up, the male thief roughly pulled the gag out of her mouth, causing her to gasp for air. "Where's the safe?" he demanded, his face only inches away from hers.
Lila tried to hold back tears as she looked up at him, determined not to give them what they wanted. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice shaking.
The thief grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head back sharply. "Don't lie to me," he growled, "We know there's a safe here. Where is it?"
Lila winced in pain but still refused to answer. The thieves continued to interrogate her, trying to force her to reveal the location of the safe, but she remained silent.
Finally, frustrated by her lack of response, the female thief said, “We don’t have time for this,” picking up a nearby lamp and smashing it onto the ground. “We need to find that safe now. Let's just gag her and be done with it.”
The leader considered her suggestion for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Fine. Put the gag back on her."
The male thief rummaged through a nearby drawer and found a linen napkin. "This should work," he said, holding it up.
The female thief approached Lila, who was still tied up, and grabbed the napkin from the male thief's hand. "Open up," she commanded.
Lila shook her head vigorously, refusing to comply. The female thief glared at her before grabbing her chin roughly and forcing her mouth open. She tied the napkin tightly over Lila's mouth
"Let's get back to work," the leader said, motioning for the other two thieves to follow him, warning Lila that if she tried to escape again, she would be sorry.
Left alone, Lila's mind raced as she struggled against her restraints. She knew she had to find a way to escape before it was too late. She continued twisting and wriggling her wrists, her heart racing as she felt the ropes loosening.
Just as she was about to break free, she heard the burglars’ footsteps approaching again. The thieves re-entered the room, and Lila opened her eyes slightly to see them standing over her. The leader of the group pulled out a knife, holding it menacingly in front of her face.
“Last chance, girl,” he said. “Tell us where the safe is, or things are going to get ugly.”
Lila hesitated for a moment, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way out of the situation. But before she could answer, the sound of police sirens filled the air. The burglars panicked and quickly fled the house, leaving Lila still tied up on the ground.
It took the police several minutes to find her, but they eventually arrived, freeing her from her bonds and taking her statement. As she sat in the back of the ambulance, watching the police apprehend the thieves, she couldn’t help but feel relieved that she had escaped relatively unscathed. But she knew that her parents were probably not going to leave her home alone again anytime in the near future.
Lila's "Home Alone" Adventure
Really good beats the Home Alone series.
Haha, definitely had some Home Alone vibes. Shame the orginal Home Alone never had scenes of Kevin getting tied up like Lila did here. Fun story!!