prinsbinky Oluremi Zainab

Dean and his affluent high school friends had a passion for adventure akin to explorers. They often embarked on luxurious trips, and this summer was no exception. Their goal was to visit the extravagant country of Ectopia, which had captured the attention of their town and the media. When their parents refused to finance the trip, they decided to work for the money themselves, eager for an unforgettable summer experience. However, their expectations for a thrilling and memorable trip were shattered when they fell into a tourist trap that led to a boat ride after trusting the wrong people. They learned the hard way that appearances can be deceiving, and even the most beautiful destinations can have a dark side that poses a danger to unsuspecting visitors. Join Dean and his friends as they struggle to survive the dangers of Ectopia.


Teen Fiction All public. © Copyrighted by Zainab Oluremi (2024-10-12). All rights reserved.

#thetouristatraps #asummertripabroad # #toursellers #highschoolfriends #goons #abduction #hostage
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Surviving the Outlaws of Ectopia


His friends; Max, Carla, Lana (girlfriend), and he dreamed of taking a vacation to Ectopia, a beautiful country with a lovely spread of tourist attractions. Ever since they heard of Ectopia on TV, specifically their extraordinary trip package and the chance to indulge in a sprawling paradise, they have busted their butts doing all sorts of odd jobs to earn enough money to fund their trip, because their rich parents refused to hear of it or feed their madness. They were final year high schoolers with the adventurous spirits of explorers who wanted to broaden their horizon and have immense fun doing it. They've heard great news about the beauty of Ectopia, the wild strange creatures that dwelled there, the sightseeing sites, the ethereal sparkling river that shone like a million stars were swimming in it, ancient cultures and artifacts in museums, and the numerous exciting game challenges that drew affluent foreigners and tourists looking for a good adventure. They wanted to experience it all and brag about it. So, Dean was really psyched they have the fund in time for the trip, and their summer break was going to be one hell of a ride they would never forget.


It would be spectacular.


"Are you ready for the trip of a lifetime?" Max yelled over the ruckus of elated students who were glad for the end of the term, and were excited to begin their summer break doing something meaningful. He was simply pumped to be going on a much-coveted trip to Ectopia, and couldn't wait for the night to fall and be replaced by daybreak. Their parents couldn't dissuade them as they worked really hard to meet their conditions.


"More than ready!" he smiled and accepted the playful kiss of his girlfriend as they walked out of the school, each going their separate ways to pack and prepare for the journey ahead. The next day, they bid their parents goodbye as they boarded the plane to Ectopia. The trip was filled with wonder, as they glanced through the windows at the beautiful clouds and then the skyscrapers and outstanding architectural buildings that Ectopia was famous for. They cleared the airport and got into the taxi booked for their exciting expedition. The trip came with board in a resort with a spectacular view of the landscapes, transport from the airport, and free meals. It was a fair package deal they had every intention of taking advantage of. Marveling at the picturesque scenery, they glued their eyes to the windows, each engrossed with the beauty around them. When finally they reached their destination, the first thing they noticed were tour guide sellers offering boat trips to the famous glittering river with both board and restaurants where mouth-watering culinary dishes would be served. It piqued their interest, and they decided to overlook their exhaustion and dive headfirst into the tour offer, because it sounded convenient and seemed legit.


In retrospect, it never occurred to their over-zealous young minds that it might be a well-crafted plot to entrap asinine unsuspecting foreign tourists like them. They simply didn't think that far, and it came as a shock and a huge eye-opener when they realized belated their error in trusting the sugarcoated words of strangers. It didn't matter they were marketers who looked safe; it's still a huge unpardonable mistake on their part to judge them on their looks, forgetting the infamous adage of never judging a book by the cover as one might just be blindsided.


They chattered as they followed the tour sellers to their boat, their luggages dragging the floor behind them as they walked, wishing belatedly they had checked into their rooms at the resort and left their luggages behind. But they hadn't in their excitement, simply following the tour sellers like naive little puppies. Before boarding the boat, they did a double take at the shoddy look of the boat, reluctant to board, but having no choice as they already paid the hefty price for a ride on it.


"I'm not sure about this anymore," Lana whispered, and he squeezed her hand in comfort. He was trying to boost her courage and assure her things would pan out, but nothing did. He watched in horror as things only got worse, going downhill.


They got on board, shutting down their misgivings in hopes of experiencing something profound at the end of the boat ride. But instead, the ride passed through a dingy village crowded with impoverished people and houses that made them question their sights.


Were they really seeing right? What was this place?


Ectopia was glorified to be an exquisite paradise on earth; and this horrid view before them was a novelty that didn't fit in. He always knew there were two sides to a coin, to every good there's a threat of evil, and every beautiful thing had an ugly side, but the contrast here was too steep. It was in the realm of unexpected abnormalities, and they didn't know what to do.


They were trapped in this derelict reality and couldn't retreat. They had no idea where they were or what's happening. All he knew was he wanted out, and his friends felt the same too from the desperate looks that clouded their features.


"Dean, I'm no longer interested in this ride, and I think Carla and Lana shares my view. I believe this is not what we had in mind when we took this trip. We should return, I don't think they're taking us to see any sparkling river. They might be traffickers trying to abduct us or something."


"I know, Max" he said, looking grimly at the men taking them to a destination unknown to them.


"What? Are you serious? We need to get the hell out of here!" Lana hissed at him, and he covered her mouth, pulling her close to whisper into her ears. "Please, calm down, babe. We can't alert them to the fact that we're suspicious of their intentions. I promise you, I will protect you from any harm. Trust me, okay." he sighed in relief when she nodded. He left to confront the guy he paid the fees to, "hey, where are you taking us to? This is not the river we had in mind, there's nothing worth recalling here!" The guy regarded him like he was a stupid insignificant fly beneath his feet and burst into laughter. He winced when his mates joined in the joke he failed to catch, and he knew for sure then something was definitely wrong, and they had to get themselves out of there the first chance they got. But, for now, he will be needing some items from his luggage; with stealthy movement that belied his fear he pulled out the items he needed and hid them beneath his balls in his tight boxer– hey, don't be judgy, desperate times call for desperate measures, and after another thought, hid their passports in his boots, his friends barricading him from sight. "We will be fine," he assured them, though in truth he was trying to convince himself and keep his fear at bay. Panic makes one makes mistakes, so he had to get a grip on his emotions for his friends, they were counting on him, looking up to him for guidance, and he will come through for them.


Finally, they docked at a small shore and were asked rudely to disembark. He frowned in annoyance at the guy and was shoved for his effort. He realized antagonizing them would only get them in more troubles, so he bit his lips to prevent a curse from spilling out. They were accosted by filthy pregnant women and children begging for alms to eat. They couldn't believe there were destitute locals in Ectopia, realizing this was a reality Ectopia hid from the world. A hideous secret indeed. A little boy, eightish or something grabbed his arms, his eyes pleading as he shook his head. Dean felt as if the boy was trying to tell him something, no, that's not quite it, the wild look in his eyes was trying to warn him about something. Dean smiled gently to reassure him and handed him some dollar notes. But still the boy refused to let go which made one of the guys holding them hostage to shove him, eliciting an angry scream from him. "Hey! He's just a kid!" A heavy slap landed on his face at his outburst, making him hiss in pain.


"You better behave or get punished! This is our turf, and you're now our prisoners, foolish foreigners," he spat in Dean's face, making him want to pluck his eyes out. But Dean refrained from reacting, choosing instead to hold his peace. They were shoved on their reluctant feet through the narrow filthy streets, weaving through dilapidated wooden sheds, really, they didn't look like houses and weren't fit for living. Pity squeezed Dean's heart at the poor condition of the inhabitants there, and they seemed in bondage of a sort. But he couldn't worry about it, he had his own shit to think about, his battle to fight and mess to fix. He had to get his friends out of this mess.


Finally, they arrived at an abandoned uncompleted building and were shoved into a living space, their belongings taken from them. Their captors searched their bodies and took their wallets and valuables. Lana's family heirloom necklace that was a priceless gift from her late grandmother was confiscated. He hated how the filthy rascal took pleasure running his hands down her body. He's going to knock his teeth out the first chance he gets. They watched as the goons ransacked their luggages, taking what didn't belong to them and casting what they deemed useless aside. They could hear some grinding sound coming from one of the rooms, and wondered what was going on behind those doors. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream hit their ears, paralyzing them with fright. Severe panic attacked and arrested their senses, and Lana started to whimper making him want to hit something. He couldn't stall the self-accusations that assailed him. He blamed himself for the dangerous condition they were in. It was his fault they fell into this trap, and he could sense the worse was yet to come. They needed to find their way out of this deadly conundrum.


"Where are your passports?" one of the goons asked.


"We don't have it!" Dean replied in a rush. "We gave it to the footman who was supposed to take our stuff to our rooms."


"If I find out you're lying, I will make your death an excruciating one."


"What are you planning to do to us?" Dean asked shakily, knowing very well they wouldn't like the answer.


"None of you is getting out alive here," the goon smiled wickedly at them. "You and your friends are going to be tested first, if any of you are a match to what we're looking for, we harvest your organs. But if none of you are a match, then we grind your whole body in our monstrous food processor to produce our special corned beef which we export outside this country. We run a lucrative business here, you see. Either way, your life serves a purpose here."


"You're raving mad!" Dean screamed at him, his friends pitching in with colorful insults of their own. They shut up when their captors caned them with whips they didn't notice or see coming, then cried violently at the assault, tears pouring from their eyes. They kicked them in the guts before tying their legs and hands too. They were bleeding from cuts, and delirious from the pain but refused to let it suck them under. They needed to keep their wits about them so they could escape the first chance they got. This was indeed a trip gone dangerously wild. They were victims of an evil tourist trap; they had thought all the noises about tourist traps were nonsense, long tales or embellished stories spurned by overimaginative minds looking for attentions, they had no idea it's real till they were trapped in one themselves.


Regret, was bitter when it knocks on one's door.


"Tomorrow, will be your last day on earth, so enjoy your evening."


His friends whimpered at the words of their vicious abductors, but he was planning their escape plan. He knew they had to escape tonight, under the cloak of darkness. It would be their only chance to get away, so Dean knew they must make it count. Dean waited for the coast to be cleared, for their captors to vacate their presence, before fumbling through his pants for the items he hid there. He took out his lighter and smartwatch from it. Using the lighter, he struggled to burn the knots holding him captive, and rushed to free his friends from their bindings. He used his smartwatch to film the scene, sneaked into the grinding room and filmed the gruesome deeds of their abductors, trying his damnest not to puke at the bloody mess. There's a lady shivering at one corner of the room, she seemed to be the only survival in the room, so Dean set her free and asked her to follow him. Together they all tiptoed out of the building, through the back entrance and into the night. They rushed through the quiet streets, keeping to the shadows to avoid been detected. They didn't seek help from anyone because they didn't know who they could trust. Their mission was to find the river, and then steal a boat to escape. But upon finding the river, they saw the same men who entrapped them, and they seemed to be looking for them, so they had to hide. They were hiding out of their sight, behind a small wall when the same boy he had given some bills to appeared before them. He wasn't alone, and was with an older girl who appeared to be in their age group. She told them she wanted to repay their kindness to her brother and asked them to follow her, which they did. She took them to another section of the river and pointed to some rocks at the edge. "There's a crevice beneath those rocks, three minutes swim that would lead you to the next town. You can find your way back from there, but remember, you need to swim fast to avoid been crushed under by the waves."


"Thank you so much!" they thanked her profusely.


"Now, go!" she hissed at them as they heard footsteps at a distance.


"I'll free you all from those evil bastards," Dean promised her as they rushed towards the rocks and jumped into the water. It wasn't empty words but a promise Dean intended to keep to their savior. Their journey to safety through the crevice was torture and fraught with danger. They almost didn't make it, but when they did, they went straight to the authorities and gave them the evidences Dean gathered. The trip to Ectopia was a lesson they would never forget. They now knew for sure that all that glitters wasn't gold.

Oct. 12, 2024, 10:48 a.m. 0 Report Embed Follow story
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Meet the author

Oluremi Zainab O.J. Zainab, a young lady from Ghana who is always fascinated by the dreamy world of novels, and would love to give back to the world some joy she got from reading. She gets her inspiration from God, the love & support of family and friends. Shout out to the design owners used for my books.

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