Trapped!

By Dee Vandorn

Sasha aged 12, lives on the street in cold Ukraine.
Life is tough there, but together with his friend Igor he can manage.
Then the gang leader Boris wants Sasha to work for him.
If Sasha does not do what Boris says, he knows what the consequences are. Boris never leaves anything unpunished.
He will chase Sasha until he catches him...
An exciting and sometimes funny story about living on the streets.

This book is also suitable for older children who read at a lower level.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joy Books
• Release date: Feb 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393087502

Book preview

1. IN THE CELLAR

Sasha woke up and looked around him in the dimly lit room. It was freezing cold in the basement of the apartment building. Beside him lay his friend Igor, huddled under the blanket. Igor’s young orange-colored kitten lay curled up against his neck.

Sasha smiled and shook his friend's shoulder. Igor moaned and Sasha shook harder.

Igor!' he said firmly, Come on! We have to get some soup. Natasha is coming soon, and Nicolai."

You go. Igor yawned, eyes closed. Not hungry ...

The kitten yawned too and snuggled deeper into Igor's neck.

Sasha put his half of the blanket over Igor and scrambled to his feet. He looked at the other boys who were still asleep. Empty alcohol bottles lay spread across the floor.

They had been drinking again last night, he thought, Igor too, of course.

Half bent down because of the low ceiling, he drained some hot water from the tap of a heating pipe. Quickly he washed his face and hands. He then walked down a long, narrow corridor that ended at a concrete staircase. The stairs led up to an open door and Igor stepped into the freezing cold. In a little courtyard between tall apartment buildings, a group of teenagers stood waiting in the winter sun. Sasha greeted the others and walked up and down to stay warm. Strangely enough, his right foot seemed only to be getting colder. For a change he stood on his hands and walked around upside down. The other young people whistled and clapped.

Yeah, Sasha the Clown! And now a somersault!

Sasha pushed himself off with his hands and made a backwards somersault. Neatly he landed on his feet and received the applause bowing and grinning.

Another boy came up from the basement of the flat. Sasha knew him well, a kind-hearted kid who was a few years older than he was.

Hey, Sasha, Micha said, I have a message for you from Boris. He wants to talk to you.

Boris... Sasha repeated thoughtfully. Do you mean that man at the station who always empties the bins?

You joker, the boy said, shaking his head, "You know very well that I mean Boris the businessman. The only person in this part of the town who drives a gold