run away. // dan smith

chapter two.

I stared at her, she looked so fragile while sleeping, but strong at the same time. I kept my movements limited as she was a light sleeper, even on sleeping pills.

She looked so at peace, like no one has ever touched her before. It's quite adorable and honestly. I stroked her long brown hair and her child like cheeks as her phone vibrated. I got up slowly, being careful not to waker her up.

I dug through her backpack until I came across a hard and cold surface. The Caller ID read Oliver.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, is Sam there? I have to tell her something," There was a slight twinge of urgency in his voice.

"I- Uh, she just fell asleep, its a little past one in the morning over here. She got a little sick, so I gave her a Melotonin to make her tired," I didn't tell him anything about the panic attack that she had earlier, he would get worried.

There was a sigh on the other end, "Ah, okay. Just tell her to be careful when she goes to our Aunt Josephines house, I know shes gonna try to fuck her over somehow."

"Is there anything else?"

He paused and tried to start a sentence multipe times before he stopped stuttering, "Aunt Josephines husband... He's a little bit... Crazy," Hesitation came upon him while approaching the end of his sentence, "What do you mean by 'crazy'?" I asked.

"We have a cousins named Coco and Brendon and... Well...," Oliver let out a shaky breath, "He tried to kill them. He went to mental facilities a couple of times but they never gave him the help he needed. I don't know why they haven't locked him up by now, he's not mentally stable. Im really afraid he's going to try something on her. I just don't want to lose somebody else I love."

I sighed, nodding. Even if he couldn't see me i still could relate. "How?" I wondered. He knew what I was asking.

There was a long pause. "Dan, the details are pretty graphic," He said. "Tell me," I insisted.

Oliver sighed and swallowed hard. "When I was 11 and Sam was eight, our Aunt married this new guy. We never met him until the wedding and quite frankly, we didnt like him. I remember him hitting Sam and I for running around. We didn't tell anyone, our mum is dead and she still doesn't know.

"I was very close to Brendon; at the time, they still lived in London. We told eachother everything. He told me him and Coco were getting abused by their father. I immediately told my mum, but right after she told my Aunt Josephine, they packed up and left for Seattle. I remember hearing my mum crying hysterically into the phone. She was blubbering something about murder and abuse. She went straight down to Seattle after the call, she told me I couldn't go with her. When she got back, she had a talk with me and Sam saying that their family wasn't doing very well and that Coco was coming to stay with us while Brendon was at the hospital. I remember Coco walking through the front door of out house with bruises covering every inch of her body and several cuts that looked like she made by herself. She told me everything. Their Dad starved them, then locked them out for several weeks. He would beat them everyday and leave them with only a quart of water and tuna to eat all day. Brendon had several stab wounds on his stomach but he made it. Coco had neurological damage. The family reunion was the first and last time I saw them," His voice cracked on the last word,"I don't really want to see them again though, after all they said to me."

Tears had formed in my eyes, "Should I go with Sam tomorrow?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"I think it would be best if you did."

I agreed and we said our goodbyes. By that time I was feeling quite exhausted myself, it was about 2AM here. I slipped off my jeans and changed into a pair of shorts, taking my shirt off. My body was weak as I climbed into bed next to Sam. I felt her stir and then cuddle into the mountain of pillows. I smiled as I turned off the light. She felt my presence and turned around in the bed. Her small frame curled up against me and I wrapped my arms around her. I felt her breathing on my chest. "Goodnight, Sammy," I whispered. Sleep soon took over me.