Uncaged

Chapter 7

I didn't know what to write in the note. I figured it was a one-time thing, and we didn't have a real way to communicate unless we both learned to read lips or sign language really quick. I thought about that for a solution, but I knew I'd never be able to in the short amount of time I had, and I didn't know if she even had the means to. Does she have a computer there? Or would her father think it too risky to allow her access to the outside world?

In any case, I wrote a simple note, just assuring her that I knew now that she wasn't Jasmine, and that I hoped to find a way to meet her some time. I told her that she was beautiful and that I loved the way her eyes looked when she gazed at me. I couldn't say too much else, I didn't even know her name, so I left it at that. I sealed it up in an unmarked envelope and handed it to Jane, hoping that she would have a chance to slip it under the door.

In the meantime, I kept up at life, going to school, doing my mowing, and working at the shop. The only good thing was that the girl in the window seemed different. If anything, she was happier, like she realized I knew she was different and that I was feeling things for the real her now instead of a pretend Jasmine. Damn I wish I could talk to her!

It was an endless cycle for a few weeks till Jane finally texted me that she was headed over to Jasmine's for the project. They had worked a couple of times at Jane's house, but now they were finally back at Jasmine's. It seemed like I held my breath for an hour just waiting for Jane's news, praying it was good.

It wasn't. She called when she left Jasmine's to let me know what happened. Evidently there was a rubber seal around that door, on all sides, as if it were soundproofed, but otherwise a normal interior door. Of course, the better to keep the screams of your imprisoned daughter quiet! Fuck!

Somewhere in the midst of this thought, I realized something else. To the best of my knowledge, I was the only one who knew Jasmine's sister existed. Plus Jane if she truly believed me, I guess.  But still, that didn't mean that Jasmine had to come out and pretend to be the girl staring at me so I wouldn't think too much about it. There was something else I was missing. Maybe they didn't want to ever let me be near her, so distracting me with Jasmine was their cover. Hell, if Jasmine had asked me out it might have worked, but I think I still would have caught on. If Jasmine couldn't fake liking me out at the storage shed, then being on a date would have failed in a big way.

Of course, nobody else could see her either, or the secret would be out. Oh, holy shit! That was why they bought the lots on either side of the house! If there were no close neighbors, it would make it that much easier to hide her existence. I needed to spy on the house. Maybe they let her out. Mr. Garrison worked during the week, and I assumed they had security, so I couldn't stay home sick and then break in, that would end bad. I could prove everything by standing at her window with no mower and see if she was there, but that seemed pointless too.

When would she be outside?

If they were keeping her away from me, then the most logical time would be right after I mowed and had left their house. Could I sneak back? No, they'd take her right back inside as soon as I drove up. But not if I walked through the wetlands behind their house, right? It wasn't a great plan, most of it was swamp as the name implied. But it was getting towards Thanksgiving now, and therefore a little dryer and less buggy. Maybe I could make a trail and then hurry to the back of the house after I mowed? I knew there was a common area with a small playground and gazebo on the other side of the wetlands, so I drove there and parked, making my way down into the wetlands and hoping for the best.

I made it perhaps 50 yards before I turned around. I'd need better boots, and something to mark a trail, before I could try this again.