You Are Not a Monster

Hymn For The Missing

"Where are you now?
Are you lost?
Will I find you again?
Are you alone?
Are you afraid?
Are you searching for me?
Why did you go? I had to stay
Now I'm reaching for you
Will you wait, will you wait?
Will I see you again?"

Sam was a little worried about leaving Bucky alone in her house. She wasn't even concerned that she would come home to find the place a mess or something; she was afraid he would leave. In all reality, he probably should've come with her, but Sam didn't want to risk him being spotted.

She made it to town within 30 minutes- that meant it was a good day. Usually it took around 45 if the traffic was bad closer in. When she got there, something felt off. There weren't as many cars out as usual, and judging by how many lights shone through windows, most people were inside their homes.

Light rain began to fall as she parked her inherited black 1969 Camaro SS in the store's mostly empty lot. Once inside, she noticed the few people roaming the aisles kept their eyes averted from one another.

What is everybody's problem?

Sam grabbed a few long sleeved shirts in Bucky's size along with a package of gray t-shirts, a few pairs of pants, some underwear, a heavy olive-colored denim jacket, and some socks. She figured his black boots he already had would work well with anything.

Next, she grabbed some stuff for her. She didn't really need it, but judging by how people were acting, she needed to be a little more inconspicuous with her purchases.

Thankfully, when she was ready to check out, Abbie, one of her friends, was her cashier. Even she acted strange as Sam pulled her cart up to pay.

"Hey, Abbie! What's up?" Sam tried, hoping she could get some information out of her.

"Hey, Sam!" Her friend replied. It wasn't as enthusiastic as it would normally be. When it was clear she wasn't carrying the conversation any further, Sam took it upon herself to try.

"What's wrong with you? It's cloudy, cold, and rainy! We love these days!" She said.

"Guess I'm just not feeling too well."

She scanned the jeans and shirts.

"What's with the guy clothes?"

So you won't talk to me about anything else, but you're interested in the male apparel. Yeah, nothing's wrong here.

"Oh, those are for Ian. His birthday's coming up and he's been needing some new jeans. You've seen how torn to hell his are." Sam played. It was mostly true- her brother's jeans were torn up (even though he insisted they were still fine) and his birthday was coming up soon.

That's just not why she was buying them.

"Ah." Said Abbie. Sam studied her, but didn't notice anything off as she finished bagging the clothes. Well, no more off than she already was.

"Eighty-six dollars and eighty-eight cents." Abbie said after everything was scanned.

"Man, things are really getting expensive." Sam muttered as she handed Abbie a $100.

"Yeah." Abbie agreed awkwardly. Sam grabbed the cart full of now-bagged items and loaded them into her car. Once she put the cart away and began to pull out, she noticed some sketchy-looking guys get into a car and pull out behind her.

"And now I'm being followed. You guys are dicks." Sam muttered. "I guess it's time for a little stop at the spa, then."

She picked up her phone and dialed the home number while she was at a stop light. After ringing a few times, Bucky answered.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey. Look, I just pulled out of the store, but there are some shady guys trailing me. I'm gonna stop at the spa, see how long I can drag this out before they get annoyed watching a girl get her nails done. You know where your gear is, just in case, right?" She asked.

"I think so. Where are my weapons?"

"In my gun safe, it's in the back of my closet hidden behind the clothes."

She also gave him the combination.

"Please don't go running off on me now that you know this. If things get hairy, I don't think I can take them on my own." Sam pleaded.

"I won't. I promise." Bucky replied honestly as Sam pulled up to the spa. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before cutting the engine. She watched the guys park across the street in her rear-view mirror.

"I'll call you after this is done. I'm keeping my phone on me, so if anything happens, you can reach me."

"Be careful." Bucky said before they ended the conversation.

"You too." Sam replied. She kept the phone to her ear even after Bucky hung up- she knew they were watching. She held it there when she stepped out and pretended to laugh at something, saying "Love ya, bro." before hanging up. She had no doubt they were listening, too.

She went in and talked briefly with the owner before starting her mani-pedi. Her first mani-pedi. She made small talk with the lady as she worked, and when she was done, she noticed the guys hadn't left.

What the hell, may as well get them painted then. God knows I suck at it. Sam thought. She got her fingers done black and silver and her toes just black.

By the time the paint had dried and she was finished paying, the car was gone.

The first thing she did when she got in her Camaro was call Bucky, but he didn't answer.

Alright, so he's in the bathroom or something.

She tried again a few minutes later on her way down the road nobody took unless they were going to her house or they were lost.

He still didn't answer.

"Shit." She cursed as she floored it home. Nothing seemed odd as she pulled into the driveway, but still she grabbed the shotgun from the trunk of her car. She unlocked the front door as quietly as she could and slowly opened it, as not to alert the wrong person to her arrival. Taking aim with the gun, she crept inside.

"Bucky?" She called after she'd checked downstairs. After all, if there was anyone upstairs, the only way down was blocked by her.

"Bucky?!" She tried again after securing the second floor.

When she checked her closet, she noticed the gun safe unlocked and slightly opened. She found his guns gone, her own left.

"You son of a bitch, you promised me." She said angrily as she turned around. When she went downstairs, however, she noticed the front door was open. By the time she realized her mistake, someone grabbed her from behind and cuffed her wrists.

"Sh-sh-sh, we wouldn't want to damage those pretty arms, would we?" A gruff man breathed in her ear. She still thrashed, desperate to escape, but he was too strong. A needle was jabbed into her neck, and despite how much she tried to fight it, drowsiness began to take over.

"Bucky..." She breathed as she collapsed to the floor and her vision darkened. "Help..."