Strip

Chapter 41

Chapter 41

I spent the following two days in a constant state of panic.

I wasn't always totally sure what I was panicking about. The memory of the two girls in my room, of the plan, of what would happen to us- it was always escaping my mind, leaving me without answer when I finally questioned what it was I was panicking about.

And then I would remember. And I would feel such a surge of excitement, and worry, and the need to go find James in the back yard and hug him against my chest until I couldn't breath anymore.

I was a wreck.

The two days passed, and I found myself in almost the exact same position I had been in 48 hours before. Wide awake sprawled across my mattress, staring at the ceiling barely a foot from my face. I was waiting, straining to hear the sound of the two girls creeping down the hallway.

They didn't bother sneaking in this time. My door flew open, Emma catching it just before it slammed into the wall.

"For god's sake, Abby!" Emma hissed. They were dressed almost identically, each in black skinny jeans, black backpacks hanging from their shoulders. The only difference between them was the emo bands on their t-shirts.

I slid off my bed. "Is it time?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh no, we're just here to make sure you finished packing."

I glared at her. Abby fiddled with the hem of her shirt.

"I've got everything," I said, slinging my tote bag over my shoulder. There wasn't much in it- some of the clothes they had given me, a few books I had snatched from the bookshelf in the main hall, my phone (I wouldn't be able to keep it long, since the orphanage tracked it, but I could probably get a decent amount for it at a pawn shop and buy a new one), my charger, and every scrap of money I could get together, which added up to $86.32.

Not much. But enough.

Hopefully.

"Great," Emma said, standing up a bit straighter, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Let's go get your brother."

James' room was on the floor above ours, in the attic technically. Emma grumbled about this as we slowly climbed the stairs- the attic held at least 10 children, making it about 10 times harder to retrieve James without being caught.

"They might as well be little booby traps," Emma muttered as we reached the door.

I shot her a look, but I doubted she could see it- It was almost pitch black, the only lights from the moonlight coming through the window. I had suggested using a phone for light, but Abby shut down the idea, saying it would be too risky.

I slowly turned the knob, and the door slowly creaked open. Emma took in a sharp breath, and quickly scanned the room to make sure all the kids remained asleep.

One shifted slightly in their bed, but other than that, they might as well have been corpses.

I let out a tiny sigh of relief, and started tiptoeing between the beds. I found James pretty quickly, his trade-mark bed head resting against his pillow.

I leaned down to his ear. "James?" I whispered.

James rolled over, mumbling something.

"James, I need you to be quiet, ok?"

James' eyes drifted open. "Molly?"

"Shh." I help a finger to my lips. "Quiet ok? No matter what, you have to be quiet."

James nodded, his eyes closing again.

I carefully pushed aside the bedding, and hooked my arm under James' legs, my other arm wrapping around his torso. I slowly lifted him from his bed, cradling him against my chest.

"You can go back to sleep now," I whispered, but James had already dozed off again. Which meant less talking, so it was probably for the best.

I carried James back to the doorway, where Emma and Abby were waiting. Emma had her arms crossed against her chest, and was shooting me a look that was clearly supposed to make me walk faster.

I ignored her, slowly tiptoeing over the floorboards. I was surprised at how heavy James was, weighing more than I remembered. My stomach clench as I realized it was probably because he was actually getting fed regularly at the orphanage.

I swallowed a lump that had appeared in my throat, and kept moving. This is what's best for James, I reminded myself. James is safe if he's with me.

I slipped back through the door, Abby carefully closing it behind us. Emma huffed a piece of hair out of her face. "That took long enough," She muttered.

Abby held a finger to her mouth, as we started working our way down the stairs.

We reached the ground floor, and Abby pulled something from the back pocket of her jeans. As we reached the front door, she stuck it in the lock and started to jiggle it around.

"Does she know what she's doing?" I whispered to Emma.

"Of course she does!" Emma insisted, but she didn't look too convinced.

But apparently she did know what she was doing, since after a minute, there was the tiny click. Abby smirked slightly, and turned the knob. The door opened, a gust of cool air prickling my skin.

Emma grinned, and pushed past Abby. Abby stood up, and followed her out.

James shifted slightly in my arms as I passed through the doorway. His eyes fluttered open.

"Molly?" He asked. I could see the moon reflected in his sleepy eyes. "Where are we going?"

I didn't reply.

We were free.

—-

HELLO FRIEND I'M SORRY IT'S BEEN 5 YEARS.

I have been so incredibly busy lately, I had a play last week, and a concert this week, and I've only been getting about 2 hours of sleep each night, and I had an audition last week (I got in, incase you're wondering), and another next week, and it's almost the end of school which means all the schoolwork, and everything is just so nuts, omg.

BUT I FINALLY FOUND THE TIME TO UPDATE, WHOO.

Thank you so much for reading! Please vote, comment, follow, etc.

I love you all, thank you for being so patient, I'm so so sorry it took so long.

XOX