Courage Comes From Lies

Chapter 35: Tara

| 11:21 in the morning, in Tara's crate. The following chapter will be written out in third person. TW:// Sexual assault, kidnapping, pedophilia |

Tara was fast asleep in her little holding cell after having just finished another meal with her new friend, Leonard. For the first time in days, she was able to fall asleep peacefully, despite the nightmare she soon has to face. For the first twelve minutes of her slumber, all was quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the gentle humming of the ship's engine, which somehow helped Tara sleep deeper. This deep sleep cleared the pathway for a dream that would not only encourage her but give her a choice to make in her near future.

| Seven years into the past, eight year old Tara is walking home from her afternoon classes |

Tara sighed heavily as she made her way outside of her taekwondo class building and onto the sidewalks. "I can't believe Khloe forgot to get me today. She knows Mommy and Daddy work today too!" She grumbled to herself as she came up to a crosswalk and waited for the stoplight to turn red, looking at her watch. "And she had my change of clothes too." She again sighed, dressed in an all white dobok with a red belt strapped around her waist. She watched the stoplight then quickly made her way to the other side when it turned red. Her house wasn't very far from her taekwondo class but she still felt safer walking with her big sister. Even if she was the third ranked GUP in her class. Carefully avoiding eye contact with anyone who passed her on the streets, Tara walked quietly just thinking to herself, when suddenly a black van pulled up beside her and slowly followed her pace. She still avoided looking anywhere but the ground as she walked when the van's passenger window rolled down and a man's voice from inside could be heard speaking to her.
"Hey little girl. Aren't you a bit young to be walking this late in the day without your parents?" His voice unusually sounded calm and soothing. Like her father's whenever she got hurt badly and he'd comfort her while caring for her. But despite this familiar sensation, she still kept her eyes at the ground as she walked.
"My parents trust and taught me enough to find my way around alone if the time was ever needed." She swallowed the ball in her throat as she spoke to him. Her parents taught her to always avoid eye contact with anyone if she ever had to walk home alone and to never engage in conversation if not necessary. So for her to have replied to this man left her in confusion on if she had helped or doomed herself.
The man chuckled keeping at her speed in his van. "Oh yeah? You must be really responsible then for your parents to trust you that much."
Tara chose not to say anything else to the man and simply nodded her head as she subtly quickened her pace. He continued their conversation with an offer.
"You know, I checked the weather today. It says it'll rain really hard pretty soon. So why don't you let me give you a ride home? I promise to get you there safely." She felt her heart pound in her chest as he asked. This was the first time she'd been faced with being potentially kidnapped so her mind was overflowing with thoughts on what to do and what was right. She continued thinking to herself about to assess the situation when he spoke to her again.
"Come on kiddo. Don't you see the clouds? You don't look prepared to walk in a storm and your parents will get worried." She looked up at the sky. He was right. The clouds were getting darker and darker by the minute. However despite this, she still refused.
"I'm almost home, sir so no thank you. I can make it from here." She very slightly heard him click his tongue and snuck a little glance at him. He looked to be a man in his 30s. Long messy dark hair. Slight stubble. A bit on the heavy side. Exactly five blue piercings. Two on his nose, one on his bottom lip, two in his eyebrows. She knew this was enough information to give to her parents once she arrived home.
"Are you sure, kiddo? I know your mom and dad will be happy to know you made it home safe and dry." He continued attempting to get her into his van and at that point, she'd tapped her watch, causing it to light up and switch colors between red and blue. She then stopped and looked at him holding her wrist up.
"I would leave me alone now if I were you sir. I've given my parents the signal to call for the police and they know my location. My father works on the Council so this won't end well for you." She watched as the van stopped and the man looked at her a bit surprised. She kept her expression and posture calm but looked at him seriously. He just chuckled awkwardly.
"My bad little lady. I must have had you confused for someone else." With that, the window rolled back up and the van sped off. Tara watched it until it was out of her sight then let out a huge sigh of relief nearly falling to her knees. "Thank the Kings..." She turned off her glow up watch and continued walking. Another thing her parents taught her, if you have no other way, fake through your bravery. She'd, of course, lied about having contacted her parents. Yes they knew her location but that was through a hairpin she wears everyday. But that lie was enough to save her life. When all else fails, courage comes from lies.