Behind Closed Doors

Untitled Part 25

The sun warmed my skin and it was like a bath, warm and fuzzy, like a good memory. It washed down over my body, but the moment was cut short by my awful cardio. I couldn't breathe. I could hardly keep up with him, and he kept having to drag me farther. I thought I was going to pass out. I knew if i did, i would be caught, probably both of us. Carter kept pulling me along, forcing me to run faster and not stop like my lungs and ankle so desperately wanted to.

I could see a tree line ahead, through the bright sun that burned holes into my eyes, I could make out lush green, and my heart skipped a beat. It was like magic, an amazing sight I never thought I would see again.

My hands were sweaty, and he had an iron grip to keep from losing my fingers in the sprint, but I couldn't keep up anymore. The world was spinning, and the next thing I know, my knees on the damp earth, and my head is pounding. Gasping for air, I could barely make out Carter yelling at me to get up, nearly begging, but I couldn't move. My head was swimming and everything seemed far away, like i was listening to him yell at me from under water. It felt like there was a vice on my lungs, applying pressure and forcing all the air out.

I felt myself be lifted off the ground, and I started to freak out a little, until I realized Carter was just picking me up. He was trying so hard to get me to safety. He held me like a small child, one arm under my shoulder blades, and the other in the crook of the legs. The T-shirt I was wearing had come up and I could feel the air dusting against my ass. Maybe that wasn't something that should've made me happy, but it felt so good, so normal. I leaned in against him, trying to keep the world from spinning off its axis, and I breathed in his scent.

All of a sudden, we stopped. I lifted my head and looked around as he gingerly set my feet down among the leaves, pine needles, and dirt. It felt foreign and new, but I loved it, and I sank back down to my knees, feeling the earth give way around me, like it was welcoming me to my new place amongst it.

"Look." he said, pointing over towards the direction from which we'd just come. "Watch closely, I promised you they would all be ok. They will be, just watch."

I didn't see anything for quite some time, and my eyes started to go blurry from my strain to see the building that looked so far away, but as I watched, I saw two trucks pull up. They were big, and box shaped, dark and ominous looking. Then, tearing in behind them, I heard police sirens and saw the swirling blue flashing lights.

Men scattered from the vehicles in all directions, they looked like ants, running around in dark colored clothes and large guns. I leaned forward, anticipating, praying, hoping that they could help, and in the same sense, afraid for them. Men rushed out of the building, and I heard loud cracks and booms from weapons being fired.

Carter grabbed me and pulled me close to him as we sunk down to the ground. At first I didn't understand, it was like my heart and mind couldn't comprehend anymore that day, but finally I understood that they were shooting at each other. I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes close as tears dribbled down my face. Either we would win or we would lose, but it all came down to this, this shoot off. People would die, and I didn't want to see it. I couldn't watch. I'd seen too many people die since I had been here, I'd done too much.

Carter pulled me close, and minutes, hours, days later, I don't know because I was incapable of keeping track of time anymore, he whispered in my ear.

"Come, we need to go down now." He softly murmured. I opened my eyes, and looked into his. They seemed so patient, so kind.

I lifted my hand and caressed his cheek. "It's ok, you know. Everything that...happened. It wasn't your fault, and I don't blame you." I said. "No one will blame you."

I saw a look of almost relief pass over him, as he lifted me back to my feet, and we walked down the hill. Our fingers were interlocked, as I was still dizzy from all of the running, and he was worried, I suppose, that I may fall.

When we reached the bottom, the police officers stopped us, and raised their weapons. I screamed and fell to my knees, throwing my hands over my head in a feeble attempt to protect myself. He raised his hands, then he began yelling to them that we werent a threat, and we'd just escaped, as he crouched down to gently bring me back to my feet.

The moments after that were blurry. I was rushed onto an ambulance to be cared for, and many, many more girls were brought out of the building we knew as our hell. They all received medical treatment too, and I heard that most of them were ok.