Love's Arithmetic

XVI: Liberation

Getting out of the house had been the easy part. Caer hadn't counted on the ominousfence that surrounded the property. Or the giant spikes shooting up from the top. Already impeded by her vision, she didn't think she would very easily find a weak spot in the fence. It was also growing dark quickly, and her night vision was reduced to zero without glasses or contacts. For the first time since getting out of the house, she entertained thoughts of going back. Sneaking back in and hoping no one would notice that she had gone missing.

No! She screamed at herself. You have to keep going! And so the mantra started. She walked around the perimeter of the fence, keeping to the ever lengthening shadows and the foliage. She couldn't get this far only to be seen while trying to escape. In a far back corner Caer almost collapsed with relief. There under the fence was a large hole an animal of some sort, she wasn't about to question what type of animal, had dug. While it was a large hole, she didn't know if she would fit though it, but if she had to, she would make it bigger.

Caer didn't believe she had ever felt such relief before when she realized that she could easily fit through the hole. She was free! Free from the horrible memories, free from the terrifying encasement, free from her kidnappers. While David and Brian had been nice, she never wanted to see them again. If she did it would mean she would be back in the clutches of their tyrannical leader. A formidable man, she had no doubt he would come after her. She had to get away, far enough away that he wouldn't be able to find her. She would go to her parent's ranch and stay there for a while. It would keep her occupied and she would be able to pull herself together and make a new life for herself. She didn't think she would go back to her New York apartment. It was too close to the traumatic events that happened just next door.

An odd sense of sadness tortured her as she ran into the woods behind the house. Even though he had done nothing really good for her, save rescue her from Toby, the man who had tried to rape her, Caer had grown oddly fond of Garrett. Irrational, she knew, but she couldn't help it. She remembered reading about Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological disorder in wich a kidnap or hostage victim grows emotionally attached to their captor. As she thought about it, she was text book for Stockholm Syndrome. Garrett had shown kindness to her, he had protected her from an awful fate, one that likely would have led to her death.

It was strange that she could look at this without horror. She remembered reading about the syndrome and thinking how horrifying it would be for a person to be subjected to such things and end up having an emotional attachment also. Caer also felt regret, as she ran as fast as she could, desperate to place as much distance as she could between herself and the house, that she had to leave Garrett behind. He really had been kind to her, until she had discovered that she had been lying to him about her identity. And when he had found out, he had been angry, but had restrained himself from doing her any real physical harm. He had done nothing horrible to her, except scare her.

"It's been over a week and we haven't heard anything," Detective Crandall said quietly."I know you don't want to give up, but you need to prepare yourselves if she doesn't come home alive." It was hard, he had been with the family for the past week and he had connected with them. They were desperate to get their friend and neice back, but they were all helpless to do so. Caer's parents still had not been able to call from their cruise, and they had not been notified. He couldn't imagine what their reactions would be when they discovered that their daughter was most likely dead when they got home.

Urma Calhoon didn't accept his words, "She's fine, she's going to be fine. Don't tell me she's dead until you know for sure that she is. Until then I'm going to keep praying for her safe return!" Wes took his wife and daughter in his arms as they grieved for her, hoping that Caer would be returned safely to them. Although, as desperately as Wes wanted his neice to be returned, he knew it was unlikely. He remembered the first time he had met her, that day in the grocery store. She had been so lively and funny. Happy to make a new friend and introduce him to her Aunt that couldn't cook.

Caer didn't know how long she had been gone from the house. All she knew was that her run had turned into a jog, which turned into a speed walk, to a regular walk, to stumbling through the woods blindly. It was pitch black, the trees hiding all chance of the moon and stars. And in the distance she could hear rumbling thunder. Terror shot through her as she realized that she was once again in the dark forest, alone, with a storm approaching. The last time she had been caught stumbling in the woods in a thunderstorm she had broken her ankle. Her leg still bearing the scar.

She didn't want to be hurt again, she didn't want to be frightened anymore, she just wanted to be safe. Knowing that the storm was closing in much more quickly than she would like, Caer tried to find shelter. She found a smaller tree with low hanging branches, and hoped it would provide sufficient protection. Five minutes later, the clouds opened up, followed by large booms and flashes of light. She stayed curled up, terrified, drenched, and praying that she would make it out alive.