Reason

Chapter 21:

"You are going to break into his office? Are you crazy or something?" Ariel said, looking at me. I had just explained to them the plan of our escape. The only way for an escape was to alert the outside and bring them to us. Anthony only had a phone in his office and that was our ticket out the door. Was there any other way?

"That's the only way we can break out of here." I said, bouncing Claire on my legs. I could tell she was smiling by the way she was clapping her hands.

"That's suicide, Aubrey. Have you seen what that evil man has done to some of the people in here? I'm sure there is another way." Ariel said.

"There is no other way. I have to do this. Otherwise, I will be tortured and so will the rest of these people. I need to get them out. I need to get everyone's children out and it needs to happen soon." I concluded. Ariel nodded like she understood but I could tell that her faced showed some concern. Was she worried I wasn't going to succeed?

What would happen if I didn't? All I could think of was death. Painful deaths and moaning from dying. My uncle killing everyone and making me watch. That was what he wanted. My suffering and by the end my death. Just like my mother.

"When are you going to do it?" Allie asked.

"Tomorrow. I'll do it while everyone is at lunch. I'll get in, make a call to Tony then get out. By then hopefully, Tony will be on his way." I answered.

Allie nodded and smiled. Ariel finally nodded and seemed reassured. I didn't have to worry about the children. They would be on board anyways.

A loud bell went off.

"Time to go. See you all tomorrow at lunch." Allie said, getting up and walking towards her cell.

I stood up too and grabbed Brodie from Ariel's arms. I held one of Claire's hands and lead her back into our unsanitary dungeon. Each step felt like dread but it was one step closer to freedom. I had to relax. We were going to make it out.

I had to stay positive also. How else was I to go on? All of this time, I thought about the negatives; how I was going to die in here, of the different ways my uncle had killed people and so on.

I guess it was hard to think of the positives. What were the benefits of this place? Was it that I got to be with my family? Or was it the assurance that I knew they were ok? Maybe it was both. I couldn't figure it out.

The door closed automatically behind us, sealing us in from the rest of the facility. I looked again at our surroundings. It still held a faint urine smell and topped it off with a bowel smell. Almost like someone had not washed in forever.

Where there other people sitting in this very room, wondering where they were and what was going to happen to them? When they were going to meet the person who put them there? I was guessing they were.

I felt like the stone walls were getting closer as I looked around the square room. It was all like an illusion, the walls making a slow movement towards me, crushing me and my children inside of it. I took a deep breath. Positive thoughts, Aubrey. Positive thoughts. Positive thoughts.

"Claire, why don't you take a nap." I said, standing up and laying Brodie down. I lightly pushed Claire's body down onto the hard bed and she obliged. She nodded her head and laid her head on the uncomfortable bed.

"Mommy?" She whispered.

"Yes?" I asked, looking down at her and kissing her forehead. She smiled and kissed my cheek.

"Will you tell me a story?" She asked, closing her eyes.

"Sure." I said, smiling through the dim light. Claire closed her eyes and curled her arms around Brodie.