REPOST - [ camp discovery ] - a tayvis short story

chapter three.

JUNE 10, 2013

22:04

"What's wrong, bud?" Travis asked, kneeling down by Michael's bunk. Michael pulled his knees into his chest and backed into the corner of the bed. Michael had woken up from his sleep, screaming. Travis and Ross jumped into action the second they heard him. Tree told them he was coming into camp with some trauma that he was working through, and something like this may happen.

"Get away from me!" Michael screamed. Travis held up his hands, showing Michael he wasn't there to harm him but to help him. "I want my mom! Get away from me!" Travis glanced over to Ross.

His attention went back to Michael. "I'm just trying to help you, Michael. We can go to your mom, okay?" Travis was calm, not an ounce of panic present. "Will you walk with me to her?"

"No!" Michael yelled. "Get away from me!" He screamed again. "I want my mom!" Michael repeated. Travis looked over at Ross again, who was still standing in the same spot, looking at the two of them, as if he was piecing something together.

"Ross, can you go get Taylor? I'll stay here with Michael," Ross nodded and headed out of the cabin. Once Ross was out of the cabin, Travid reached for Michael to try to soothe him, but Michael started swinging at him, hitting him multiple times in his arms.

"DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" Michael yelled. He crawled quickly to the other side of the bed, got out of the bed, and started running towards the door of the cabin. He burst out of the door and ran in the direction of Taylor and Kylie's cabin. As he ran, he saw Taylor coming towards him. "Mommy!" They met in the middle, and Taylor scooped him up. He wrapped his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist.

"It's okay," Taylor whispered as she started to walk back to her and Kylie cabin. "Mommy's here. It's okay." She rubbed his back as she walked, whispering to him that he was okay as she got back into the cabin. She sat on her bunk and started to rock Michael, still shushing him cries, reminding him that he was okay and that he was safe. She heard the door of the cabin open and then close again. She glanced over briefly, seeing Travis standing there next to Ross.

"He hurt you again. I was trying to get your help again, but he wouldn't let me," Michael said once he was done crying. "He didn't want me to get your help," Michael repeated. His head was still resting on Taylor's shoulder as she rocked him.

"Who was it, sweet boy?" Taylor asked him softly, still swaying from side to side, her own tears starting to escape from her eyes.

"Jake," Michael whispered. "I was in my bed and had your phone, and he took it from me, so I couldn't get you help. I couldn't call the police to get you help, and then you left me."

"I would never leave you," Taylor told him. "Jake will never hurt us again. He's in jail, and we don't live there anymore. We're going to get a new place in a new city. You're going to have your own room, and nobody from that place will find us. We're already five hours away from there. No one knows where we are. No one can hurt us." She spoke to her baby boy freely, not caring that three people were standing in the room listening to her every word. They didn't matter. All that mattered was Michael right now and calming him down. "Nobody can hurt us, baby. Nobody."

"Okay..." Michael replied. Taylor could tell he was a little hesitant, a little nervous about what she was telling him.

"I promise, we're safe here. Remember I told you that I used to come here to get away from Grammy and Pop when I was your age?" Taylor felt him nod his head against her shoulder. "A lot of the same people from when I was little are still here. They all love us so much, and they can't wait to get to know you, my sweet boy."