Escape

5

We walk in the small town without really knowing where to go. The caps are locked on our heads like it won't make us suspicious but we try to stay as much as possible where there aren't too many people. It is really a small and old town. There aren't many people on the streets, the buildings and shops look old. It's not very developed and look nothing like what we are used to in America. What is it here that had them need to fly us specifically here? It's really the middle of absolutely nowhere. Maybe that's the whole point, because even though I don't really know what James father's job is about I do know is business as him flying all the time to the Emirates, Dubai, the UK, France and more countries that I can name. But I've never heard James telling me about his father being in Kirghistan. I guess this is the illegal part Nate was talking about in the van.

He is walking in front of me since we left the shop and leading the way, checking every street we take. I'm starting to be really hungry. We both took one cereal bar type of snack about an hour ago and that's all we've eaten since we got kidnaped. Before that, I ate a hot-dog around 6PM before James and I got to the movies, then I ate sweet pop corn at the theater. James only ate the hot dog and didn't take pop corn. He doesn't like eating pop corn. It always gets stuck in his teeth and he hates that. He usually takes something else, M&M's or chips or whatever. This time he didn't take anything, he wasn't in the mood for it.
I hope they fed him, I hope they are not torturing him, I hope he is okay, I hope he is still al-

"Here, there's a church" Nate cuts through my thoughts. He walks faster to the entrance. It's empty inside, and colder than outside. The church looks even more ancient than the rest of the city. The walls are in stones, grey, and there are maybe ten rows of old brown benches separated in two on each sides in front of the altar and on the right side of it in a small nook is a half cave where there is a status of mother Mary on her knees, praying surrounded by out candles.

Nate walks to the cave, looks around until he finds a lighter and lightens two candles in front of the status. He then comes and sits next to me at the end of the bench closest to the cave. He takes a deep breath then closes his eyes and drop his head with his arms on his knees. I think he is praying, he doesn't look like the prayer type but the energy he is giving off right now feels really good and the place as well. I close my eyes too and pray God and Mary to protect us and give us strength on this journey.
I think about James, and pray for him as well. I'm scared, but as long as we have God with us we will be alright. It was unexpected but I'm really glad to found out that Nate shares the same religion as me. We will be stronger that way. I don't go to church every Sunday but I deeply believe and I'm glad he does too.

We stay in the church for maybe an hour during which none of us speaks. Nate is deep in his thoughts and I've gathered my knees up on the bench to rest my chin and I keep thinking about James and my family. I wish they were the type I could call in times like this. They probably haven't noticed I'm gone, or if they have, it's sure not because they're worried.
After a moment, Nate grabs the back pack from underneath the bench and searches inside until he finds a map. The cashier circled our location. Very thoughtful of him.

"We need to go to a bigger city", he says "we'll have more chances of finding help there". I agree. We put the map on the floor and sit in front of it. Nate grabs a pen inside the bag and we try to find the next biggest town near where we are.

"Here, Bichkek" I point on the map. It seems far, there are two intermediary cities on the way. One, smaller then Kant, Kirshelk and another one a little bigger, Lebedinovka just before the big city, our target. "How long do you think it's gonna take us to get there?" I ask.

"I don't know, I guess we'll find out on the way." My companion answers while folding the map and putting it back in the bag.

We both stand to leave the church but as we almost reach the front door, a back door opens behind us and we hear voices coming "shit, come" Nate grabs my arm and pushes me into the nook of the wall near us. A man and a women enter then look around while talking to each other. I think they're looking for us. The must have heard us. Thankfully, they don't look too deep and leave soon by the door they came in from. When we're sure they're gone, we leave the church.