200 Letters Gone

Adam: 12

Soon after they leave the room, I hear another knock. The door opens just enough to allow a small young woman to get through the doorway.

She sees me, and she lights up.

"I'm such a big fan," she says, coming over and sitting down next to me. "I'm in the same room as Adam Everhart! Ah!"

"It's been awhile since I heard that," I say, looking at the young woman. She looks a lot like Raven, with the same long black hair, dark eyes, and caramel skin. The main difference between them seems to be that this woman will actually cover herself up.

She seems to realize, then, the absurdity of what she just said to me. "I'm sorry," she says. Then she stares up at me with this crazy intensity in those brown eyes. 

"Raven, Dawson, all of them. They're crazy, Adam," she whispers. 

I would know. You have to be a special kind of crazy to kidnap people. 

She says something that catches my attention.

"I'm here to help you," she says. 

"What?" 

"I'll help you two get out of here," she says to me. "It's not right, what she's done, but she never was the rational one."

We talk for a little while longer about what she's done to me and Adam. She looks ashamed as she learns of the things that Raven has done. Then I have a thought.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Rachel. Raven's sister," she says. "I'll be back later with your dinner, okay?"

Then she rises from the bed and walks out the door, leaving me alone again. 

I rise from my bed and pick my duffel bag up from the floor. What did that man put in here?

Inside the bag, I find a heap of my clothes from the old house. Wrapped up inside of them are the albums I was given; the four by Maroon 5, the two by my band, and a few others that look new. But old habits are hard to break. 

I slip Overexposed into the stereo and skip over the songs until I come to an old favorite. 

And I remember your eyes were so bright

When I first met you, so in love that night...

Her beautiful face, just inches from mine, as we danced in that crowd. The magic I felt between us as she kissed me in those lights.

Now I'm kissing your tears goodnight...

I can't imagine the toll this has to have on her. I don't want to think about all the tears she must have already shed since I've been gone. She was always so sensitive. And now, she's all alone with our baby girl. The band will take care of her, but I was the one who promised to always be by her side. I would do anything to get away from here if it meant being back in her arms.

Soon Raven returns Adam to our room, leaving us alone. He glances over at the stereo; I rise from my place on the bed and switch off the music.

"Thanks," he says, looking exhausted. 

"Are you okay, man?"