Taken

Chapter Nineteen--JEREMIAH

 I slept for the rest of the night and well into the day in the same position the men left me.  I had nightmares and woke up many times, drenched in sweat, only to remember I had told them where Haven and everyone was.  I had to remind myself that I didn’t tell them where in Oklahoma City they were, and that it was a big place.  I was still miserable though.

          Finally I found the strength to peel myself off the hard floor.  I clutched the table as my vision filled with spots.  I focused on the picture ahead of me and willed myself not to pass out.  Even though I needed the sleep.

          When I could see again, I crossed the room and picked all my belongings up off the floor and sloppily stuffed them back in my pack. I hiked the bag on my back, went in to the back room to retrieve the gun Haven had so haphazardly shot a while back—Louise—and left the house.  Despite the goofy name, I needed all the weapons I could get my hands on.

          My reasoning for taking this route was unclear.  I followed the gravel road away from the cabin and just started walking again, brutally aware of all the bruises on my body.  There was a cut right above my eye, and I had no idea how it got there.  I assumed it was probably linked to how woozy my head was and the fact that I was having troubles not stumbling every few steps or so.

          When I heard the trickle of water, I cut off the path and headed towards it.  I was hoping I wasn’t hallucinating or something while I clawed through the bushes and brambles, cutting myself up even worse.  I was thankful when I saw the trickling creek. 

          It couldn’t be wider than a few feet but suddenly I loved it.  It was crystal clear and the water was clean and cool, so I bent down and drank from my cupped hands.  When I couldn’t drink anymore, I splashed it on my face, not even caring that it was frigid.  I reached into my pack beside me and grabbed an old T-shirt that had ripped, and then dabbed at my cheek where a trickle of blood dripped from my cut.

          Finally, I pulled off my T-shirt and examined the bruises. They were huge purple splotches that were turning green at the edges and if I was in any other situation I would have thought they were awesome.  They were anything but awesome now, because I had given out information to Haven’s whereabouts because of them.  I felt sick inside and quickly redressed.

          I returned to the gravel driveway and followed it as it winded like a snake to the main highway.  I stood where the driveway led out.  I looked right.  I looked left.  I had no idea what direction to take, so I pulled a quarter out of my pocket that I had left in there when we first escaped and that I had forgot about.  Heads I go east, tails I go west. 

          I took a deep breath, put it on the tip of my thumb, and then flipped.