Taken

Chapter Three Two--GRADY

          The meadow was in the first stages of blooming and I felt satisfied as I saw Denny’s awed face.  She let go of my hand to pick a couple flowers as I sat down and watched.  Finally she joined me, and I picked a blue blossom from a plant I couldn’t identify and slid it in her hair, just above her ear.  She smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

          “You really need to lose that smug smile,” she teased.

          “Are you going to make me?” I replied, poking her in the ribs.    

          Our conversation was cut short by a couple loud cracks in the distance.  Denny’s face was suddenly filled with concern and she scrambled away from me and started to sprint back towards the house. 

          I followed her and by the time we made it back to the house she was already on the porch, wriggling the sticky doorknob.  She finally jostled it open and we went inside.  Haven was sitting on the couch reading like nothing had happened.  “Why are you guys breathing hard?”

          “Did you hear those gunshots?” I asked her and she nodded.

          “I didn’t think anything of it.  Maybe Ladd’s hunting?”

          “That didn’t sound like his gun,” Denny said nervously, glancing over at me.  She tugged at my elbow and headed back to the door.  “We better go check on them.  Come on Haven.”

          Minutes later, we were peering at their house in horror from the edge of the trees.  Soldiers were milling around outside and in. We could tell because the curtains hadn’t been drawn, and I had a gut feeling something really bad was going on. 

          I held out my hand so Denny wouldn’t step any further.  We were hidden in the darkness of the shadows of the trees, and any movement would set off the soldiers.  I used my other hand to press a finger to my lips, silently telling her not to say a word.

          We watched for what seemed like ages, and I was really nervous about what had happened to them.  I kept my eyes peeled for any possible ways to get in and finally, I slowly made my way to the line of trees close to the back porch.  There weren’t any soldiers, so I told the girls to stay  put as I sprinted to the window in the door.

          Hostages.  That’s what Sarah and Ladd were.  They were tied to the chair, guns pointed at their heads, a burly man holding a knife to Ladd’s throat. I gulped, another man was feeding Ladd’s book pages to the stove fire.

          Sarah instantly saw me, felt my gaze on her face.  She didn’t show any indications to the soldiers, but I knew her too well.  I knew what her eyes were telling me to do.  Run.  

          She struggled against the ropes once more and yelled something, and a soldier’s eyes flicked over and locked on mine.  I reeled back, stumbling down the wood steps and sprinting into the trees, pulling Denny and Haven with me.  I knew I had been seen so I didn’t try to hide anymore.

          “What did you do?” Denny hissed as shouts filled the air behind us.  We were being followed. 

          We ran and ran, trees whizzing past us.  I pushed myself to go faster, but my foot caught a root and I went down.  Hard.

          Pain exploded in my ankle and seemed to radiate up my leg as the girls struggled to pull me up.  “Come on! Hurry!”  I stood and began to limp/jog but I was lagging and my stamina was dwindling.

          I was out of breath when I finally had to stop and lean on a tree.  “Go ahead without me,” I managed through gritted teeth.  “Go!”

          Denny turned back to look at me and Haven ran for a little while longer before realizing she was the only one.  She came and placed a hand on my shoulder.  The shouts were getting louder. I pushed her gently back.

          “Go, Denny, I’m serious.”

          “Are you sure?” she asked, expression unreadable although her eyes looked a bit hurt.

          “Yes,” I breathed out, clutching my leg. 

          She looked at Haven, standing a few yards away, then back at me. “Go,” I repeated, but she stayed put.

          “You were there for me when I needed it,” she finally said as the shouts couldn’t be but a hundred yards off.  “Now I’m gonna be there for you.”