Taken

Chapter Thirty Four--JEREMIAH

The pain of seeing Denny, my Denny, curled up against Grady made me want to punch his lights out.  I could care less if he was practically my brother, if you could even call him that anymore.  A brother wouldn’t do this, not even a friend.

          Denny burst into tears, and my heart splintered even more.  Here was the girl I loved, ripped in two by best friends and I could only imagine how hard it was for her.  I had to give it to her, she didn’t know if I was coming back, but then again it had only been two months.  How much faith did she really have in me initially?  I could hardly believe now that she had very much.

          Her pleading gaze, her sobs, everything that she had gone through, almost made me crack.  I knew I couldn’t though, not now not ever, I wouldn’t go running back into her arms.  I wouldn’t welcome her back that easy, not after something this severe.     

          “Please,” I heard her plead, but saw she was talking to Grady, clutching his face. 

          That made everything in me go into shut down mode.  I went expressionless, emotionless, and didn’t feel anything inside.  I was numb, I was hurt, I was heartbroken, and suddenly I couldn’t feel anything.  It was as if the damage done to my heart was so extensive I was paralyzed—unable to move, unable to think.

          Denny went on, and the only time I finally opened up or heard anything was when Barnes’ words filled my head.  Why don’t you tell them what my intention is? it echoed, loud and clear, like bells ringing in a church, only this voice was gravelly and evil.  They didn’t belong in church, they didn’t belong anywhere on Earth, the only place they belonged was with the devil himself.

          I gulped, swallowed again, took a deep breath, and tried to stay calm.  Right as I was about to speak, he cut me off, and I let him.  I didn’t listen to what he was saying.  I didn’t try to think what he was telling Denny, the only reason I knew it was totally horrifying was because of her reaction.  I knew what his intentions were, but I didn’t want to say them out loud.  I didn’t want to make them real.

          This war would start soon, and I knew anyone who came across his path, maybe even starting right here in this house, wouldn’t survive.

-

          “Jeremiah.”

          My eyes fluttered open. My eyelids were heavy with sleep, and I was about to drift off when that whisper came again.

          “Jeremiah.”

          It was Denny, from the other side of the room.  The soldiers had left me in charge, so they could all sleep, but they assured me the house was surrounded, whether it was a bluff or not I didn’t know.  I pushed the desperate whispers out of my head, squeezed my eyes shut and tried to ignore them, but the numbness I had felt earlier was gone and I wasn’t as strong.

          “I know you’re awake.”

          I sighed, popping open an eye.  “What?”

          “We have to get out of here.”

          I didn’t say anything.  I knew she had the plan perfectly mapped in her head.  Escape and run into the dark woods, head to the cabin, and hide.   I knew it wouldn’t work though.  If the soldiers were speaking the truth when they said they were surrounding the house, they would be out there right now holding their AK-47s and just waiting for some dumb kids to step out of line and make their job easier.

          “It’s impossible,” was all I said.

          Now that I was a little more awake, I noticed how uncomfortable the wood floors were against my bare cheek.  I sat up and rubbed my face, knowing it was probably red. 

          I looked over at Denny.  Her back was against the wall and she was looking back at me with eyes that glimmered in the low burning firelight and made them resemble those of a cat in the night.  She looked so fragile, so vulnerable, that I almost forgot she had betrayed me.

          “Why did you do it?” I found myself asking without thinking, although once it was out I was glad I did.

          Her eyes fell, and I saw them start to sparkle with lurking tears.  “I’m so sorry,” she choked, and my heart hurt.  I still loved her, there was no doubt about that, and even though I felt totally betrayed, I still wasn’t a jerk. 

          I rose and shuffled stiffly over to her, then wrapped my arms around her automatically.  She leaned into me and kept crying, her shoulders heaving only slightly.  She sat back and wiped her eyes after a few minutes, then the whole story began to spill from her.  About how Grady had kissed her, about how she couldn’t get him or me out of her mind and it was World War III as a result but that she kept it bottled up inside of her.  She explained that she truly believed I wasn’t coming back and that was the only reason she decided to be with him, but that she hadn’t until this morning.

          I felt a little bit of a burden lift from my shoulders when I found out I hadn’t been forgotten as quickly as I thought.  She took my hand and brought it to her neck.  I felt the dolphin charm.  “I never took it off,” she murmured, then settled our entwined hands on my leg.  “Never.”

          I was wearing the bear still too, and when she showed me that she still cared about me, I started to open up to her.  I knew the story now, and I understood her decisions.  Really and truly though, I respected how strong she was about it.  I didn’t think I could handle being in a situation like that.

          “Denny?”

          “Hm?”

          “I think you are a really strong girl.”  She smiled at me and I knew I had said the right thing. 

          “Do you think we can escape?” she asked in a super low whisper.  If she had said it to anyone else they would have mistaken it as a breath.

          I looked at her nervously.  “When they told me I was in charge of you guys, they said they had the place surrounded.  I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

          “Can you at least check?” she pleaded, desperation written all over her face.

          I rose and went to the window, hoping the lighting was dim enough that you could see out but not in.  Luckily it was still a full moon, and I could see everything pretty well.  No soldiers.

          I rejoined Denny and she looked at me expectantly.  “I don’t see them,” I said rationally,  “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Actually, I have a plan.”