Changing

Chapter 25

(Taylor's Mom's  P.O.V.)

I sighed; as yet another person denied having ever seen the girl on the photo.

      “Thank you, I’m sorry for taking your time.”The words no longer held any meaning. I’ve been repeating the same thing over and over for so long now.

      The lady at the counter’s smile was filled with sorrow, “don’t worry you’ll find her. Don’t ever give up.”

      Those words didn’t hold any meaning either. But I forced my mouth into a smile before leaving the store.

      I hated myself for not realizing who the man was before he took my Taylor away from me. Luther.

      For so long I had run from him, not knowing when he would come back.

      I was so stupid to believe that he would never find us. Most likely he’s known where we were for years. But he just never acted on it.

      Why?

      I felt my gut clench. Of course I knew why. The only reason that he would come back would be because his experiment worked.

      That’s why Taylor was acting so strange that night.

      I had no idea what effect all those chemicals would have on Taylor, and still don’t. But she wouldn’t remember taking them. He had been mixing it in my food, and it was much too late by the time I found out what he was doing.

      Even so, I was sure when she was born that she was normal. There was no sign that she was different from any other kid; except for the headaches every year or so. I was so much hoping that they were just regular migraines…

      Taylor wouldn’t even know that Luther was, is, her father. I never told her. I thought I could protect her from that monster. And as the years went by without any sign of him, I thought he wouldn’t come back. So there had been no reason to tell her something that would only hurt her. But now I wish that she knew. Not that the information would do her any good, but still, I didn’t want her to think of me as a liar. Not like her father.

      I thought he loved me, but I realized that those supposed feelings were all a lie. I was just an instrument for another one of his experiments, which he so enjoyed doing.

      I was able to get away from him before Taylor was born. And once I was gone from his house, he no longer had any power over me.

      But now I realize that the only reason that we were able to live for so long without his shadow hanging over us, must have been because he thought his experiments didn’t work.

      I can still see Taylor’s petrified expression, as she tried to break my hold on her arm, and run.

      Then Luther’s grey eyes pierce mine, and that’s when I realized who he was. He had changed so much from the man that I had run away from so long ago. But his eyes, his eyes were still the same.

      He pretended ignorance of our relationship, like we had never met; giving his name as if it would mean nothing to me. But the name had meant everything to me. Breaking what little piece of tranquility I had been able to pull together over the years.

      And now?

      What should I do? I’ve been looking for Taylor for five months, no wait was it six? More? I couldn’t even remember how long.

      My money was running out. I had to quit my job when I realized that the police would not help me. It seemed that that paper he waved in my face saying that he had full custody of Taylor was true.