Niall

~14~

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~Niall Horan~

"So what's the story?" I ask my dad, climbing into his old diesel truck.

He parts his lips, thinking it over, "Do you remember your uncle?"

"The crazy one?"

"Yes, Niall. The crazy one," he confirms with a chuckle. I'm not completely sure how one minute a man can be beating his son, and the next, taking to him like nothing happened. "You're going to say that he took you because your mother owes him money."

I nod, comprehending the story. "And when they ask about my injuries?" I question, looking down at my ripped shirt that reveals my pale upper body. Irritated skin is scattered along my stomach and chest, ripped open in various places. Dried blood surrounds the cuts.

"What do you think, Niall?" He groans, irritated by my stupid question. I nod, getting that I should've known. My uncle hurt me.

"How long was I gone?"

My father glances at me, pulling out of the driveway. He replies, "You're supposed to be halfway through your senior year."

My mouth falls. That's almost four years! I was a freshman when I was taken! I've missed most of my high school career. Well, I guess I can still consider myself a freshman.

"So, Son, When the police asked you how you escaped, tell them you ran off when your uncle was passed out, drunk. Tell them that you managed to break the window and run," He orders, flipping off a young woman who ran a stop sign.

"Okay, anything else? What if they ask about Madeline?"

An evil smile crosses his face. It is one that I had come to know as something that I should be terrified of.

"Dad? What. If. They. Ask. About. Maddy," I ask yet again, but this time more demanding, enunciating every word.

He answers, never letting his smile leave his unshaven face, "Tell them he had her too. Tell them that she's gone. Make sure you show emotion."

I know that won't be difficult. Any thought about my Maddy dying would bring tears to my eyes as they are doing now.

I wipe my eyes and focus on the road, a hard expression across my face. Alright, Niall. Put yourself together.

As he parks at the police station, my father rests a hand upon my shoulder.

"You know I love you, Niall?" He questions, hope lingering in his tired blue eyes.

"Of course, dad," I reply, no enthusiasm lacing my words.

"No, Son, I truly do. I'm so sorry for hurting you like I did. I lost it. I can't believe I hurt my own blood."

I unbuckle my seatbelt and climb out of the truck, my muscles aching from lack of movement and the constant torture of the past years.

The police station is a small rundown building that probably hasn't seen real crime in years. There has probably been a couple drug and party busts and other small crimes, but nothing big. I guess that's a good thing, though. This is probably the biggest in years.

I wait for my father to catch up to be before opening the glass door.

"Excuse me," I say as I walk up to the desk. "I'm Niall, Niall Horan."

The officer--who had been previously entranced in a magazine--looks up at me, his eyes wide in shock.

"Niall Horan?" He questions, shock seeming to control his words. I nod.

My fathers voice startles me, "He found his way home like I always knew he would." He says this with a smile that brings back so many memories. It reminds me of when I was small and I would ask a stupid question, or do something that was funny. It was the smile that I had known him for previous to when he began to lose his mind.

"Hold on a moment, please," the officer says, picking up his radio. He then speaks into it, "Detective Allen, would you please report to the front desk? One of the missing teenagers have returned."

~

"Niall, where were you?" The detective asks, setting the recorder onto the table. I don't reply quickly. Though I am thinking about the way to word my answer, I'm sure he believes I'm too emotionally unstable to just spit it out. He stays silent, appreciating my mental state.

"Um," I start, deciding. Then I choose to change my words.

"You can tell me, Niall. Then we can get whoever did this to you," he assures, motioning to my bandaged body that the EMTs had tended to just a bit earlier. "Just tell me what happened."

"I was taking a walk just to think. The weather was decent and I needed to process that my mom left us," I announce slowly, just putting the story together myself.

"Wait, your mother left?" He questions, just hearing this story for himself.

I nod and continue, "She was worried that her brother would come after us. She borrowed some money a while back and money was tight, still is from what my dad's said."

I focus my attention to the mirror to my right where I know my father can see me from. I can picture him with a slight smile, truly because he's happy his plan is going well, but more than likely reflecting as joy that I'm back.

"Then a car pulled up beside me," I say, recalling my uncle's beat up car that was my grandfathers. "It was dark brown and had several rust spots. The license plate had his initials, J. P. K. for Jeffery Paul Kingston. There were a couple numbers that I can't quite remember. He called out to me and I greeted him, only thinking that he was a family member coming to say hi. Before I knew it, there was a gun to my head. He forced me into the trunk, but not before hitting me in the back of the head, and the next thing I knew, I was chained up in his basement where I would endure several torture sessions."

"For four years?" He asks in shock, probably thinking of all the scars I have now. I nod.

I part my lips, thinking about the other half of the plan. "I probably would've lost my mind."

"What kept you sane?"

"Madeline," I announce with a half smile as I think about her. So beautiful. "Madeline Payne."

"She's there?" He shouts with surprise.

I look at the ground, tears collecting in my eyes and reply, "No. She's gone. He hit her too hard once and..."

"Niall, it's okay. You don't have to talk about it. We will get this guy."
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I know, double update. This probably hasn't happened in the history of my Wattpad account. *claps* I'm amazing I know. *cough* not!

But thanks for reading! Please tell others about this book because once again, I'm trying to get to 2000 reads!

Thanks

maddy