Eight Reasons...

Chapter 3

I wake to the sound of an argument. Two voices, both men, sounds like Will and Han. "I'm not doing it," Will stammers, "It's too risky. Why can't you just do it?" Han let's out a frustrated breath, "I told you I have to watch that pain in there. You should just man up and take the responsibility-" Will interrupts, his voice hot, "Talk about responsibility, what about your duty to giving my sister a good life, huh?" He continues, "You should just turn yourself in, because this criminal life isn't good for my sister." I hear a few steps, a door open, and then Stacey. "Wait, where are you going?" Her voice cracks. "I am not staying here and watching you throw you life away. Find someone else to use." The door slams. A few pounds, "That idiot," Han yells. Stacey asks, "What are we going to do?" I hear there voices fade.

Foot steps come towards the bedroom. I quickly raise up. He reaches down and unlocks the one cuff from the chair leg. "Get up," he says pulling me forward. He locks the cuff to my loose hand and tightens it until it feels like it has hit my bone. I am pushed out into the kitchen and set in a chair. "Honey get your jacket," he tells Stacey, "We are taking a road trip." My heart sinks, he is taking me to that river, I just know it.

He puts his arm on my back and leads me out the door and into the van. Stacey opens up the back door; he shoves me in. I fall on my back, then he puts a bag over my head. I feel a pinch in my arm, like a pin prick. What did he just do? We ride down pot hole filled street and then I start to find it hard to keep conscious. I start fading into darkness. When I wake, the first noise I hear is running water, but then I listen harder. It isn't a river, we are too far away and it sounds like a fountain. The van door opens and I am once again dragged out.

I stumble a bit as I walk where they lead. The air is cool and blows through my blouse sending a chill to my bones. We stop. I hear keys jingle and a door open. "Step up," Han says. As he pushes me forward. I feel for it and step up, nearly tripping. Footsteps come towards us. "Han, what in the world is going on?" Han takes a breath, "Let-"

"No!" an angry voice says, "Get out!" Han speaks again, "Give me a minute." Then footsteps walk out of the room. Just Stacey and I, maybe I could get away. Who am I kidding, I am not strong enough and even if I did get out where would I go. We have to be in the country side because I don't hear any traffic noise and I have no clue which way to go. It wouldn't a wise decision, but maybe I could find a neighbor's house.

I pull at my wrist desperately trying to get them loose. I hear footsteps come back and quickly stop. "Let's go Stace." Han and Stacey walk out the door. I hear the other guy groan and hit the something, I think it's the wall. Then he walks towards me. All I can think is that angry man coming for me. I can feel and hear him standing in front of me. He reaches up and pulls the sack off my head. I squint my eyes shut as the sack leaves my face. He lets out a sigh and walks around me. I open my eyes to find that I am standing in his foyer. Though a doorway and down two steps to my right I see a couch, probably his living room, and to my left I see a set of stairs, to an upper level, and a kitchen.

The cuffs loosen and I let my hands fall. He walks into the living room and I stand there rubbing my aching wrist. He sits down on the couch, but he is not what I was expecting. He looks younger than Han, but has a similar nose and dark brown hair. If I had met him in public, I probably would have flirted. He looks at me and shakes his head, slightly laughing, "You know, you can come in here if you want." I stand there. He is more unpredictable than I thought, but I don't dare take my guard down. The way he acted to Han and the fact that Han left me here with him, makes me deny trusting him. For all I know he could be a psychopathic murder. He sure doesn't look it, but looks can be deceiving. He takes his hand and motions me forward, "Come on, I know I probably scared you. I was just angry" I start to creep towards him, deciding to stop in the doorway, but he keeps motioning. "Come on," he smiles slightly. I walk further and he pats the couch next to him; I sit down on the opposite side, a foot away from him.

He looks at me and then turns around looking at his end table and then at the coffee table. I watch his every move, until I start to realize he seems harmless. He looks right at me, then he starts to lean over me. My eyes grow wide and I sink back. He reaches his hand around me. "Relax," He pulls his hand to the side, "I am just getting the remote." He shakes it in his head, then turns on the television. "Want to watch a movie?" I stare at him with a confused look, desperately trying to understand him. After a moment of silence, he speaks again, "Okay, what about a TV show?" I stay in the same concentrated stare. "Alright," He turns and starts mumbling, "I guess we are watching what I pick." He turns the channel to a movie, Super Fuzz is playing. He turns to me again. I am now shaking from a cold spell wrecking through my body. "This is a classic, you have to watch," he exclaims and I nod, "Wait, are you cold?" He touches my arm and I nod. His touch is so warm and gentle.

"Here," he hands me blanket. I take it and wrap it around my body. It doesn't help that much the cold still moves through my body. I tend to do this sometimes on cold nights. It was nights like this that forced me to crawl into bed with my brother. He didn't mind because he enjoyed the company. He was only a kid then and I was only a teen, but the only one he had. I was old enough to legally take charge of him after our grandmother passed. Our parents disappeared one fall. Everyone suspected foul play by a competing vineyard owner and their theory was proven correct a few years ago. I lost my home because if them, all the memories I have are rotting away with the fields of the foreclosed property, that I wish I had back.

The ending of the movie snaps me back into reality. It always makes me giggle a little when she dyes her hair red so he can't use his powers on her and reveals it at their wedding. I yawn. "If you want you can lie down," he says. I nod and whisper, "Okay." I scoot down and lay my head on the couch arm and pull my feet into a ball. I am starting to trust him, but I don't know if that is a good thing. He turns it to different channel, a television show I assume. I try to hold my eyes open, but I am so worn out. Han must have gave me some drug to keep me exhausted.

He says a few other words before he turns off the TV. I don't understand them though. I feel another blanket cover my body as my eyes shut.