Stuck Stuck (RECONSTRUCTING)

Five- Juniper.

Wow.. If I thought the last chapter was hard...

I'm not very thrilled with this one, but after re-writing it 2147322 times, this will do.

Blarrg, scratch the vote thing. I don't want to seem like this is conditional. 

Just... Show me some love and let me know what you think so far, and leave suggestions, I can try to swing the story to your guys liking. :)

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I heard voices murmuring inside Dad's room and figured him and Arnold, or Gary, were talking about their latest hunt. I hate this damn booth. I rolled over, trying to get back to sleep when I heard his door open and close. I figured it was Dad and didn't stir, there was no point. I didn't hear any shuffling or usual heavy footsteps from him but I stayed in my place anyway.

Finally, after a few minutes of curiosity and no sounds, I wondered what he was doing. 

I sat up slowly and rubbed the sharp, stinging pieces of sleep from my eyes. When the shards left my vision I stared ahead and was frozen solid. My chest exploded in heat, then went numbingly cold. I wanted to speak, to tell this beautiful boy in front of me he had to run before Dad found out he was lose, but my whole vocabulary vanished, I couldn't even think of the sentence I wanted to get out.

He looked at me, cocking his head slightly to the side and leaning a bit close in my direction like he would pounce any second. Was it hot in here? No, it was freezing. I was freezing.

Suddenly, instinct took over, I needed to get this boy out of here. I needed to save him.

"Hurry, leave." I finally whispered after choking on a few useless attempts at speaking.

"What?" He looked dumbfounded.

"You need to leave before they notice you're free..." I wasn't sure if he could make out what I was saying, I was talking so low I could barely hear it.

Giving him a way out made me feel sick, like I was giving a giant 'Fuck you' to Dad after what happened last night. I'd rather hurt him then let this man be killed.

He stayed quiet for a few minutes, shifting from feet to feet. I was watching him, waiting for him to run in fear or beg me to get him out, but he stayed quiet. I looked closer and notice his hands behind his back.

What if I was wrong...?

What if this wasn't a victim that may have escaped?

...What if he was here to hurt us? My heart rate accelerated to an amazing speed, never had I been the prey...

I could only imagine what was behind his back, a knife? Perhaps a gun, or even something like handcuff so he can secure us and take his time...

"What do you want?" My voice was much louder now, I didn't quite know how to react in this situation. I guess I should do what the people I've witness die didn't do, because those things obviously didn't work. "Because you're not getting a damn thing, get out. Get out!"

I made sure my voice wasn't too loud, still not wanting to stir them in the other room. Blood didn't need to be shed yet...

"What? I don't want anything-"

"What are you? Some thief, a rapist?"

"Are you insane? What thief robs and rapes someone with his fucking hands tied behind his back?" He snaps. He turned a little, showing me the bindings. My cheeks instantly flamed, how could I be so stupid.

"Oh." I say quietly. I walk over to him slowly, reaching my hands up to show I mean no harm. I shuffle forward, taking baby steps and circling him before I'm at his back.

he turns his head around, trying to see me but staying quiet. Opening the door to the drawer in the counter, I pull out scissors. it takes awhile sawing at the thick zip-straps around his wrists but finally they snap and fall to the ground.

"Thanks." he mumbles.

"Now, hurry and leave before you're caught. I've probably made enough noise..."

He just makes an odd face and starts walking to the end of the trailer towards the door. I almost want to call him to come back and stay. I felt like his company would be nice, but I know better.

He gets to the booth where I had been sleeping and looks back at me, a grin on his face, and starts to pull out the full-bed above it. My jaw drops.

"What the hell are you doing?" I practically gasp. "You need to leave, now."

He just continues to smile at me and climbs onto the mattress hanging above where I had just slept. Was he out of his ever-loving mind?

"I'm getting some sleep, you can join if you'd like." Just his whole expression was irritating me, he had just escaped sudden death and now he's catching up on his winks? Unless...

I jumped and dashed for Dad's door, running as fast as I could. I could only imagine Dad slumped over, blood staining his skin and clothes. Had this man killed them? Is that why he was so at ease and unafraid? 

I got to the door and threw it open, seeing Dad laying in bed peacefully and Gary on the pull-out-couch in the corner, both breathing and alive. I closed back the door, noticing I was trembling.

I turned back to see the boy staring at me, he had left the bed and was back on the ground.

"What was that about?"

"Why are you here?" I ask, ignoring his question. I was close to tears, what was happening?

"I'm... Staying here."

"Staying here?"

"Yes, he's going to be traveling with us." I snap around to see Dad at his doorway, his hands folded across his chest. "Hope that isn't a problem, Junie." 

He doesn't care if I wasn't okay with this. He gives me a look I know all too well; shut up and accept it. I just nod to him and watch him go to the sink, filling a glass full of water and deliberately drinking it slowly. A few drops slide from the glass and slide down his chin, catching in his beard. I stare, not wanting to disrespect him by not keeping eye contact.

He sighs as he pulls the glass away and sets it on the counter harder than needed. 

"And don't wake me up again, Juniper." He says sternly and strides back to his room. he closes the door with a slam and I jump. I stay still, fighting the lump in my throat. If this was true, then my father had spared a life.

My father. That sounded odd in my head, like it was calling a person you knew by name something completely different.

If he spared a life.. He had hope.

I looked at the nameless boy, my vision blurring. He wasn't going to die, because my father had mercy for him. My heart took off, fluttering wildly and almost making me faint. He wasn't going to die.

Without being able to stop myself I flew forward and wrapped my arms around him, blubbering like a child into his chest, tears of joy soaking his shirt. He froze and stood there, awkwardly waiting for me to let go. I held on for a few more seconds, not letting this moment pass too quickly.

This, right here, was proof somewhere inside the man in the bedroom, there was a heart beating.