In Hiding (Published!)

Chapter 31

So sorry for the wait, unbelievable, I know. 

    "Casey..? Casey, honey, wake up.. please.." I heard Cam's voice echoing around me, making it sound like there were more than one of him. I groaned, and tried to move.

  "No, no, don't move, Casey. Oh, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry." He mumbled, and I could tell he had placed his hands over his face, muffling his speech.

  "No.." I tried to say, but it was too hard to understand, and he didn't hear me. "No, Cam." I tried again, and this time, I heard him move, and place his hands on mine, squeezing. 

  He gasped when he felt my hand squeezing back, and I heard him faintly call Padmore back in. There was the faint tapping of his feet pattering across the hardwood floor, then getting louder as he came closer. I could see in my mind what he was passing, the third floor door.

  The only time I was up there, it was minimum, short. I remembered the black woman, short, but beautiful black hair, framing her oval face. The frame itself, was completely clean, and well taken care of, no doubt about it.

  "Casey, wake up, can you hear me, love?" I heard Cam's soothing voice, and I wanted to go to him, to hear him, to feel him. I was so tired, and I felt myself drifting away again. I forced my eyes open, and as they flickered between opening and closing, I saw a glimpse of  Cam's blurred face, and the smile that spread across his lips as he took in my eyes flickering. 

  "Oh, thank God. Casey!" Cam blubbered, and put his head down my neck, half hugging me, half just laying there because I was laying down.

  "Cam, I'm fine, really." I flushed, and felt embarrassed, not for me, but for Cam. My voice sounded extremely groggy, and dead, like I'd just risen from a century long sleep. 

  I pushed him off gently, as to not make him believe I didn't want him near, and just gripped his hand, then sat up. 

   "Did you find Jess?" I asked, just as Padmore entered the room, and Cam looked from me to him, biting his lips, Padmore, shook his head, "I'm sorry, Casey." Cam scooted his chair closer to my bedside. 

  "Paddy has tried everything, he went out looking last night, when you were sleeping, and still nothing. I'm sure he's still out there, still fighting. Isn't he with Cheyanne and Daniel?" Cam questioned, squeezing my hand. But his comforting words didn't stop my heart from wrenching out of my chest, breaking me open.

  I slipped out of Cams grasp, and pushed myself off of the plush bed, he stood up immediately, trying to stop me from going anywhere, "Casey, you need to rest." He pushed, but I shook him off, "I was resting for days, I need to move my body before I become immobile." 

  He didn't argue, and neither did Padmore, after hearing my plea, he let me walk out of the small room. I strode down the hall, not really seeing anything, not really wanting to. "Padmore, I can't thank you enough for letting us stay here in your home." I said quietly, as I walked still ahead down the long hallway. 

  I reached my destination as Padmore mumbled, "No problem, my dear. I made a promise." 

  The stairs looked frail, and worn. They were used a lot, probably cleaned too much, the stain has worn off of the wood, making the stairs look weak. 

  I stared up at the darkness, but as Padmore approached, I descended downstairs, my eyes trailing on the landing, my body pushing me forward, but pulling me away with weak strings. 

  "Padmore, may I cook?" I whispered as the stairs on the first floor brought me straight into the narrow kitchen. It looked happy, or once was. Bright yellow lined the walls, a white border on every corner and cranny. There were flowers, very worn, but brightly painted on the white cupboards, every color you could think of lay somewhere on the flowers, if it had to be dots on the pedels, there were.