Forget Me Not

Chapter Five

The next week, was as terrible as those first few days. Zack continued to keep his head down, which was becoming increasingly difficult. The cops visited the school twice more and Zack even spotted Fey's parents visiting the school. Fey's mom was deathly pale, she looked on the point of collapse, her father however walked with his back straight, his jaw clenched and his fists shaking at his sides as though nothing would give him more pleasure than to punch the person responsible for his daughter's absence so many times and so hard that they'd never wake up. After this particularly nasty event Zack stopped visiting Fey, at least during the day, because it reminded him to much of the pain he was causing. Nighttime was a different story, at night he could watch her sleep and never have to meet those eyes, so full of pain and hatred, and if he never had to look her in the eyes, he never had to admit to himself that it was he who caused an innocent so much suffering. On almost all of these moonlit stalkings, Zack brought small bits of food, that way he could kid himself that he wasn't there to see her, he was there to feed.

Fey's week was not at all better, although she had stopped crying and had started putting all her energy into her escaping, it was no simple task. She had figured out by now that she couldn't break free of the ropes, so that meant the only thing to do was to manipulate her captor into giving her the opportunity to break free. The problem being he never seemed to be there during the day, she knew he must come at night though, because each morning there was a new bit of food for her.

Finally, she came to the conclusion that she would have to stay awake at night, then she could try and talk him into releasing her. So one night she went to sleep very late, by her guess it was the wee hours of the morning. This way she would sleep a lot that day and could stay awake at night. The plan worked, by nightfall Fey was wide awake, feeling more alive than she had since she had been here. A spark of hope glowing inside her.

Zack had a less successful day, his grades were slipping and his father was furious. That evening he had a terrible headache, and seriously considered not going to see Fey that evening, but he couldn't pass up a chance to watch Fey sleep, her chest rising and falling steadily, her face more peaceful than he ever saw it by day. So that night, the same as all the others he crept out and through the dark, the shed looming doomfully in front of him, silhouetted by the full moon shining behind it.

When he arrived at the garage and opened the door, Fey sat up, looking at him. Luckily for her, Zack didn't notice the movement or he may have left then. He made his way carefully over to her. The moon might have been full, but it was still very dark in there.
"Hello." Said Fey, her voice was almost inaudible, husky and rough from lack of use. Quiet as she may have been Zack heard and jumped in shock. He was tempted to leave right then, but part of him had been longing to talk to her, to ask her who she really was.
" Hi." He returned, cursing himself for having nothing more interesting to say.
"It's a nice night isn't it?" Said Fey in a forcing her voice to sound cheery and unafraid, unfortunately her voice quivered, letting on that she was frightened.
"Yeah... It is." Said Zack rather suspiciously. Fey knew she should wait to ask but the question was burning her up.
"Can you take me for a walk? I really want to see the moon and stars." Said Fey all in a rush.
Zack didn't answer just stared at her, it sounded romantic a walk in the moonlight he allowed himself to imagine it but then he came to his senses, it was a trick, a way to get free. This thought made him so angry he had to fight the urge to slap Fey clean across the face.

She saw the fury in his eyes, and recoiled from him slightly. He saw this and looked even more furious. Finally shaking with compressed rage he stormed from the garage but not before taking a quick swipe at her with his boot. His foot caught her right in the mouth. The answer to the question was painfully clear.

Fey felt a rush of hate, not towards Zack, but to herself. She had blown her chance, ruined her shot. All because she couldn't hold her tongue and wait, because she was scared. There she sat, more than a week had passed with her being here. Yet she remained bound firmly, not only ropes but by her emotions, the frustration, the fear, the anger, the loneliness, even feelings she could not yet describe. All of them keeping her there like an animal in a crate. This was the moment when reality hit. She was well and truly alone. Fey bowed her head and began to sob, a privilege she hadn't allowed herself in a while, on the grounds of it being unhelpful and useless. However this failure seemed to weaken her more than anything else. She had put all her hope into this, and now it was gone.

Zack didn't return at all that week, he was angry and bitter. He wanted her to like him, but she was being difficult. If she wouldn't accept this as her fate then he wouldn't bring her food.

With each passing day Fey grew hungrier and weaker, the lack of food and water seemed to go to her brain and she was often sluggish and tired.

After many days Zack decided to return, but only to give Fey water and food. They would not talk, he told himself. She must be punished for thinking she could trick him that easily. If he went just before school she might be sleeping.

So he took a large pitcher of water and some cheese and stale bread. When he entered he found he fast asleep on the floor. He went to put down the food by her feet, but she woke. She raised her head slowly to look at him, the dark smudges under her eyes even more pronounced than the last time he saw her.

He turned to leave but stopped when she made a weak cry.
"Oh, please, please. Won't you stay? I'm so lonely." She almost sobbed, in a pitiful manner.
Zack went to turn away, but at the last minute stopped and dropped to the ground next to her, he knew only to well what it was to be lonely.
"I'll stay... For awhile." He conceded grudgingly.
She gave him a big watery smile. He couldn't stop himself from smiling back a little.
"What's the date?" Asked Fey tentatively as if she expected him to bolt again.
"Almost April, it's getting warm now. It doesn't usually get warm this early in the season.."
"Yeah... I love spring, the sun starts to get warm, making all the trees sparkle. Kids jump in puddles, flowers bud, icicles go all drippy, and in June, sometimes sooner, forget-me-nots will start to grow, they're my absolute favorite!" She said wistfully.

For a while they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Fey dreaming of warm weather and remembering bouncing around in her little pink boots at the age of seven with her mom and dad. Zack, imagining himself and Fey wandering down to the river, lying on the bank in the heat of the sun. They both seemed to snap out of their reveries at the same time.

"I have to go to school." Said Zack pushing himself to his feet.
"Wait!" Called Fey as he left. "Will you come back tomorow?"

Zack nodded and left, feeling happier than he had in weeks.