Linked

Chapter 14

[Liam's POV]

I'd been driving for hours.  My nostrils had grown accustomed to the smell of gasoline and tires as the vehicle speed past street lights.

It was evening now; and the lamps along the road lit up only a small circumference of the road.  The glow flashed on my dashboard every two seconds, and the repetition was nauseating.  It kept at it for several hours as if to say hi, bye, hi, bye.  Or to remind me that all circumstances are filled with both light and dark.  I shook my head and kept driving.

After awhile, I realized I was nearing the spot that Casey was being held.  From the mind reading of the guard, my surroundings became familiar, and I brought the car to a stop against the side of the road.

I was on a desolate path.  The trees swayed ominously in the wind, giving off the only sound I'd heard for miles.  Stepping into the forest, (where the guard had brought Casey) my feet crunched against the crisp leaves.  He had brought her close to here, and taken her to a facility.  The building was located past a hill in this region; all I had to do was find the hill.

My eyes scanned the earth, as I took steps forward.  Where are you?  I know I'm close.

Finally, my sight fell onto a hill just past an oak tree.  My fingers involuntarily brushed against the bark of the tree as I walked past it.  I mentally latched onto the tree as if to grasp onto anything that seemed familiar and stable.  I'll be back.

I crossed over the hill, and my eyes identified the building.

It was actually much smaller than I'd seen in the memory.  But it was the right place.  Barbed wire lined the area, and there were no human beings for miles.  In fact, the inside itself seemed to be barren.

I reached the fence and attempted to climb it.  The barbed wire at the top stung my hands, but I managed to get over the fence.  Then, I fell directly to the ground.

"Oof!"  My limbs cramped up, yet I still stood, determined to get Casey out.  I know you can't hear me, Casey; but I'm coming to get you.  I'm almost there, just be alive.  My instincts took over as fear became my main thought.  I pressed on, and sprinted to the door which was almost 50 yards away from the fence.  Talk about isolated.

The door had a huge lock around it's frame.  It seemed odd to me.  Something so ordinary and low-tech.  Why would they use a cheap lock like this?  Anyway, I attempted to kick the door down.  My foot swung back and hit the metal door with force.  Break!  I tried again.  Break!  It did nothing.  Deciding to try this once more before going about it a different way, I took several steps back and breathed deeply.

In... out...  In... out...

Alright.

I bolted to the door and kicked against it as hard as I could, coming down with my body as added force.  The door slammed open, and I braced myself for attackers, but none came.

I looked around, finding the sudden darkness even more dim from the outside.  And then I heard mumbling.

"Casey?"