Caged

Chapter 6

     All four of us stood around in silence, my skin was pale as a sheet of paper due to the lack of sun. My eyes automatically squinted as the sunlight hit my face, I wasn't used to the natural light. Abi pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket of her navy blue jeans. We waited for about five minutes and a jeep appeared on the left side of the cabin, one man hopped out with a brown bag in his hands. Abi took my hand and walked me over to the Jeep, helping me get comfortable, the unknown man handed her the brown bag which she placed in my lap.

     "We got you a few healthy snacks, you have to take it slow, or you'll get sick." I buckled up and Max took a seat next to the man driving the jeep.

     "Alex and I will be heading out to the cabin Mr. Moore held you in, to see if we can figure out any further information about his future plans that he had for you." I grabbed her arm, I didn't want her to leave, they couldn't go back there.

     "Don't worry Athena, we have the backup on the way, we've got everything under control." She gave me a pat on the shoulder and closed the car door. I watched her walk away with Alex, regretting that I wasn't strong enough to help them. Max lightly touched my knee, smiling shyly.

     "You need to eat and drink, here's some cold water." He handed me a water bottle, and I peek into the brown bag. There lay an egg sandwich and a few apple slices in a plastic container. I tried my hardest to take it slow while eating, I haven't eaten anything this fancy in forever. I didn't even pay attention as we were driving, and I finally looked out of the window, realizing that we were no longer in the woods I smiled brightly. We traveled for a while until we came to a stop at a motel. The man that was driving the jeep finally introduced himself as Mr. Baxter and he was to watch over all of us until Abi could join us again.

     "I sat down on the windowsill of our motel room, watching the people walk past speaking happily to each other. Having no idea what they were saying but it definitely radiated happiness. It was apparent that the younger people were the happiest, smiling from ear to ear as they walked by the small shops. There was a grocery store right across from us. Max was lying down on the twin sized bed with his hands behind his head.

     "Max?" He didn't respond so I tapped his shoulder and he slowly opened one of his eyes.

     "Let me guess, you're hungry?" I nodded, pointing to the store out front.

     "Please?" He smiles cheekily and sat up, I slipped on a pair of flats that Abi left for me, I threw on some clothes that she also made sure I had. That being a navy blue hoodie and a pair of black jeans. He lazily made his way to the door and held it open for me. When I stepped outside the first thing that caught my attention was the beautiful stone paved road between the tightly packed houses along with a few shops here and there. Without a seconds notice, I ran to the store, leaving Max behind. The automatic doors opened up, wandering the store I had one thing on my mind. Ice cream.

     "The ice cream's that way." He pointed in a different direction and I power walked over to the freezers. Picking up a few gallons of strawberry and vanilla ice cream. As we stood in line I got curious about how Max knew what I wanted.

     "How'd you know that I wanted ice cream?" He chuckled before handing the cashier money.

     "When we were little, you'd always crave ice cream and we would go to the store together to get it." He held the plastic bag as we walked back to our motel. When we opened the front door Abi was having a serious conversation with Mr. Baxter, she halted their conversation just for a second to give me a quick smile. Max also seemed concerned and with a quick nod from Abi, we packed the little we had into the jeep.

     "What's going on?" I mumble with a mouthful of vanilla ice cream.

     "We've decided to stay the night someplace else, we want to be as safe as possible now that you're with us and there are too many people around in our opinion." I didn't care where I was going as long as it wasn't a cage. Anywhere else but that cabin.

     Once we all hopped in the car and I got comfortable I embraced sleep with arms wide open. These soft leather seats felt extremely nice, I didn't realize until I could relax. I knew that I was in good hands if I was with them, I'd be fine. I don't remember much more than exchanging a few words with Max before I dozed off.

     I awoke to Max carrying me up a flight of stairs, we entered a dark room and he flicked the light-switch next to him. The sight before me was everything I could ever ask for, a bed. Comfy sheets that I wanted to roll around in more than anything. As Max gently helped me in bed I realized that I might never want to leave this heaven ever again.

     "Thank you, Max." I haven't thanked him for everything he has done and my heart ached, how could I ever repay him.

     "For what?" His famous toothy grin made me weak, man, how I've missed him.

     "For saving me, for going out to get ice cream with me and helping me in bed. Not only that but for making me smile." He pulled the sheets up to my chin and kissed my forehead.

     "You have no idea how much it destroyed me when days went by and I couldn't find you, then weeks, then months and then years. I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you sooner, look what he's done to you." He traced the scar on my left eyebrow with sorrow in his eyes.

     "Hey, you found me. I'm right here and you were the one who saved me, that's all that matters right now okay?" I gently placed my hands on his cheeks, running my thumb across his skin.

     "If anybody ever touches you again and you don't like it, I'll have no choice but to rip their arms off." He fluffed my pillow and ran his hand through my russet hair, which was obviously very tangled and gross, from not being able to wash it for weeks on end. I began getting drowsy, loving every second of being free.

     "I'll see you tomorrow morning, goodnight Athena," with his words ringing in my ears I fell asleep feeling at ease for the first time in ten years.