escape | ethan dolan

fall • 3

My eyes are shut, but somehow, I'm still awake. I hear the voices of two men and a woman getting closer and closer as seconds go by. I relax when I hear the clear and familiar sound of Chloe's voice. Who is she with? Did the guards catch her? What's going to happen? I'm not thinking clearly. Unanswered questions are swarming my brain, more collecting as the voices get nearer.

"Mom, what are we going to do?" I hear a male voice ask. Mother? What does he mean?

"I don't know Ethan!" She exclaims. I can hear her voice quivering over my body. It's soft, like a cloud. It feels like I'm on a cloud. Maybe I am... I begin to fade out but I'm brought back by the touch of a hand on my arm.

"Grayson go in the house and get bandages, alcohol, and the first aid kit. The big one that we keep in the bathroom closet," The same female voice echoes into the air, though this time more sturdy and instructive.

"Got it," The second male says. I'm guessing that's Grayson. Instantly I hear the crunch of leaves as he vanishes into the house.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" Ethan's voice is right by my ear. I can feel his breathing on my cheek, sinking into my skin. It comforts me in a way, and I start to feel more calm.

"Ethan, back up," The mother says. I hear him scoff, the sound of him distancing.

I'm trying to give them a sign that I'm okay, but I can't move. I feel paralysed, like I'm sealed tight in a bag, never to be reopened again. My eyes won't open either, no matter how hard I tell myself to lift my lids. They just won't budge. Nothing will. I feel trapped, and there's nothing I can do.

"We're bringing her in the house. Get her legs and I'll grab her head," The lady's voice becomes more muffled, but I can still make out her words. I feel myself start to be dragged off into a deep sleep. It feels like I'm falling down a gaping hole, being sucked into blackness for eternity.

"Mom," Ethan's stern voice perks up my ears. "I can get her by myself. You get the little girl and make sure she's okay."

"Are you sure?" I hear the mother question. I don't make out a reply, but I'm guessing he agreed, because seconds later I feel only two large hands scoop me up. I want to giggle. I've never been picked up bridal style before, let alone made interactions with a boy this close together.

Later, a smooth feeling embraces my back when I feel myself being set down. I'm guessing it's on a bed. Feeling and hearing are the only senses that are useful right now, and I've never been more grateful for them. The faint voices of the unrecognizable have actually made me feel somewhat at ease, and they're all I think about when I drift off into the inky black clouds that clog my mind, pulling me into a doze. But the one thing that haunts me before I go is, what if I don't wake up?

~~~

When my eyes open, I feel a total wave of dismay rush over me. I scream out, unaware of anything at the moment: where I am, who I am, and what the hell happened last night. 

"Where am I?" I shout. "What's going on!?" My yells shoot through the house, and by now I'm sitting upright on the bed, fear exerting throughout my entire body. I immediately become quiet and feel a rush of heat make it's way to my cheeks when a tall, tan boy runs into the room. His light brown hair swoops over one eye, leaving the other to introduce it's bright hazel color. I'm amazed by this boy. I've never seen anyone like him before. In a hurry, he runs over, his hands gesturing for me to quiet down.

"Hey," He begins. I look up to him with my groggy eyes. "Are you alright?" The boy is sitting on edge of the bed now, scanning over me.

"I'm sorry," I swallow. "I didn't mean to shout."

"Don't apologize. You must be really shaken up after what happened last night."

"You know about that?" A sickening feeling feeds into my stomach, and for a moment I think I'm going to vomit. If he knows, who else does? And what if they get us in trouble?

"Well, yeah. I was there when my mom and brother found you. I helped clean up your leg." The reminder of my injury brings back the agonizing, stabbing, feeling. I whimper and look to my left. My leggings have been sloppily cut up to my upper thigh, and a large white bandage is wrapped around just beneath the bottom. "Is it feeling any better?" The boy asks.

"Um, a little. Thanks," I look up to his eyes and smile, which he returns. I feel so nervous around him. It might just be the anxious feeling from last night still catching up with me, but I have butterflies in my stomach, and they won't go away. "Where's Chloe?"   

"The little girl? She's in my dad's office on the pull out couch. She's okay, though."

"Thank you," I grin at him. He stares into my eyes, and I swear it feels like there's a rope that holds us together. I feel so attached to him, and I can't pull my gaze away.

"So," His eyes quickly shift from mine. "Do you want some breakfast?" I can't concentrate. Between the pain throbbing in my leg, the way this boy looks at me, and how his smooth, raspy voice glides through the air and into my ears, my mind is all over the place. "Is that a yes?"

"Oh!" I blink suddenly, trying to get my brain back into focus. "Yes, please. Sorry. My mind is still a little foggy from last night," I stutter, trying to clear things up. He laughs.

"Don't worry about it. I'll go get your breakfast," The boy gets up from the bed and makes his way over to the door, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. Before he leaves, he turns around and says, "I'm Grayson, by the way," He smiles at me again, showing his strictly aligned teeth. Damn, why is this guy so perfect?

"I'm Harlowe," I introduce myself. Grayson stands a moment, plainly expressing that he is thinking about something.

"Harlowe," He strings out my name like a harp. "That's a nice name," Grayson winks at me and jogs out the door, leaving me bewildered. No one has ever said that I have a nice name. I think I'm going to like this new way of living. At least for the little while it may last.  I smile to myself and sink back into the plush bed, my thoughts reeling me back to sleep.