Lonely

Chapter 14, Sadie

Hanger tensed in front of me, then looked back at me quickly. He looked like he wasn’t quite sure what to do. I stuck my head around the corner and saw something I wasn’t expecting. My father. He was hunched over something in his bag, still dressed in his black robes. He shouldn’t be home. He never came home at this time. From what I could see of his face, he looked tired, drawn. It occurred to me that maybe he did care. Without thinking about the possible danger I was putting him in by association, I stepped around the comer and into the hall. My father looked up in surprise, a look of puzzle in his eyes for a moment before they hardened back into that familiar look that I could never figure out. I walked towards him, silent, unsure of what to say. I sensed Hanger stepping out behind me, and the look on my father’s face was priceless. His gaze turned suspicious.

“Hi.” I said quietly He looked me up and down, then back at Hanger. “Where have you been?” he said, trying to sound nonchalant, but I could hear the slight quiver in his voice. My father was never one of extreme shows of emotion, of any sort. I stepped closer. “I got lost, in that castle up on the hill. I fell into the ground.” I said. He didn’t answer, and I found the over whelming urge for him to understand. I spilled everything. Including the mythical creatures in the castle. My father straightened his back and his gaze turned to Hanger, who I realized was right behind me, and for what ever reason this relaxed me.

“What did you do to her?” My dad asked suddenly in a steely voice. I felt my eyes widen. He didn’t believe me. He thought Hanger had done something to me. I stepped back closer to Hanger, and away from my father. Hangers’ expression showed nothing as he looked calmly at my father. “He hasn’t done anything. He saved my life. You have to believe me.” I said to my father. His gaze shifted back to my face for a moment, and I saw he still didn’t trust. I never should have let my hopes get up that he had changed while I was gone. I put my hand on Hanger’s arm, and my father zeroed in on that. “I will not have you touching that boy. I suggest you get out before I call the cops. The only reason I haven’t yet is for my daughter’s well-being. They’ll find you though, one of these days, in the not too distant future.” My dad said, glaring at Hanger, who still remained calm as he regarded my father.

“You should listen to her.” Hanger said in that quiet yet forceful voice of his. My father blinked, and took a step back. For a moment, I thought he was going to listen, then he shook his head and regained his composure. “For all I know, she’s been off hiding with you, doing god knows what.” My father said, glaring at both of us. I felt myself becoming angrier and angrier with every word that came out of his mouth. I tried to remain calm as I told my father exactly what I was going to do. I wasn’t going to listen to him anymore. Hanger seemed to sense a change in me and looked down with a slightly quizzical look. I squared my shoulders and stepped closer to my father.

“I’m leaving, for my own good. I told you what happened, and I’m not staying here. I’ll be back, and I’ll call at every chance I get. Tell mom I love her. I love you too, and I need you to believe me. I need you dad.” I said softly. The idea of leaving for a possibly long period of time did actually make me feel sad. Sure, I had fantasized about running away before, but I never actually acted on it. My father hadn’t always been the way he was now. He used to be fun. He used to play with me. I barely remember those days. My father folded his arms over his chest. “You’ll do no such thing.” He said, a smug tone entering his voice. I shook my head. His words used to have an effect on me, make me do what he said. He thought that would still work, but he was wrong. I pushed my back pack further up my shoulder and walked past him, Hanger at my heels. I heard my father’s out raged protests as I opened the door, and he came up behind me and grabbed my arm, jerking me backwards. A strange, low growl sort of thing erupted from Hangers chest and he glared down at my father. My dad looked up at him at the same time as me, and let go of my arm, taking a few steps back. No one could look as dangerous and threatening as Hanger when he wanted to. “Bye, dad. I’ll call you soon.” I said walking out the door, Hanger right at my side. My father didn’t say anything else. I don’t even think he moved.

A couple tears streamed down my face, and I wiped them away anxiously. I never cried. I didn’t want Hanger to see that, but it was too late. When I peeked up at him, he was watching my face, frowning. He appeared to not know what to do. I didn’t want to talk about it. I quickly changed the subject as we reached the end of the driveway.

“So, where do we go now?” I asked. Hanger surprised me. “Connecticut.” He answered quickly. I looked up at him. Color me way distracted. “Connecticut? How do you know?” I asked as we reached the other side of the road. Hanger shrugged. “Something tells me we should go there.” He said. It was only a couple states over from where we were now, in New Hampshire. I shrugged. Good enough for me. I had no place better to be. “How do we get there?” I asked. “I know the way.” He said simply. I shook my head. There was something more to Hanger that he wasn’t telling me, and I wanted to know. I let it go, suspecting he probably wouldn’t tell me. Like me, he had carefully constructed walls and barriers built up around him.

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Now I’m not going to lie. I had no idea where we were. Every time I asked Hanger he gave me some weird coordinate thing, never a name of a town or anything. It was dark out, and we had never seen another sign on the creatures following us. I had forgotten all about Rex at my house, and I wished I hadn’t. That would have proven to my father I wasn’t crazy. He had shown up a little while late, and now he was curled around my feet. I could just barely see his dim out line in the dark. We were in the woods, after walking pretty much all day. Hanger hadn’t felt the need to start a fire seems as how he can see fine in the dark, and it wasn’t so dark out yet. Nothing compared to what was in the castle. Stars shone brightly up above, blinking down at us in there cozy blue bed. My eyes drooped, and I looked over at Hanger, who was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, staring up at the sky.

“Do you mind if I sleep? I’m exhausted.” I said sleepily. I saw Hanger tilt his head towards me. “Go ahead.” I shut my eyes and curled around Rex’s warm body. “Wake me in a while and you can sleep.” I said, and then drifted off to sleep.