More or Less {A.C.M}

20) He's Scared

“Mommy! Mommy, help, where are you?” I can hear his small, desperate shrill ring through my ears, but hearing is only so much compared to seeing him. Something in which is becoming increasingly difficult to attain. And, a thought in which is becoming increasingly frustrating.

I can feel the utter hopelessness weighing down on my shoulders, making it harder to push my feet, but in spite of the distress, I continue to push myself down hall after hall of dreary dimness, and discouraging silence. Until I hear him again…

“Mommy! Mommy, help me!” He cries out again, encouraging my feet to run full force, not entirely knowing where they were going, but only assuming where they were headed.

I have been running for what seems like a lifetime, but really should only have been a few minutes, and yet, the wear on my body suggests otherwise. My feet are only driven by one thing; Knowing that if they just keep pumping, eventually, I will get to him. I can finally be done with wondering. I will finally know if my baby is okay.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen him. And, for that I’ve only got few to blame. First; myself for being so ill prepared, and not having better care taken for my son’s protection. And, second; Dave for being that pathetic, self-serving asshole who thought it a good idea to take my son from me.

But, I can save the hate for later. Right now, all I need to focus on is finding Austin.

As if, right on cue, a blood curdling scream blasts through the silence, and I stop in my tracks, my body becoming painfully rigid, knowing just whose scream it was. The first thought in my mind is asking what the hell they’re doing to him. The second thought being what I’ll do to them if they continue to cause that scream to escape his lips again.

Oh, the pain I’ll inflict upon them if they so much as touch one hair on his head. It will rain blood, and hail entrails every single nook and crevice of the planet Earth, and not one shred of remorse will take residence within me. Not. One.

Putting a stop to my worryingly violent thoughts, I come across one thick, steel, vault door. The first in which I’ve come across. The first door. And, also the first sliver of hope. He could be right behind this door…

As that thought registers, I waste no time shoving the steel door open with every ounce of strength I’ve got left, in result, coming face to face with the second only reason I continue to live on with my life.

“Austy!” I gasp, automatically feeling tears come to my eyes at the sight of my baby.

“Mommy!” He shrieks, his left foot inching forward as he prepares to run to me. I crouch down, and open my arms for him, anticipating the force of his weight in my arms, but instead, I’m greeted with coldness in the most humanoid form it can possibly muster.

“So glad you made it, Piper. I would hate for you to miss out on such a momentous occasion.” Dave’s cold and emotionless voice fills my ears, causing my body to unconsciously recoil back as he holds Austin back away from me by his shoulder.