Tears of Glass

Don't Run

"Princess, it's time for lunch. Are you hungry yet?" Zachariah walked into my room, not bothering to knock and found me sitting on the bed watching a cooking show. All trace of the previous tears were gone. I had changed into a pair of Nike yoga pants and a sports bra with a light blue t-shirt. I made the bed and was sitting on the covers. My hair was pulled up into a messy bun and pieces were falling down in the front of it.

"Not really," I sighed, turning the tv off. Then sliding off the bed.

"Well, I want you to eat a little bit. I know you have to be careful because of not eating before but you do need to keep your strength up." I just nodded and walked in front of him this time, seating myself on my previous chair I waited for him to tell me what to eat.

"Can I ask a question?" I asked.

"You just did but yes you may ask another question." He said correcting me.

I had to fight the urge to scoff and roll my eyes. "Why would my bio dad want me if he's the one who put me in the foster system in the first place. And since I'm adopted then why didn't my parents tell my bio dad where I was. I mean they had to assume he was going to find me eventually if he was looking."

"I don't know why your parents didn't tell him or you for that matter. But I'm glad they didn't." His lips parted slightly in a cross between a smile and a grimace.

"Why did August take me? What made him do it? Did you kidnap someone else?" The questions came the more my mind cleared and I realized he might actually answer them.

"I'm going to let him answer those questions." Zachariah said, setting a bowl down with chicken soup in it, in front of me.

"Fine," I took a moment and tried to think of a question he would answer, "How do you fit into everything? How did you know where I was?"

"I'm your uncle, your fathers brother. Eat." He motioned towards the soup.

"You're going to make your own brother pay you to get his daughter back?" I asked with a tone of disbelief after taking a bite.

"Yes, and if you knew more about the circumstances it wouldn't be so hard to believe." The microwave went off in the background and he went to get another bowl of soup out of it.

"Why don't you explain so I can understand it?" I wondered quietly.

"Because that will take time and I'd rather you figure it out. I'm going to work, someone will be here in a couple minutes to watch you." He took his soup in a Tupperware and grabbed a briefcase I had seen earlier off of the couch. "Oh and for the record when I leave the doors don't open from the inside."

I stood up quickly after him, following him towards the door, "Wait, you're just going to leave me with a stranger?"

"I'm a stranger, princess." And with that he left the house. I walked to the door. I could unlock both locks but something was keeping the door closed. I looked up at the top and saw an electric lock. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a chair from the island a glass of water. Then climbed up on the chair pouring the water on every crack in the locking mechanism and tried to pry it from the wall. I squeezed my finger behind it and pulled a wire out.

I heard a soft click on the other side. I climbed off of the chair and tentatively opened the door. I was greeted with a burst of fresh, sunny air. I shot forward like a bullet out of a gun and ran straight away from the house. Even though I was barefoot I was able to run swiftly on the soft grass and miss the trees and roots entirely.

I then realized I was on a vast estate, one no one could have told the size of it from inside the house. I remembered how I couldn't even see the road from my window even though I was sure I must be facing it, for the glimpses of driveway through the trees. A park version of forest reigned around me, dotted with tall, sturdy trees with wide branches causing a blanketed shadow. The air was fresh and light. Then I remembered where I was, 'Michigan' I thought. The mountain ranges and forests went on forever. I realized without proper guidance I could easily get lost, although I quickly decided being lost was much better than being kidnapped.