Trapped

Chapter 11

    As I am led through the house, I keep looking back at the green-eyed boy. Why does he look familiar? I've seen him before, but I can't put my finger on where. Stop. I can't be thinking about that right now. I have to find a way out. A way to get away from these crazy people. As we walk through the kitchen, I am introduced to a woman cooking a very large meal consisting of: fried chicken, corn bread, baked beans, mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans and so much more. It makes me want to throw up. I'm hungry, but my mind can't even fathom eating right now.

    "Lily, this is Mary and her daughter Layla." Mary is the chef behind all this food. She has dark brown hair and light blue eyes and has a smile and build that makes her look maternal. And if it weren't for the fact that she obviously doesn't care that I was just kidnapped, I would probably like this woman. Her daughter, Layla, looks almost nothing like her mother with only the same light blue eyes to connect them. Layla has her hair pulled back in a tight French braid and looks friendly.

    "Hello, Lily. I've heard a lot about you." How do these people know my name and why are they shortening it like we are old buddies. "You look confused. May I ask what about?" Her voice is innocent and breathy and would be high pitched if she were to talk any louder. I decide to ask my question since she initiated the conversation and I know I need to know.

    "H-how do you know my name?" My voice cracks and I stutter over words. My voice is hoarse since it's the first time I've talked in a while and it hurts to speak but I have to. Daniels laughs condescendingly behind me and Layla and the green-eyed boy do the same.

    "We know your name because your family, honey," Mary answers in a thick southern accent. I almost choke from the proclamation. When I start to cough, the green-eyed boy rubs my back and crouches down to look me in the eyes.

    "Are you alright?" He asks, seeming genuinely concerned if I didn't know any better. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs "NO, I AM NOT ALRIGHT" but I couldn't do that because they might kill me if I did even though they claim that we are family.

    "Yes," I croak out and look down into his beautiful eyes and suddenly know where I know him from. My dreams. I have had reoccurring dreams about him for my entire life. My eyes widen and he seems to notice because his face contorts into confusion.

    "What? What is it, Lilian?" He asks, using my actual name and not my nickname which makes me want to punch him in the throat all the more. He has no right to act concerned about my well-being, but I reply to him anyway.

    "What is your name?" I ask quietly and he looks stunned at my curiosity, but answers me all the same.

    "It's Jeremy Daniels. Why do you ask?" We cannot have this conversation here, but where else would we have it? I can't be alone with this boy. Just because I have a slight recollection of who he is does not mean we are family or I'm family with any of the rest of these people either.

    I look away from his gorgeous face and ask the question I've been dying to ask since Mary said that one phrase. "We're family?" It comes out scared, impotent.

    "I'm your uncle, sweetheart," Daniels says with a deep chuckle. I almost start choking on air again, but catch myself. Instead I just hang my mouth open in shock. "Baby close your mouth. That's bad manners." Bad manners! You kidnapped me! I shut my mouth and look around for something I could use to stab him with, but there is nothing within my reach. He continues, "Jeremy is not related to you. He was adopted by Mary, my sister-in-law." So I have an aunt, an uncle, and two cousins of mine in the same room and I've never heard of any of them. Yeah, I definitely don't believe this crap.

    "Honey, would you like Jere to take you up to your room?" Mary asks and I immediately think "no, I can't be left alone with him", but all of these people seem to be the same kind of crazy so why not? If he doesn't kill me, I will ask him questions.