Running From the Devil

Chapter 7

Laney (Continued)

I woke up pleasantly this time, a warm presence bringing me up from my dreams.  I knew it would be Ben.

"Hey pretty lady, ready to get up?"

I moaned and nodded, stretching as much as I could with the cast on and sat up.

"Do you want any lunch before we go see Mark?" 

"No, I'm still full from breakfast"  I replied rubbing the sleep from my eyes.  I looked up at him and our eyes met.  There was something in his expression that was determined but scared.  What did he have to be scared about? We sat there for a moment staring at each other, my heart thrumming wildly in my chest.  He moved ever so slowly, like a cat stalking prey, to sit down on the side of my bed.  I could hear him swallowing nervously as he licked his lips and placed his hand, palm up, on the bedspread. 

"Can I hold your hand?" 

I frowned. He wanted to hold my hand?  I couldn't see any reason that he would want to but I wanted to see him smile at me again so taking a deep breath I inched my hand over until it brushed against his. A pleasant run of goose bumps shot up my arm.  Swallowing nervously I lifted my hand and placed it directly in his. 

Neither of us breathed for a moment but finally he let out a happy sigh and grinned as he stared at our hands.  I was glad he didn't try to interlace our fingers, I was at my maximum threshold at the moment.  I don't know why one touch bothered me when another one didn't.  There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it.  Brushing hands when he picked me up didn't bother me, but this, this was something intense that I couldn't even begin to process.

"Can I ask you something?"

I knew what he was going to ask.  I knew I wasn't supposed to tell but I wanted to, just for him. 

"It's Laney."

"Laney"  he breathed softly as if he'd discovered something special. 

The fear came rolling back then, breaking the spell he'd woven over me.  "Please don't tell anyone."  I begged.

"It'll be our secret."  He agreed before giving my hand a brief squeeze.  Then he helped me stand, leaving his hand on my arm a little bit longer than necessary I thought.  I had napped in the same lounge pants and t-shirt Lisa had helped me into this morning so all I needed to do was brush my hair and I was ready to go talk to Mark. 

"Do you want to try to walk?  I can help you." 

I nodded, liking the sound of being on my own two feet when I approached the giant man again.  He had been so nice in the kitchen but what if it was just an act like Daniel?  "You'll stay with me won't you?" 

"Of course!"  He exclaimed "I won't leave you Laney.  I'll protect you always."

There went the goose bumps again but this time it was through my whole body.  Of course I couldn't stay here for always, he had to understand that.  Daniel would be looking for me and as soon as I could stay on my own two feet I'd have to get far away from here.  I couldn't stand the thought of Ben being hurt because of me.  

We were walking slowly down the hall, Ben holding onto my arm in case I lost my balance.  Besides my anxiousness about Ben being hurt I was feeling ok.  Maybe I was just too busy concentrating on my feet to notice the tension rising up in me. 

We stopped in front of a door in the hallway, the office.  'thump, thump, thump'  my heart started beating hard in my chest. 

Ben knocked.  'Thump, Thump, Thump' it beat a little bit louder, and my stomach started trying to climb into my throat.