CAGED

Chapter 27: Found

I try not to weep as I hear the shed door being pulled open slowly, sunlight from outside pouring in and over the gardening equipment.

Ryan takes a step inside and, although I can't see his face, he looks around. I barely lift my head enough to notice his feet, and can see they're angled away from where I am hiding. I almost sigh in relief but continue to hold my breath in fear that he'll hear me.

I can still hear the alarm going off at the house and briefly wonder how long he'll allow it to ring. If he lets it go for too much longer then the police will show up to investigate, and he definitely doesn't want that. Another agonizingly lengthy minute passes before Ryan finally retreats from the shed, shutting the door behind him. I stay motionless and silent as I wait for him to leave the surrounding area.

When his steps ultimately give way to the serene silence of the garden I unfurl my already stiff body from its hiding place. I speak outside of the cracks in the ancient wooden door of the shed and, seeing nothing, I crack the frame open and slide out.

Uncertain of which direction Ryan went, I cautiously take the path to my left, opposite the way I came. I follow the path until I get to a dead end and turn right, another left, and another right. When I emerge from the hedges I find myself back at the fountain. I scan the area quickly with my eyes, not seeing anyone.

I make a split second decision and immediately sprint for the driveway. I see Ryan's car, the vehicle I first arrived here in, and yank on the handle to the drivers door. It doesn't budge at all. I run to the front of the car and frantically search for any sign of the driver.

Silence fills my ears as I search, panic blossoming in my core at the clear lack of any people. No driver, no Ryan, no Rachel, no police. Realization strikes me as I understand what the silence means, Ryan has turned the alarm off!

I slap my hand across my mouth as a gasp escapes my lips. My eyes widen and search even more frantically than before, because of he was in the house to turn the alarm off then he could have seen me run to the car. My bare feet press painfully into the gravel below them, the small rocks embedding into my flesh. This is fairly easy to ignore, though, since I have been through way worse.

Staying in my crouched position I leave the car behind me and start making my way down the driveway. The drive here is completely fuzzy so I can't recall how long the driveway was or how far from civilization we actually are, but I still push on with a fierce determination. I have to get away from here. I have to get home to my mom!

I stay focussed on the task in front of me and make my way down the endless driveway. I can hear gravel crunching beneath my feet, but it seems to get louder by the second. I whip my head up just in time to see a sleek black car, Ryan's car, as it approaches me fast.

I barely have time to move and the car clips my leg across the front bumper, my body slinging over the side and grinding into the rocks below. I scream as my leg aches, the most painful feeling I've ever experienced spreading down the ligament. I can tell something is broken as my leg lays in a weird position. Tears stream down my face as I cry, the pitiful attempts to pull myself away from the car are useless.

A door to the car opens and someone steps out. Ryan. I barely register him walking closer until suddenly he's in front of me, his nose inches from mine. I cry laboriously as he sets his hand on my shoulder, a grim smile on his face.

"It never does to run, does it?" Ryan doesn't sound apologetic in the least as he lifts me by my arm, his fingers digging into my armpit, and drags me to the car. I assume he's going to put me in the same seat as himself, but am proven wrong as he directs us to the back of the car. He pops the trunk open and throws me towards it. My body hits the back bumper and slumps to the ground as I try uselessly to hold my position.

Ryan grabs a handful of my hair and lifts my head from the ground before slamming my face into the edge of the trunk. My nose makes a sickening crunching sound and blood seeps from my nostrils at the contact. My vision darkens and a light feeling fills my mind as Ryan repeats the action. I feel him lift my body and I let out a loud groan of protest as searing pain shoots down my leg.

My aching body is dropped into the trunk and the door slammed shut. The last thing I feel before I pass out is the car lurching forward into motion.

A/N: HEY EVERYONE! I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LACK OF UPDATES! AS A SORRY, I GIVE YOU DOUBLE UPDATES!!

Okay, I'll stop yelling now. If you missed the update, my husband and I are finally expecting! So my updates will be biweekly now because of my appointments.

How was everyone's holidays?

What did you get for Christmas?

What is your new years resolutions?