Isolated // H.S {ON HOLD}

ch 7: Morning Light

The song for this chapter is paradise circuis by massive attack.

*Chapter 7: Morning Light* 

We climbed all night. 

 As the sky changed from black to gray to pink to light blue, the young man became more and more agitated. More in a hurry. More anxious to get out of sight. 

 As the sun broke, we were just crossing the highest ridge on the mountain. The sky was clear, with not a single cloud, and I suppose that you could see for miles. 

 I was wearing a pair of red pajamas that I had borrowed from my friend. The man looked at my bright clothing in the growing light. “Someone is going to see you,” he said in anger.

 I looked down at my pajamas. They were very bright.

 He said something more about a runner seeing me, something I really didn’t understand―what kind of runner would be up here on top of the mountains?―then reached into his bag and pulled out a gray tee-shirt. 

I don’t remember if I put it on or not, but I do remember that he made me hurry. By this time, the man had put away his knife. He figured I couldn’t get away from him now. Still, he always stood beside me, ready to grab me if I ever made a run for it. 

Over the top of the ridge we moved, dropping onto a steep canyon on the other side. There was thick grass and weeds, and the mountain dropped steeply toward the south.  

The man almost made me run, so worried was he that I might be seen. I was exhausted by then. I’d been climbing all night. I was terrified and thirsty and dreading whatever lay ahead. But I moved quickly with him, too terrified to resist.

 We hiked across a barren patch of grass, thistle, and weeds. Then he pulled me toward a grove of mountain oaks that was about a third of the way down the ridge. Approaching the trees, he stopped and called out. “louis”

Another young mans voice answered from the trees: “Harry.” 

He seemed relieved and moved faster toward the voice.

The a man, around 19 was waiting for us near the trees. 

He had a wild look about him. He had straggly brown hair. He looked younger 

than he probably was, and it was obvious that he probably hadn't eaten anything in quite some time. His eyes were dull.

 The first thing he did was walk up and put his arms around me, pulling me into a strong embrace. But it was not a warm thing. Not an act of kindness, and certainly not an act of love. No, it felt more like an act of dominance than any sort of welcome. I am stronger than you are. And don’t ever doubt it―when it comes to you and me, I am number one.

 I felt dangerously out of place, standing there in my red pajamas. 

 I glanced quickly around the camp, trying to take it in. It was primitive but well stocked. Tents. Tarps. Other things. They had obviously been up there for a while.

 I don’t really know what time it was, probably close to 9am. It had been something like six or seven hours since I had been taken. I don’t remember feeling tired any longer, but I remember feeling very scared.

Harry nodded, seeming to signal to the other young man. Louis nodded back. Without any explanation, he took me by the hand and pulled me toward the large tent. 

 It was obvious they had planned out what was going to happen before I had been brought into the camp.

As he pulled me by my arm, I knew that my world was about to come apart.