Sticky Notes ~ Ashton Irwin

~Part Two~

From the looks of things outside today, the way the cars were moving along the streets, and Jospeh's mood in general, it was Monday. I know the night I was brought here was also a Monday, so I've been here exactly four weeks. Four weeks of not seeing or even glancing at electronics, four weeks of waking up, having a small snack thrown at me from up the stairs, sometimes showering, and going back to bed because what else was there to do? It was also, however, the same Monday I"ll know about Justin for sure. He usually walks the dog Yukon, as I've heard him call it, in the middle of the day by my judgement. Justin walks him around the neighborhood, I guess, for about ten minutes, and then he circles the house twice. He always follows the same route, whether it's Yukon's preference or Justin's, I couldn't say.

I heard Joseph's blaring old car start, which probably meant he was leaving to run errands and he wouldn't be back until later. Before I took the block out I could barely hear Justin and Yukon through the cracked basement walls. He was talking to the dog with an accent I hadn't yet been close enough to notice all these weeks. As I carefully nudged the loose cinderblock out of the wall, I could hear his footsteps leaving toward the usual route, around the neighborhood, then twice around the house. Quietly, I placed the block on the thin mattress before walking back to the now-open hole in the wall. I tried to take everything in; the weather, the general mood of the day, and Joseph's neighbors as they walked by the house. It was still warm even though it was now early September, and the day felt ironically perfect, with not a single cloud in sight. Joseph's neighbors had no specific reaction as they passed by on their cars, bikes, and just on their feet, which led me to beleive that the town was completely unaware that the same college girl they heard about on the news was currently locked in their neighbor's basement.

As I saw Justin come around the corner of the house the first time, I recollected my thoughts. If I do try to get help from him and grab his foot, he could be evil and bitter and actually be on Joseph's side. I could lose my little peep hole I have been using all along, and he could go tell Joseph to make conditions worse for me in here. However, if I don't act now, I have no idea when I'll be able to get out of this place and escape for good. As he comes around the second and last time, my heart races. I reach outside of the opening and briefly grab his pantleg, causing him to trip and fall into the mud beside him from yesterday's rain. Justin groans and tells Yukon to be more aware, completely missing the hole on the side of the wall. That was my chance.

In response, I groan and quickly cover my mouth shut, receiving a "Hm?" He then tells Yukon to sit as he kneels closer to the ground and sees the gaping hole he really should've seen by just walking around the house. He pokes his curly head into the unfilled spot and his eyes widen. I now see that they are a rich hazel-y green color. He looks extremely familiar to me. "Oh, uhm, well this is unexpected." He immediately changes his expression and awkwardly reaches his hand into the basement through the opening.

My hand trembles as I begin. "Ehm, Justin, right?"

With a sorry little smile he insists we shake hands as he simply nods his head and says, "Call me Ashton."