Locked Up Together

2: "You Like To Hang Out With Your Brother, Aurora."

2: Locked Up Together
        I startled awake, and it took me seconds to remember where I was—trapped in a library. The book I had picked out to read rested on my lap and my head had flopped onto the armrest of the chair. My neck screamed at me as I sat up. I rubbed the aching knot there. A clock on the nearby wall read three forty-seven.

        Why wasn't anyone worried about me? Searching for me? Maybe they were. In all the wrong places. Had they all though that I'd gone to the bonfire? Then decided to go home from there?

        My brothers were going to kill me. It had been hard enough convincing them to let me spend the weekend with the girls at the cabin. I'd had to negotiate hard. My oldest brother, Oliver, was a lawyer and way too good at making me see things his way, so I went to my other older brother, Dustin, first. Plus, he worked from home (Creating and constructing your dreams. His words, not mine.) so he was the only one available to take requests. Once I had him on my side, we could normally convince Oliver together. The negotiation had gone something like this:

        "Dustin, can I go to Callie's cabin for the weekend?"

        He spun his desk chair around to face me. "Which would be better? Adding a stable outside or making an extra bar?"

        "What would you be adding one of these onto?"

        He sighed. "A resort in the Gulf of Mexico."

        "If it's down by the ocean, then I would add a stable because most likely it's going to be a family-friendly' resort and that's just another thing that they can add as one of their activities."

        "You're right. It is going to be a family inclusive resort, so that would give the kids something to do." He spun back around in his chair and typed something into his computer.

        "So, can I go this weekend?"

        "Go where?"

        "Callie's cabin."

        "No."

        I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head on his shoulder. "Please. Her parents will be there and I've done it before."

        "The entire weekend seems a bit long for you."

        I gave him a smile while putting on my best pleading face. "I'll be fine. I promise. Plus, if anything does happen, which it won't, you know that I can easily take down a two hundred fifty pound man."

        I could tell that he was softening, but I hadn't quite gotten him yet. "I won't go out all next weekend and I'll help out around the house." I paused and sighed. "I'll even hang out with Ezra next time he's in town."

        "You like to hang out with your brother, Aurora."

        I laughed. "Or do I?"

        "Oliver's firm has a work dinner in a couple of weeks. If you can handle a weekend at a cabin, you should be able to handle that."

        Nothing could have sounded worse to me. But that's what compromise was—giving up something you wanted for something you wanted more. "Okay."

        "Okay," he said.

        "I can go?"

        "I'll have to double-check with Oliver, but I'm sure it will be fine. Be safe. Take your phone and a knife. Your rules for the weekend: No drinking, no drugs, call us every night and make sure that no one finds out about your shoulder."

        I kissed his cheek. "The first two might be a bit hard, but the second two I can guarantee."

        "Hilarious," he deadpanned.

        Call them ever night. I hadn't called them tonight. I wouldn't be calling them tonight. That would put him in full on overprotective brother mode. He'd first call Oliver, Ezra, and my three other brothers who were overseas in the military. Then he'd call my friends. If they hadn't understood why I wasn't there before, they'd understand that somewhere along the way I'd gotten left behind. Someone would put two and two together. Sure, my brothers would never let me leave the house again after this, btu at least someone would find me.

        My head ached, so I found my way to the water fountain outside the restrooms. At least I had water. And nothing else. Nothing else. I shook my head. Those were the wrong thoughts to be thinking right now. Someone was going to find me soon. If not tonight, then in the morning, when the library opened. I couldn't remember when the library opened on Saturday mornings. Ten? Eight more hours. Easy.

        It was getting colder in the building. I found a thermostat box on the wall, but it was locked. The place seemed overzealous about their security.

        In the distance, I made out the sound of a small beat. There was music coming from somewhere. I ran to the window and saw a group of people walking by on the sidewalk, laughing. They held a phone, iPod or something that was glowing in the darkness and played music loud enough for me to hear. I banged on the glass and yelled. Not one of them turned or paused. Not one of them looked around like they heard any noise. I banged again and yelled louder. Nothing.

        "Listening to music too loud damages your hearing, assholes," I said, resting my forehead against the cool glass. That's when I saw the pink paper above me, taped to the window. I peeled it off and read the front. The library will be closed starting Saturday, January 19, through Monday, January 21, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

        Closed the entire weekend? As in, all three days? I'd be stuck here for three more days? No. I couldn't do this. I couldn't be alone in a huge building for three days. This was my worst nightmare all over again.

        My heart was beating so fast that now it felt as if my chest was being squeezed. My lungs weren't expanding as they should. I yanked on the chains wrapped around the handles of the front doors. I pulled them with all my might. "Let me out."

        A voice deep down in the back of my head told me to calm down before I made things even worse. Everything was fine. So I was stuck in a library, but at least I was safe. I could read and run up and down the stairs and stay busy. There were plenty of distractions here.

        In my new quiet state, I heard something from behind me. Footsteps on wood.

        I whirled around, pressing my back to the door. That's when I saw a shadowy figure on the stairs, a metal object glinting in his right hand. A knife. I wasn't alone after all. And I definitely wasn't safe.