Running From The Big Bad Wolf

2.

Eli came home like always and I greeted him like I always do, eating toast. It was nearly 7:30am when Eli walked through the door.

Eli didn't say anything. Instead he held his hand up with a finger pointing up in a gesture give me a minute as he disappeared out of view.

He returned ten minutes later as I was doing up my socks and shoes for school. Eli was freshly showered, his skin slightly red like he scrubbed himself so hard he was trying to clean his bones. I could smell his freshly washed hair as Eli walked closer and leaned against the kitchen bench.

"Caitlyn." He said softly, letting me know he needed to have a serious chat with me. I looked up at him, waiting for Eli to continue. He made himself a coffee and a hot chocolate for me.

He looked like he had the 'I fucked up' face on as he spoke in a soft tone, giving me a small box.

"Listen. If there is ever any trouble, I need you to get out off here and run."

I looked at him in confusion. Run? Trouble? "Huh?"

"Promise me that you will." Came his serious tone. "There is a small place up north. A little shack of a house. You need to get there. Promise me."

I thought maybe my brother had lost it, working all through the night, his sleep deprivation catching up to him. So I agreed, not having a second thought about his strange request. He gave me the box and I opened it to see a little key on a thick chain.

"What is it?" I asked automatically. "Like, it's a key, but why do I need a key?" I smiled weirdly at him. Yep. Sleep deprivation.

Then he made me remember an address before he answered my question. "Inside the house, hidden, is a very valuable box for you. Use this to open it, Caitlyn."

"Okay." I sighed out in a long breathe.

"You wear that at all times. So if you ever need to go north, it is on you. Promise me, you won't take it off." I could hear the desperation in his voice so I nodded. "If anyone asks you about it, tell them that it is of sentimental value. That it was mums. Okay?"

"Sure, Eli." I told him, playing along.

"Never take it off."

"I won't. Now I have to go. I'm going to be late for school. It's finals week." I groaned as I picked up my bag. Eli held his hand out that held the key and chain and I took it, placing it around my neck and slipping the rest under my shirt.

"Happy?" I asked him and Eli looked instantly relieved.

I didn't understand why I had a tiny key on a necklace around my neck. But I promised Eli I would wear it and not take it off.

I breezed through the last two weeks of school, graduating.

"I'm so proud if you, Caity." Eli told me as he hugged me. "We need to celebrate."

I nodded in agreement as we quickly left the school grounds. Dinner was a nice affair and we laughed over our conversation. Then Eli's phone rang and I saw him frown at the screen.

"Hold on, Caity, I have to take this." He told me, getting up off his chair and walking away.

Eli didn't go to far away, I could see him still, his back to me. In the past year, I had noticed Eli was getting muscular and with his back to me, I could see it even more.

"But boss, I said I couldn't do tonight." I heard Eli as I strained to listen. "It's my sister. No, she isn't sick. No, she isn't dying."

I had no idea what the other person was saying but I thought it to be weird what Eli was saying.

"Well, she graduated high school today. Yes. I understand." Eli hung up and dipped his head before returning to the table. "Caity..." Eli sighed and I knew straight away, he was leaving.

My shoulders slumped at the word. Our night was done. Eli took me back home, dropping me off.

"I'm sorry, Caity. But I have to go." Eli apologised to me and I placed on a smile.

"I know. Love you."

"Love you too." Eli grinned before driving off.

I went inside the house and did what I normally do when I'm alone at a night time. I locked up the place. I closed every window and door and went to my room and jumped online, trying to find a job.

I wanted to help contribute to the bills and
I feel bad that I'm not. This house is expensive to upkeep.

The next morning, there was no rushing to school because I no longer had school. I grinned to myself as I stretched on my bed like a cat, waking myself up more.

I made my way to the kitchen to make breakfast when my phone rang.

I saw Eli's name on my screen and I answered immediately. "Hey, big bro." I smiled as I opened the fridge.

"Caitlyn. Listen." I froze as I heard the seriousness in his tone. "I fucked up. I'm sorry. I'll be laying low for a few weeks. Don't ring me. I'll ring you."

"Uh, okay." I had no idea what Eli was on about.

"I love you, Caity." Eli told me and I repeated the words to him, getting more worried. "Don't worry about me. There is enough cash to get you by for the month or two. I'll see you in a few."

Then Eli hung up and I stared at my phone in a weird manner. That was a strange phone call. I had no idea what he meant he fucked up though and shrugged. I have no idea what Eli does for work. Everytime I ask him, he changes the subject.

It's been three weeks since I have seen or heard from Eli. I had thought about ringing him, several times, but his warning me not to rings in my head.

Thats when I was starting to get worried. Not a word from my big brother and I was stressing.

Then one day, the weird little events that have happened got weirder. I was in the lounge room, my laptop on my lap, I was browsing through a job website when I heard my front door open.

I jumped up straight away, thinking it was Eli, but what greeted me were two large men in black slacks and black t-shirts at the entry.

"Who the fuck are you two?" I asked in a pitched voice, annoyed that they let themselves in.

"Caitlyn Tremaine?" One asked me as I got closer. I saw behind them my front yard with more men, dressed the same, coming to the front door.

"Who is asking?" I tried to act tough, not getting closer.

The other men piled in to the house and swept through the place, checking walls and drawers on the hallway tables. "Don't do that!" I snapped at them but they ignored me, heading in to different rooms.

"Are you Caitlyn Tremaine? Eli's sister?" One asked me and on the mention about my brothers name, my face softened.

"Have you heard from him? Do you know where he is?" I asked, concerned for my brother. The two men that were by the front door looked at each and nodded then one stepped forward to me.

His large hand took my arm and I tried to reclaim it back.

"What are you doing?" I screamed as the man dragged me away from the room and up the stairs.

He looked in every room till we were at my room and satisfied that it was, the man pushed me in to my bedroom and placed his hand on the door, blocking my exit.

I looked up at him in shock and fear. Was he going to hurt me? Rape me?

"Caitlyn, you are officially on house arrest until further notice." Then he closed the door on me.

I raced to the door, trying to open it, but it wouldn't budge. "You can't lock me up in my own house!" I cried out.

I didn't know who these men were. I didn't know what they wanted. All I know is that they knew Eli and they weren't letting me leave my own room.

I had become a prisoner in my own bedroom.