Running From The Big Bad Wolf

12.

I stood on the astro turf in silence, withdrawn from everyone around me.

I didn't listen to what the minister said. I just kept my eyes on the closed coffin.

I wasn't originally allowed to attend. Axel thought it would be smart to tell me while I was in the kitchen making myself a tea.

I never got the tea. Axel got the full kettle though, I'm just disappointed that it wasn't boiled. I threw what I could at him, demanding to know why. Demanding to go. He was my brother and I was going whether he allowed it or not.

I'm stuck with him. Even after Eli's death. I don't know how to get away from it.

I watched with sad eyes the coffin being lowered in to the ground. I could feel Axel's hand on the small of my back and I ignored him, staring at the coffin.

Axel denied me having an open coffin.

The tears ran down my face again, silently.

I saw Eli's friends and some people I knew from school at the service but I didn't speak. I wasn't allowed to move. I knew it would be a great chance to escape, but I couldn't. I was frozen on the spot, stuck in this reality.

First my mum. Now my big brother. I am alone in this world. No family left at all.

Axel tugged me to insist I follow him and led me to a car. We didn't stay for the wake. I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay with my brother. I wanted to be with him. But I wanted to run as far away as possible, to get away from this reality.

The drive home was silent and my tears stayed that way too. I went straight inside and to my room and without even removing my shoes, I curled up on to the bed and cried.

The room started to darken before me and I heard a knock on the door.

I didn't bother to answer it as it opened anyway and Axel stood in the doorway.

I placed my head back down on the pillow, not bothering to move. I miss Eli terribly.

I heard the door shut softly and then footsteps. The bed dipped down and then Axel pulled me up.

I didn't fight him. I didn't have the energy to. I felt his arms around me as he hushed me.

It was soothing and I rested my head on his chest. The tears finally stopped and I looked up at Axel.

My feelings to him where mixed. I found him attractive and he can be kind sometimes. I did like the way he laughed. His kisses were magical and made my skin burn. But I hated him at the same time. How he has kept me here, refusing for me to leave. Being an asshole.

Axel gave me a small smile then kissed my forehead.

How am I to continue on, knowing that Eli is gone for good?

I tilted my head up more, cranking my neck. I have to admit, Axel has been supportive to me over the past couple days since I found out Eli had died.

I kissed Axel softly on his lips, a peck at first. I needed comfort and Axel has been there for me.

Axel kissed me back. It was soft at first then it grew. Keeping our faces together, Axel laid me down on the bed and one by one, the buttons on my dress gave out.

I helped Axel strip off and within seconds, we were naked, my cheeks still wet from the tears and we were screwing.

It wasn't as gently as last time. It was more possessive, but I didn't care. As long as I stop crying and stop thinking, I didn't care what Axel did to me.

When Axel was fast asleep, I waited a bit longer. I was standing at the end of my bed, watching him. I had pulled on my leggings and a shirt, joggers in my hand with a pair of socks in them.

I stood there for hours, waiting for the perfect time.

Then I slipped out of my room. There were no guards that I could see and went to the laundry.

I gently opened the door and then closed it behind me and ran bare footed to the gate and climbed over it.

It was quieter to climb it then it was to open it.

I quickly put on my socks and shoes, tightening the laces and ran. I ran as fast as I could and as far as I could. The streets were dead and all I could hear besides my heart racing and me panting was my feet slapping on the concrete.

I had some money stashed from when I first went under house arrest and I went to the town centre, finding the taxi rank. There were a couple cabs sitting there in the dead of the night and I went to the first one and opened the door.

The driver drove me north. As far north as I could go and after giving him a hundred and thirty dollars, I found that I was only three streets away from the memorized address.

The sun was coming up and I ran to the house.

It looked old and unkempt. The yard needed mowing and weeding and it also looked abandoned.

I went to the door and it was unlocked as I looked around. The place was empty. No sign of human life in the house.

Eli said he hid something somewhere. So I started searching. I won't rest till I find it. I checked every door, every draw. I knocked on the walls to see if they were hollow or not and went on my hands and knees on the old floorboards till I found it. A fake wooden plank.

Using my fingernails, I lifted it up to find a little nook. In there was a deep hole and I saw a box. Sitting on my knees, I pulled it out, slightly panting and excited. I placed the box on the ground and saw the lock on it. It needed a little key.

With wide eyes, I took off the necklace that held a key and slid it in to the lock.

The box opened and I sighed a breath of relief.

Inside was paperwork. I sifted through it all. There was ID and a note. I held the note up and read it over and over, tears filling my eyes.

It had an address. In Wales. I had to go to Wales. There was a lot of money stashed in the box and a phone and charger. In the box was also matches and after I memorized the address, I burnt the note.

The ID had my picture but not my name. Same with the passport. Eli knew. He knew what he was getting in to and he prepared me.

I didn't sleep. I couldn't. Instead, I shoved all I could in to my pockets, and I left. I walked until I found a store opened, purchased a drink and used the change at a pay phone and called a taxi.

I got driven to the closest airport and purchased my ticket to Wales. I had all the ID on me and with my ticket in hand, I waited for my flight.

I didn't sleep till the plane was high in the air and I knew only then, I was safe.