And She Was Caught (Completed)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

It was after a long while before my wailings turned into soft breathy whimpers and all through that, Alex held me. As if crying drained every last bit of energy from my body, my limbs went limp. If it wasn't for Alex's strong hold on me I would have slumped on the hard asphalt.

My eyes were swollen that it felt as if they slitted without me even trying. I couldn't say anything because of the fear that I might start begging, or crying, my throat felt raw. Sensing my exhaustion, Alex carried me like I weighed nothing while June opened the passenger door of the car and he shucked me in, carefully. I didn't want to think of anything else, I was just tired right now and all I wanted to do was to sleep and not minutes later, I was drifting into a listless sleep.

Like the other times, I knew I was asleep as my body felt like floating in a still water. Everything was so dark and it smelled funny. I had learned that smell, not just because I was supposed to recognize it due to my job, but because I have come to know it so very well since I was little.

The metallic smell, like raw iron and earth --- it always made me sick until I realized I couldn't continue fearing it.

I was surrounded of that coppery smell and slowly, I had the sense of touching something beneath me. It was blood, I was lying in a wide pool of blood. Fear clutched my throat like a vice until I couldn't breath, it was physical. Gasping for air as my body convulsed from the lack of oxygen inside my system, I tried to scream for help but only hoarse intelligible cries escaped my lips.

I could remember that it was pitch dark after I realized I was lying in a poodle of blood, whose? I wasn't sure. Then as if a spotlight had just shone on me, I could see that I was in a some kind of run down shack, it almost looked like a barn. I couldn't move my limbs, I tried to lift them up but they were so heavy and I was losing strength.

Moving my head to the side, surprised that I could, I saw him. Caleb.

He was staring at me with wide, lifeless eyes and I started screaming, relishing that I could finally scream.

"Babe, wake up!" Someone shook me and I woke up with a jump. I looked around, panting. At first I wasn't seeing properly, I still felt like I was in that barn, lying with Caleb's blood beneath me. His face was burned at the back of my eyelids and short bursts of breaths came out of my mouth.

Belatedly, I recognized the springy texture of the bed and the soft sheets of blankets around me. My eyes roamed everywhere except for the pair of dark eyes that were looking at me worriedly. We were in another motel room.

Finally having the strength to meet his eyes, I returned my gaze to his face and the tears I didn't realize was already falling, doubled. "I saw him."

"Who?" Alex asked in a soft voice, almost cajoling me. Comforting me.

My body rocked from a sob, "Caleb,"

He briefly closed his eyes simultaneously as he exhaled and he gathered me back to his arms. "He's gone."

"I-I kno-know." I stuttered as I spoke through in between hiccups and he started rubbing soothing circular patterns at my back and I found myself relaxing. "He w-was looking a-at me with th-those dead eyes. I was l-lying on his b-blood."

"I will protect you, Vanessa. You have to trust me. All of this will be over." He told me and I nodded, scrunching my eyes shut. "You want to go back to sleep?"

I shook my head.

"Let's just lie in the bed then." He invited and without waiting for me to answer, he laid us both on our backs in the bed with his arm under my head and hugging me by the shoulder so I was plastered to his side.