The Death of Jacob Track (Book One of the 33X Series)

Chapter 24

 

CHAPTER 24

April was scared; her heart was near beating out of her chest. Her hands and feet, tied to a chair, were rubbing raw. She wasn't focused on the pain, however. Her thoughts were focused on the fact that Tim had a knife to his throat. It was all of her fault. Tim wouldn't die if she would just stop it. She screamed for it stop. She couldn't sit there and let Tim die. She'd do anything in the world to stop it. She could feel the arteries in her neck pumping, each beat telling her to save Tim. She had to stop it.

Darkness.

She was strapped down to a chair again. But this time she wasn't scared. She was feeling surprisingly clear headed and fearless. There was a soft, warm buzz in her head that comforted her. It was like being drunk, but without the desire to burst out laughing. She didn't even mind the ropes around her arms and legs. It would be ok. Everything would be ok. She felt like smiling, but didn't. He wouldn't be mad at her for feeling peaceful, quite the contrary, but she didn't like the man. She didn't like him at all. She didn't feel scared of him anymore, but she didn't want him happy, either.

She looked around the room for Tim, but he wasn't there. The man must not have woken him yet. She sighed. It was always better when Tim was there. She loved him so much, it was near overwhelming.

The man finally pulled a chair to the side of her. He smiled, unmasked this time, trying his best to look charming. He always looked charming, not like the creep he really was. He had switched on a video camera in front of them. He liked to video tape her.

"What do you remember about Vegas, April?" The man asked, still smiling ear to ear.

April woke up in a cold sweat. For a moment she thought she had gotten the flu and was trying to sleep off the fever. But that wasn't the case. She had gone about a perfectly ordinary day, and then fell asleep next to Tim, like she always did. But then the nightmares came. She'd had a few recently, always the same or similar. They were always of her and Tim kidnapped and tied to a chair. She had never in her life been kidnapped or tied to a chair, so they made no sense to her. The fear that came along with them was very real, however. She'd wake up sweating, heart pounding, head swirling in fear. She'd grasp for reality, anything to tell her that the dreams weren't real.

Tim lay sleeping quietly next to her. She longed to squeeze onto his warmth, his safety, and forget about her bad dreams. She didn't want to wake and bother him, though. The clock read 2:15 in the morning and they both had school in the morning. She didn't want to burden him because of a nightmare. It was stupid really, she was overreacting. Dreams were just some part of her subconscious giving supposed clues to what she thought, or needed in life. Maybe she secretly felt trapped. No, that wasn't it. She loved her life with Tim. Patty was supportive and grateful for them staying with her.

Maybe she felt like someone in her life wished her harm. But that was laughable as well. No one wanted to hurt her. She had good friends and family. She had had a little trouble forgiving Trevor and Bobby for injuring her father, though. But the truth about his death came to light, and she couldn't blame them anymore.

But she did miss her dad, a lot. She found it easier to pretend his death wasn't real. Denial was a stage of the grieving process, and she quite liked it there. To her, Nick, was out of town for a while. He'd be back eventually...

April tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable again, hoping to gently doze off. But she knew that sleep would probably not come. Tears slowly formed in her brown eyes. She was being stupid, having a dream scare her that much. She rolled over, wrapping her arms around Tim's chest. He was warm, actually sweating. But she didn't mind. She loved the smell of him, sweat and all. She cuddled closer to him, nuzzling her head into his neck. His presence calmed her immensely. She could feel her body getting lighter, almost ready to fall asleep.