There's Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 11

"Ya ain't gettin' a show" I stand by one of the doors.

"Never heard that before" He says sarcastically.

I smile, "Pick me out an outfit and I'll model it" I enter a room and shut the door.

He puts a bra and underwear on top of the door.

I laugh, "I said ya ain't gettin' a show"

"Ya said pick out an outfit"

I pause, "I meant like a shirt and pants sunshine"

"Should'a said that 'fore" The tone of his voice, I can tell he is smirking.

I sigh, and get changed. I look in the mirror, I don't look that bad. The reason why I didn't wanna model bras and underwear is because of my scars. The scars aren't from teenage, depressed me, they are from my parents. I take a deep breath and open the door. I peak my head, and only my head out and smile.

"Well?" I ask

He sits in the chair in front of my door and grins, "Ya such a tease girl, c'mon out"

"I know I'm a tease. I'm modeling though"

"For the wall?" He teases and stands up.

I quickly shut the door and laugh. I lock it and sit on the bench in the corner of the room.

He tries to open the door, than stops. Next thing I know, the door opens. He picked the lock. I sit there with my legs crossed, I look at him and smile.

"I ain't stupid" He smirks.

"Never said ya were" I sit there and smile.

"I think I'm supposed to be sitting there"

I stand up and smile, "Yeah? Ya name ain't on it"

He walks towards me and checks my outfit and grins.

"Ya should try this one" He hands me a lace bra.

I take it, "Alright I will" I way backwards towards the door.

He playfully grabs me, "Where ya goin' sunshine?"

"Change"

"Why, ya in a changin' room"

"Yeah but it's occupied" I smile

"By you"

"Noooo by youuu"

"Fine, I'll turn around"

"Ya won't peak?"

"Nah" He lets go me and sits on the bench covering his face.

"Sure?" I pretend to unhook my bra, "What am I doin'"

"Can't see ya"

I turn to the side and swap bras. I turn
back to him, while I changed I guess my back was towards him, the expression on his face....
Hurt, guilt, maybe flashbacks, he can't find words. He stands up and takes his shirt off and turns around. His back is full of burns, belt marks, possible slashes.... Just like mine, but no were near as bad....

He turns back to me and hugs me tight.

"I'm sorry. I never should'a made ya do this..." His voice shaking.

"It's fine" I rest my head on his chest.

I kiss his cheek, "It ain't ya fault"

He kisses my forehead and hands me sweatpants and a v-neck tee. I take the tags off and put them on, followed by my boots.

"We will come back. Let's find somewhere ta sleep" I say taking his hand.

Guilt and sorrow are all over his face, "Alright..."

"Don' feel like such an asshole"

"But I do"

"Don' ya didn't know. Don' stress 'bout it"

"Yeah but still. 'm sorry sunshine..."

I kiss him to shut him up, "Stop blamin' yaself"

He kisses me back and nods.

I go to the mattress store and lay on the comfiest bed around.

"What'aya think" I ask him

"We need blankets" He lays next to me

"Yeah we will get 'em don't worry"

"Alright"

I kiss him and fall asleep in his arms.

I wake up the next morning, alone. No one is in here, no one is next to me. I sit up and look around. I go to get my knife out of my boot but it's not there. There is not a sound to be heard, I go out of the store and back to the front door. His bike is gone. Checking my surroundings for my crossbow and bags, they are nowhere to be found.

No. He wouldn't leave me, right?

The doors are locked as I left them yesterday. He left, but locked the doors. He is gone forever. Took my weapons and my bags. Greedy bitch.

"What the fuck" My voice echoes through out the mall.

I hear something move towards the center of the mall and I slowly make my way towards it. A raccoon comes from behind a counter and runs off. I sigh and go to a shoe store. My boots are old, uncomfortable, and I could go for some socks. I find a pair of Timberlands and put them on.

The day was quiet, no movement, no people, just me. I go back to the mattress store and look for a note, nothing. I grab some things to burn and make a fire in the center of the mall. I sit by it holding my knees.

"Man, I should go look for a blanket" I tell myself.

I get up once again and go find a blanket, not too thin not too heavy. I lay by the fire and stare into it. The crackling echoes, nothing else. The silence kills me. I haven't eaten all day. I hear footsteps from behind, I look, nothing's there. Hallucinating, fantastic. I sigh and lay on my back and look at the stars. The time him and I were laying in the field on the farm replays in my mind.

The tree branch snapping, him disappearing, the hands wrapping around me. I snap back into reality, finding myself tearing up. This is why I do not like to get attached. You fall for them, they leave, you end up with a broken heart.

I fall asleep on the floor. Not caring about the fire or how secure I am. Why care when you have nothing to live for?

The bright sun in my face is my good morning now. I sit up and crack my aching back. I get chills down my spin. Not only is it cold, but I have an eerie feeling all of a sudden. I get up and wrap the blanket around me. As I walk into Victoria Secret for a sweatshirt, my blanket gets stuck. I turn, one of my arrows has punctured it and is stuck on the sign. I drop the blanket and go inside the store.

Why does someone have my crossbow and is trying to kill me with it!? Grabbing a sweatshirt, I bolt into the corner fitting room and lock the door quietly. I sit in the corner and hug my knees.

The heavy boot comes into the room and stops. The person starts opening each fitting room. As they get closer, I hide under the bench. They kick my door open, I hold my breath. I can't see who it is, since I'm facing the wall. A knife if thrown at the wall, they walk over to mirror and punch it, and they sit on the bench.