Chapter 11

Chapter 11

There was no way Brian was going to let Cassy out of his sight.  Nothing in the physical world was going to cause him to let down his guard.  He had already failed her three times over, losing three of her best friends.  All he could think about was how he would be feeling in her shoes, how he would feel if AJ, Kevin, and Nick had been stolen away and he didn’t know if they were alive or dead or even where to begin looking for them. 

Five guys couldn’t defend five, four, or even three girls from that outside unknown.  The thought terrified him just like he was sure it did to the rest of them. 

The mood of the house had changed considerably since they had arrived.  The television stayed off all the time.  No one wanted to watch the movies or play video games.  AJ was pacing around the house, forcing himself not to chain smoke the cigarettes Starr had found for him.  Nick was lying on a mattress on the living room floor, staying as still as possible to avoid pulling out the make-shift stitches Kevin had used to stop his bleeding.  They had sterilized the needles from a sewing kit, using fishing wire that Kevin figured would hold better than the thin thread in the kit.  The stitches weren’t even and a few had already broken so Nick was forced to remain in one position as much as possible.  No one wanted to have to see Kevin sew the wound together again, least of all Kevin. 

Cassy was reading through Mrs. Johns collection of romance novels but Brian doubted she was really seeing the words.  She was constantly reaching out for him, touching his hand or his leg as if to reassure herself that he was still there, still with her. 

Howie had taken over the cooking, spending most of his time in the kitchen.  Brian was grateful, without Howie calling them in for meals, he doubted any of them would think to eat and the last thing they needed was to become weaker.  Everyone in the house knew he was doing it as a way to put distance between himself and Starr, it was just one more layer of tension they were dealing with. 

Kevin shifted between brooding and praying, Brian joining him in begging the Lord to keep the girls alive and giving them guidance and wisdom to bring them back home.  For Brian, it was a touch base, the only thing that was keeping him from going mad with guilt after losing Kristine and Jedia.  The only other thing he did was try to keep an eye on Starr.  With Howie actively avoiding her and everyone else lost in their own thoughts, sadness, and fear she was fading into the background of whatever room she was in.  She had written letters to her other friends and family already, stuffing them in envelopes and hiding them in the bottom of her bag.

Brian refused to follow suit, he couldn’t give up hope and he wouldn’t abandon his faith. 

No one went upstairs anymore.  No one went down into the basement.  They stayed contained to one floor in the hopes of protecting what they had left.  They hadn’t gone out searching since Kristine went missing although Kevin and AJ had tossed around the idea half heartedly. 

How long had it been?  A week since Alana went missing, five days since Kristine, and Jedia had been gone two.  It felt like a lifetime since they had goofed around down at the river as a group of ten.  That day at the river where he started flirting with Cassy and she had smiled right back. 

No one was going to take her away from him, no matter what he had to do to keep her safe. 

Brian felt Cassy slip her hand under his again.  “What are you thinking about?” She asked. 

“Nothing different than anyone else in this room,” He gave her hand a squeeze.  “Thinking and praying and praying some more.  It’s all we can do right now.”

“I figured that’s what it was.  The only time anyone here doesn’t look scared or pissed off is when they’re praying,” Cassy shook her head. 

“Any time you want to give it a try, just let me know.”

“You know, you’re the first hardcore Christian I’ve ever met that hasn’t tried to shove it down my throat.  All of you guys actually.”

“It’s got to be a personal choice, either you feel something or you don’t.  Cassy-baby I love you.  I’d love for you to be able to share this part of my life with me but if you can’t, I’m okay with that too.  If you can respect my devotion to my faith, I can respect your lack of and it doesn’t make me care about you any less.”
               
“I know,” Cassy gave him a smile, weaker than it had been a week ago but it still warmed him inside. 

He lifted up their joined hands and pressed his lips against her knuckles.  “What about you?  What’s on your mind?  I know you’re not reading that book.”

“Maybe I am,” she bristled. 

“Cassy baby, if you’re actually reading that book you might qualify for a record.  You haven’t turned a page in about an hour.”

“So I’m a slow reader,” she pulled her hand away from him and picked up the book again. 

Brian frowned, her sudden change in attitude a side he hadn’t seen yet.  “Cassy?”

“Just because someone doesn’t read fast doesn’t make them stupid, okay?”

Brian scratched his head, “I didn’t say it did.  I’m no speed reader either.  What’s bothering you?  I mean, aside from the obvious.”

“I just don’t like it when people try to make me feel stupid.”

“I wasn’t trying to.  I don’t think you’re stupid at all, hun.  I’m sorry if it came off that way.  I just figured you had a lot on your mind and you weren’t really paying attention to the book.”

Cassy sighed and set the book aside, “You’re right, I’m not.  I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“I hit a nerve, huh?”

“I’ve heard it from too many people.  I dated guys who told me I was hot all the time but never tried telling me I was smart or asked me what I thought.  My family made it even worse, my parents always pushed me towards trying to get some kind of athletic scholarship for college but never tried to get me to apply for an academic one.  They could have afforded the tuition easily but wanted me to see what I could get on my own.  My grades weren’t even that bad, not fantastic but I scored really well in all my business classes and I might have been able to get something.  I never even ended up trying because they never pushed me towards it and I thought that’s what parents were supposed to do.  When your own parents don’t act like they think you’ve got any brains, how would you react?”

“Cassy, I don’t date stupid girls.  Yeah the pretty ones are nice to look at but what’s the point in going to bed with a pretty face if you can’t ever just lay next to them talking?  I know you’re a smart girl, I love talking with you and hearing what goes on in your mind,” Brian smiled, “Baby-girl half of the reason I love being with you is that I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know what’s going to come next.”

“Looks like spring came early this year,” Starr piped up from her corner

Brian looked over at her, “What do you mean?”

“The sap is flowing fast in here,” she replied, not looking away from her notebook. 

“Oh ha ha,” Cassy shook her head and then leaned over to give Brian a kiss. 

“I need a smoke,” AJ stood up, walking towards the back door. 

“I’m going with you,” Starr set aside her pen and book, “any more of this and I’m going to go diabetic.” 

“I love you,” Brian whispered, kissing Cassy’s forehead, the tip of her nose, each cheek and eventually her lips.

“I love you too,” Cassy replied, leaning back against him.

“I’m not going to let you go.”

“I know you won’t,” she replied, “I have faith in you.”

                                                                  ~*~*~*~*~*~

Alana was starving.  She was cold, naked, hurting, thirsty and starving.  Brett didn’t show up every day and didn’t always bring food and water with him when he did make the climb up to the tower room.  He generally spent his time feeding Kristine, assuring her it would only be a little longer before they could be together again.  Once she was done eating, if there was anything left, Brett sometimes tossed it in Alana’s direction.  Sometimes she could reach it, sometimes it landed just out of her reach and she had to spend hours smelling it, unable to calm the churning of her stomach. 

It was a sick game to him.  Kristine had realized that the less she ate, the more likely Alana was to get fed so she stopped eating the offered food sooner, hoping to help her friend.  Brett caught on quickly, punishing Alana for taking away what belonged to his precious Kristine.  The beatings were getting worse and combined with the lack of food and water, she was taking longer and longer to be able to get back up and about. 

They didn’t talk much anymore.  Neither had the energy for it.  Other than a periodical check in to make sure they were both still alive, they sat chained to the floor lost in thought or trying to sleep. 

“Alana?”  Kristine whispered.

Alana grunted in response, trying to find the softest patch of floor to curl up on.  She had found an old tarp among the trash in the room and used it to wrap up in whenever she could, hiding it the rest of the time lest he take away the only protection she had against the cold night air. 

“He’s coming, I just heard the lock.” 

Alana moaned, removing the tarp and stuffing it back in the rusted tool box.  She curled herself up in a ball, trying to make herself as invisible as possible in the dark. 

The door opened and her mouth started watering at the aroma he brought in with him.  Fried chicken. 

“I brought you a treat today,” Brett pulled an upturned bucket over to Kristine to sit on.  “Remember our first date?  We stopped at KFC for a bucket of chicken and went out to the drive through.”

“I remember,” Alana heard her whisper. 

“My truck smelled like chicken for weeks after, it made me think of you,” Alana heard the crunching sound as Brett fed Kristine a piece of the chicken. 

Her mouth watered, she had to keep swallowing.  “No more?”  Brett asked

“I can’t eat anymore,” Kristine replied softly. 

“You’re not just holding back to feed that stupid whore again, are you?”  He demanded. 

“No, I’m just not that hungry, really.” 

“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you baby?” 

Kristine cried out in pain “No!  Of course not!”

“Good girl.  I just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t do something that stupid again.”  Alana heard him sit back down on the bucket and heard the sounds of chewing again.  “I’m thinking about moving you to somewhere nicer,” he said in between bites.  “I don’t like the idea of having to keep you up here with her.  I’ve got Jedia set up in a nice little cabin in the woods and I’d rather have you with her.  If you have to be with a friend, I’d rather have you be with someone decent, even if she’s a snotty know-it-all.  I showed her though, maybe now she’ll figure out that she needs to have some respect for me.”

“What about Alana?”  Kristine couldn’t stop the words from coming out. 

“She’ll stay here.  I don’t have any use for her and she’s not going to be around much longer anyways.  I figure that I’ll have Starr up here soon enough anyways and the two of them can rot like the bitches they are.” 

“I know, but I like it up here better,” Kristine faked a pout, “I don’t want to be stuck in the woods with Jedia, hearing how right she was about how I shouldn’t have dated you.”

Brett paused his eating, considering what she had just said.  “I’ll think about it.  Maybe Jedia isn’t a good person to keep you with.  I know how stupid you are and I’d hate for her to influence you into making more stupid decisions.  No chance of that up here with Alana, she’s even dumber than you are.”

Alana clenched her fists together.  One good shot, that’s all she wanted.  Just one chance to make him feel even some of the misery he was putting her through.  The name calling she could shrug off, even her father had called her a whore before when he had heard rumors about her around town.  She didn’t care if he called her stupid, she knew she wasn’t.  She had more than enough pride to deal with anything he could throw out.  Even after all the beatings, and that damn bedpan, she still held onto her pride.  It was the fear she wanted to make him experience, the fear of not knowing which moment was going to be the last, the fear of seeing rage in someone else’s eyes and knowing that they would keep going until the last bit of life drained out. 

Brett smacked his lips together and stood up.  “I’m glad you enjoyed your treat, I’ll see what I can think of to bring you next.  You just need to remember why we were so good together and then we can ditch all of these lousy girls you thought were your friends and really start our life together.  You’d like that, right baby?” 

“Whatever you say, Brett,” Kristine said quietly. 

Alana heard a few objects hit the floor near her.  “Stupid bitch,” Brett sneered, “You might as well eat off the floor like a fucking dog.”

He left quickly, the door barely making any noise as he locked them in and descended the stairs. 

“I don’t get it.  Why can’t anyone hear him coming and going?  Sure he’s quiet but this is an old house, it creaks and squeaks.”

“He’s a hunter and a really good one,” Kristine admitted reluctantly. 

“Either that or maybe they all just decided to save their own asses and left us here,” Alana groped around on the floor until she located four different chicken bones.  Most of the main bits of meat were gone but she sucked every last bit of meat, grizzle, and breading off of the bones.  It was the best meal she had been given in days. 

“They haven’t left, didn’t you hear him?”

“What else is there to listen to,” Alana scoffed, feeling the calories rush through her blood stream.  Just the one small meal made her feel almost high. 

“He has Jedia locked up somewhere now and he didn’t before.  The way he brags about what he’s doing out there, if he had her before now, we would have known about it.  If he just managed to steal Jedia away, it means everyone else is still here.”

“It also means that these guys may be great celebrities but they suck at protecting people.  There wasn’t anything anyone could do about me, we were stupid and didn’t stick together with people watching out.”

“We didn’t think he’d resort to abduction,” Kristine pointed out, “Up until you, it was straight murder and the house seemed secure.”

“So the first thing you do is split up into small groups and go out into a forest none of you were familiar with and at the first sign of trouble, the guys bolted, not bothering to see where the hell you are, giving him the one thing he really wanted.”

“Not the only thing though,” Kristine pointed out, “If I was the only thing he wanted, you’d be dead and Jedia wouldn’t have been taken.  No, he wants revenge and to prove how much smarter and stronger he is just as much as he wants me back. 

Alana considered that, licking chicken grease off of her fingers.  “He’s not going to be ready to get rid of us then until he has Starr and Cassy.” 

“I thought about that too and I think if he gets his hands on Starr then we’ll be in major trouble.”

“How do you figure?” 

“I keep trying to think of things Cassy did to him but I’m drawing a big blank.  She was getting ready for college when he and I dated and didn’t have much contact with him.  She didn’t like what she knew about him or our relationship but she had other big things on her plate.  It’s not like she didn’t care what was going on, just that...well, you remember how senior year was for all of us.”

“So you think once he gets Starr he’s going to off the three of us and take you out of here.”

“It’s weird, I didn’t even think he hated Jedia before now.  She took those upper level classes with him and even she had to admit that he was a nicer person when he wasn’t around me.”

“She’s smarter than he is,” Alana pointed out.

“That’s got to be it.  Still, you and Starr were the ones that pissed him off every time you tried to get me away from him.  He’s got to be going nuts not being able to lay a hand on her and with Howie watching her back, I don’t think he’s going to be able to anytime soon.”

“Let’s just keep hoping that our luck holds and she doesn’t do anything stupid,” Alana pulled the tarp back out, rolling it around her body the best she could, trying to ignore the chill of the breeze slipping through the cracks in the wall. 

                                                                 ~*~*~*~*~*~

Dinner was over and Howie had been pushed out of the kitchen.  Brian and Cassy had insisted on doing the dishes and picking up the room since he had done the cooking.  Trying to put together menus that made people want to do more than stare at their plates was one of the only ways he had left to occupy himself.  He had read all of Starr’s books and he flat out refused to touch the romance novels that belonged to Alana’s mother.  He had found a few crossword puzzle books in an end table and had been working through them in silence sitting at the table.  He had looked for a Bible but no one in Alana’s family had been very religious. 

He had moved out to the back porch, lounging on the swing that hung from the beams.  The night was warm and calm, fireflies blinking across the expanse of the back lawn.  It made him want to forget everything else that was going on and lift his head to catch the slight breeze. 

It was deceptive, they had already realized how treacherous the nights in that cabin really were. 

He heard the sliding glass door slide open and closed again, a happy bark alerting him to Maddy’s presence.  Howie didn’t have to look up to know who had come outside with the dog.  Even though he was trying to avoid making an awkward situation worse, Howie was always aware of her presence, always knew where she was sitting, what she was doing.  He couldn’t protect her the way Brian was trying to care for Cassy without pushing her towards that level of intimacy she had already backed away from.  He was going to do his best to keep her out of danger but was forced to do so at a distance.  Starr had made it clear that was the only option for him. 

She sat down on the steps, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her chin on them.  Maddy ran around on the grass, snapping at the fireflies and dropping to roll around, coming up covered in grass.  Starr usually walked around the area with him at night, keeping to the lit area nearest the house but didn’t seem to be inclined to do so that night.  Howie shifted slightly on the swing.  It was a comfortable piece, covered in cushions and made for two, and he was still sitting on it alone. 
                   
He hated being pessimistic but sometimes it seemed like that was the story of his life.  There were women that came and went but always seemed to be gone too soon.  He wanted a family, he wanted the love he had seen between his parents.  He knew that the entertainment industry wasn’t easy on most relationships but figured there had to be someone out there looking for the same things as he was who could have handled it.  Starr had stood by her friends, watching them fall in love and get involved with new relationships but he didn’t know if she had realized he was watching the exact same thing from his end.  He understood her loneliness, her longing, even her envy because he dealing with the exact same feelings all mixed up with his feelings for her.

“You’re avoiding me,” her voice was quiet, breaking through the wall of silence between them. 

“I haven’t been,” he protested. 

“Don’t lie to me.  You have been, ever since that night after Kristine went missing you’ve been avoiding me.  You don’t talk to me anymore, you won’t even look at me and the worst part is that for once I didn’t do anything wrong.”

 Howie sighed, “Starr...”

“No.  Just hear me out.  Jedia and AJ tried to tell me that even though I told you what I thought I felt that I needed to think things over again.  Even Kristine tried to nudge me your way when she was still here.  It’s just that I don’t know if they’re right or not.”

Howie looked up suddenly, her back still facing him.  “What you thought you felt?” 

She finally stood up, turning around and leaning against the porch railing.  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.  Nothing was supposed to change between us, you were still supposed to be my friend so there was one person here who I could talk to who wasn’t making goo goo eyes at someone else.  Nothing was supposed to change so why does it feel like everything has?”

“Nothing has to change, I can still be your friend,” Howie insisted, suddenly feeling like a complete jerk. 

“You aren’t listening.  Nothing was supposed to change so why does it all feel so different now?”  She looked up at him and he was startled to see the tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“I’m sorry, I just don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

Starr clenched her fists tightly, “I mean that all of a sudden, why do I feel so completely empty without you around.  Just because you’ve got some kind of thing for me and tell me about it, why did that change everything?  Before I could just have fun hanging out with you or talking to you because you actually cared about what I was reading, about what I was writing when everyone else was getting so involved with each other.  You avoiding me like this should have been something I could have just shrugged off as another friend ditching me so why am I crying over this?”

Howie shook his head, trying to make sense of what she was saying.  Was she friend-zoning him or telling him she wanted something more?  “You want me to tell you why you’re upset about this?”  He finally asked. 

“Yes...no.  I don’t even know anymore.  None of this makes sense.” 

“Starr, come here,” Howie shifted again on the swing, making room for her next to him.  She hesitated a minute before settling down next to him, setting the swing rocking back and forth.  “I can’t tell you how to feel, as much as I’d like to.  I know as soon as I try, you’re going to take off and never look back again.”

She fell silent again, pushing the swing back and forth and avoiding his gaze.  “Why me?”  She finally asked. 

It was the first thing she had said to him all night that he was able to respond to easily. 

“You make me laugh and you keep me thinking.  You don’t like to show any kind of vulnerability but at the same time, you defend your friends almost obsessively.  You spend so much time trying to protect and watch out for the people you care about that you’re probably one of the least selfish people here.  As soon as you realized your friend had a thing for the guy you were into, you backed off completely and didn’t even bother telling her because you didn’t want to take away her happiness.  You’re such a loving person, even the dog knows it.  He follows you around more than he does his actual owner because the person who paid for him doesn’t make any difference, he just recognizes the person who loves him.  You’ve got such a big heart, I just want there to be room in there for me too.” 

“I’m not pretty though, not like the girls that hang around you guys and not even like my friends.  You can be the least superficial person in the universe and that’s still going to matter to you a little.”

Howie smiled and covered her hand with his own, “You’re selling yourself short.”

He had to chuckle when her cheeks went pink.  This from the girl who tried to act so stoic and strong.  He was getting to her and wasn’t going to deny he was enjoying it.  “Seriously though, you’re a fan of ours.  I’m sure you’ve seen the articles and commentary.  It’s not like I’m the hot one of our group.  The girls go nuts over AJ, Nick, and Brian.  Kevin and I are just there for their mothers to look at.  If you want to trade stories about being the one out of your friends that doesn’t get noticed I can do that.  I could probably one up you considering I’ve played that game on a global level.”

Starr considered what he had said.  “I’ve never gone for guys like you,” she finally admitted, “you’re just so sweet and I can’t figure out what to do.  I’ve always gone for guys like AJ, the ones that think like me and have the same attitude problems.  It’s always been easier that way.” 

“Easy relationships get boring fast though, I bet none of those guys could hold your attention for very long.”

“I figured I was just fickle, that’s what my Mom always told me at least.  Maybe you’re right though.”

Howie draped his arm around her shoulders, feeling her stiffen up momentarily.  “Not okay?” he asked. 

“No, it’s fine, just took me by surprise.  I’ve never been the touchy-feely type.  My mom, she wasn’t into it much after Dad left.  She never found anyone else like Kristine’s mother did and she’s a pretty big workaholic.  I know she loves me in her own way but I can’t be what she expects and she can’t accept that.”

“She must be lonely, losing the man she loved enough to marry and not being able to connect with her daughter.”

Starr sighed and leaned back against him, “You know, I think I realized that at some point but just didn’t care enough to try and fix things.  Every time we talk, I just leave feeling frustrated, like I’m never going to be good enough or worth anything.  She still has my little sister so it’s not like she’s all alone.  Amber is a lot like Jedia, she gets better grades, plays the right sports and doesn’t really challenge Mom too much.  She was just an easier kid to raise.  Plus then there’s a deal with my name, not much I can do about that though.”

“It is a pretty weird contrast with your sister’s,” Howie agreed cautiously. 

“Mom agreed to let Dad name me.  She didn’t realize it until I was a few years old that he named me after an ex girlfriend.  Well, the ex girlfriend came back into the picture when I was twelve and Amber was nine so Dad packed up and left us for her.”

Howie had to wince, “Your mother can’t possibly blame you for your name.”

“I don’t think she blames me for it originally but she offered to pay and let me change it a few years ago.  The problem is that I like it, even considering the source.  I should have lied and told her I didn’t want to waste the money or something but instead I told her that I like my name and didn’t want to change it.  She didn’t talk to me for days afterwards.  I shouldn’t let it bother me as much as it does, but I’d like to do something eventually to make her proud of me, even if it’s just for a little while.”

“Is that why you’re always writing?” Howie asked

“Maybe.  I haven’t really thought about trying to get published.  Mom told me it was a waste of time and I just do it to make myself happy.  The girls being entertained by it is just a bonus.  I don’t know if Mom would even care if I got something published, she doesn’t really have time to read anymore.”

They fell silent again, Howie lightly stroking her upper arm as he looked out over the yard until he had noticed the change in her breathing.  Looking down quickly, he realized she had fallen asleep again him. 

Well that settled things.  He would have cut his arm off before having to end that moment.  Maddy plodded up on the deck, tail wagging and turning himself around in a circle several times before settling on the floor next to the swing.  The door slid open again and Kevin walked out into the semi circle of light.  “Figured you’d need this,” He handed Howie one of the fleece throw blankets from the living room, “It gets chilly out here at night.”

“What about staying in the same room?”  Howie asked, “I can wake her up and move inside.”

“You could, but you don’t want to,” Kevin raked his fingers through his hair, “I’m going to stay guard in the kitchen and AJ is going to stay awake in the living room.  Between the two of us and the dog, I think you’ll be okay for one night.”
                           
“Thanks, Kev,” Howie wrapped the two of them up in the blanket and shifted slightly, trying to avoid waking Starr up.  He didn’t know what was going to happen in the morning but at least they had that night. 

                                                                  ~*~*~*~*~*~

Another day into another night.  Kristine had lost track of the time she had been chained to the wall.  She had long ago lost the feeling in her arms.  The only relief she had was when Brett unlocked her long enough for her to use the camp toilet he had set up for her in a darkened area of the room. 

Alana has uncovered a package of nails in the toolbox she kept her tarp hidden in and was spending her time awake trying to open up the series of locks that kept her chained to the floor.  Even though they were in the same situation, they were both chained up differently.  Kristine’s wrists were wrapped up in chains that were hanging over a hook that was pounded into the wall.  She was able to sit down and stand up but couldn’t come close to reaching the hook.  She had tried to flick the chain off of the hook but it was too high and she just didn’t have the strength to toss the heavy chains up too high.  They were wrapped around her wrists so tightly that every time he removed them, the bruising and blood rushing made her wince in pain. 

Alana had wrist cuffs that looked almost medieval in design.   Each one had a chain connected with different locks, and a more complicated series of locks connecting the chains with metal loops in the floor.  She had a slightly longer range of access than Kristine although most everything in her reach was useless.  The nails were a recent discovery and one that she was focusing all of her limited energy on.  Out of the seven locks that kept her secured, Alana was successfully able to free herself from two.  It took some practice but she could get the two locks open in a matter of minutes now.  The others were proving more complicated but it wasn’t like they were short on time.  The only plan they had that was when Alana could break all seven, they’d wait until midday for her to break out and start picking the lock on the door.  Brett had never come to see them during the day, it was probably too risky with the rest of the group presumably awake and alert on the first floor. 

Their biggest priority was getting Alana out of there and having her bring back people to rescue Kristine.  Even if he came back to find Alana missing, they assumed Brett wouldn’t be able to bring himself to kill Kristine.  She was the entire reason he had come up with the deranged plot of his and the one of two things he seemed to want to gain from it. 

It wasn’t much of a plan, but at the moment it was the best they had. 

The door below creaked open and then shut again.  “Alana,” Kristine hissed out a warning. Alana snapped the locks back together and hid the nails in the bottom of the tool box again. 

The door at the top opened and then closed with barely a sound.  “Kristine, aren’t you going to tell me hello?”  Brett started over in her direction. 

“Welcome back,” she forced out. 

“That’s my girl.  I knew you’d remember how to be a girlfriend after a little more training.  Just because your manners are so nice, I’ve got another treat for you.  Remember our second date?  It was almost a month after the first because those brothers of yours decided I wasn’t good enough for their precious little sister.  You ended up sneaking out that night and we went out for a nice dinner that time.  Do you remember it?” 

“Coleman’s,” She replied, trying to hold back all the bitterness she was feeling.  It was one of the best restaurants in the area and she never could stomach going back there after their break-up. 

“I had made reservations there for us for three weeks in a row that I had to cancel at the last minute because of your fucking family,” Brett dropped a bag on the floor in front of her and began to unlock and unwind the chains from her wrists, “You’re not going to see them anymore after this.  We don’t need them in our lives.  It’s just going to be me, you, and our babies.  Maybe we’ll get a dog, I know how much you liked that old mutt of my brother’s.  He was a crappy hunting dog though, eventually he had me take him out back and put a bullet between his eyes.  That stupid dog wasn’t worth the food we fed him.  If we get a dog, we’re going to make sure it’s a good hunting dog, it needs to earn its place.”

“Whatever you say,” Kristine stared down at the floor, blinking back tears. 

“Since you’ve been so sweet tonight, I’m going to give you your surprise.  It’s not from Coleman’s but I remembered how much you liked the pasta there.  I got you some spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight.” 

Kristine sat rubbing her wrists as he insisted on feeding her bites from the take-out container.  He wouldn’t trust her with a knife or fork and it was probably a smart move on his part.  She knew the flimsy plastic utensils wouldn’t do much damage but she would have loved to jam the knife through his eye. 

She shook her head as he offered her another bite.  “You need to keep up your strength, no guy wants a bag of bones on his honeymoon,” Brett frowned. 

“No guy wants a fat wife either,” she pointed out, “I need to make sure I’m still pretty for you.”

“That’s my girl,” Brett put the Styrofoam container back into the plastic bag, “You know we could get a head start on that honeymoon right now.  Remember the rest of our second date?”

Kristine remembered, she had just hoped he had forgotten. 

Brett leaned down, kissing her until she was afraid she was going to throw the spaghetti up in his mouth.  “Brett, no.” 

“What?  I’m not good enough for you now that you’ve screwed other guys?”  His voice was dangerously low. 

“No, I just want us to do things right this time.  Shouldn’t we wait until after the wedding?” 

He grunted and turned away, “Maybe you’re right.  It’s just that you get me all worked up and now...”  His voice faded off as he turned towards Alana’s corner. 

“Brett, no!”

“Shut up Kristine.  If you want to do this chastity thing then fine but I’m a man and a man has needs and I’ll be damned if I go jerk off into a pillow case like some lame ass little high school boy.  Guys fuck tramps all the time and it doesn’t mean anything.  That’s what they’re there for.  I’m keeping this stupid slut alive right now, I might as well get something out of it.” 

Kristine felt the tears rolling down her cheeks, hearing Alana scream once, trying to stay out of his reach and the crack of his hand on her when he caught her.  “If you make one sound, I’m going to gut you like a dirty little pig,” she heard him hiss.  There was the sound of a zipper, the sound of two bodies hitting the floor and Alana’s sobbing until another crack from Brett’s hand silenced her. 

That silence, it was endless.  Kristine knew one of her best friends was being raped by her murderous ex-boyfriend less than ten feet away from her and there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop him.  She had thought she was in hell before but had been completely wrong.  Hell wasn’t being locked up starving and always thirsty, hell was loving someone, hearing them being tortured and not being able to do anything to stop it and save her. 

What seemed like a lifetime later, she heard him stand up.  “Should have used a damn rubber, you’ve probably got a hundred different diseases.”  Kristine couldn’t bare to look up but heard another soft thud, “You can have the rest of it this time.  I think I just found a use for your disgusting ass.  Just remember, I’m going to be around and if I hear one fucking noise from up here you’ll find your throat slit faster than anything.”

He stalked out of the room again, not saying another word to either of them.  Kristine looked up and saw the outline of Alana’s body curled up and shaking with her sobs. 

“Alana?”  She called softly.

“Just leave me alone.”           

“I’m so sorry,” Kristine wept, “Alana, I’m just so sorry.  I didn’t know he’d do that.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you can avoid fucking him until your honeymoon, isn’t it?”

“You’ve got to believe me.  If I knew he was going to touch you, I would have just dealt with it.  I’ve done it before, I could have dealt with him again.  I never thought he’d go that far.”

“Why not?  Rape is a step under murder, isn’t it?”

“Alana...”

“Kristine, just drop it.  I don’t want to think about it, I don’t want to remember it.  I guess I should just be thankful that by using me, Jedia probably won’t have to deal with it.  It would be a million times worse if the first time you had sex was having a psycho rape you. ” Alana grabbed the bag of leftover pasta and looked like she was about to throw it against the wall before she set it down with a choked back sob.  “Kristine, I’m going to kill him.  I don’t know how but I’m going to kill him and I don’t care if I die doing it.”

                                                                    ~*~*~*~*~*~

There was a bird chirping in her ear.  Starr groaned, shielding her eyes against the light.  The sky was still pastels, it couldn’t be any later than 6am.  She couldn’t remember ever waking up that early voluntarily, it had to be because...

She finally realized she was still resting up against a sleeping Howie on the porch swing.  Someone had wrapped a blanket around her, she didn’t remember it happening.  It didn’t make much sense, why hasn’t someone woken her up and moved them back inside? 

Maddy lifted his head from where he was resting on the porch looked over at her and gave a happy bark.  Howie stirred, opening his eyes and eventually focusing on her.  “Morning,” he said, stretching out. 

“Why didn’t you wake me up?  I would have fallen asleep inside again.”

“Selfish mostly, I was happy out here with you.  Kevin stayed up in the kitchen so we figured it would be alright.”

Starr shifted, brushing against his arm and jumping, “Your skin is like ice, why didn’t you cover up?”

“Well, I did at first.  I just didn’t realize how big of a blanket thief you are” he teased. 

Starr looked down at the blanket in her lap and then over at his smiling face.  Looking back, she wouldn’t remember what went through her head when she leaned over and kissed him.  It was quick and when she leaned back, the light pressure of his hand on her back moved her back against him again. 

Her head was swimming when they broke apart again and just sat looking at each other.  “So what now?”  She finally asked. 

“It’s up to you.  Starr, you’ve known how I’ve felt for days now.  You say the word and I’d love nothing more than to see where this goes.”

“What if I still don’t know?”

“Then you don’t know yet.  I’m pretty sure it’s going to be on your mind for awhile so eventually you’re going to decide one way or another.  For now though, I’m looking for the same thing any guy wants after spending a night with the girl he’s into,” Starr pulled back quickly, her posture tensing up, “Breakfast, hun.  Come on, we might as well get something going since we’re both up.”

Starr left the blanket on the swing and instead slipped her hand into his.  He looked at her quizzically “I like the way I feel when I’m with you,” she tried to explain, “it’s like for once in my life I’m not looking for a way to make things better because you just make them that way.”

“So what you’re saying is?”

“I don’t want to lose that.  I don’t want to lose you.”

Howie’s smile broadened further before he grabbed her and kissed her again.  “Breakfast?”  He asked after pulling back again, chuckling at the dazed look on her face.  “Problem?”

“No...you’re just really good at that.”

Howie chuckled, pulling her back into the kitchen behind him and shutting the door.  “What do you know how to cook?”

“Ramen.  Do they make that in a breakfast variety?”

“Got it.  You’re on toast duty.”

                                                                     ~*~*~*~*~*~

They were so stupid, every single one of them.  Brett leaned back against the pillows in the room that had belonged to Alana’s parents snacking on some jerky from his bag.  Originally he had gotten annoyed when the group had moved downstairs, it had caused him to have to figure out another way into the tower room since it seemed like there was always someone up keeping an eye on things when everyone else was sleeping. 

It had only taken them a week to smarten up enough to go that route.  He could have murdered every single one of them in their sleep if he had wanted to when they were still sleeping apart. 

His new route into the house was slightly more difficult but there was some satisfaction in knowing he was able to do it.  Since the doors were no longer a safe entrance point, he had resorted to climbing up the porch roof and going into the second story through the window in the blue bedroom.  He was even able to manage the climb with a bag full of supplies, he’d like to see any of those fucking gay singers try that.     

He spent some time just hanging out on the porch roof, hidden back in the shadows and watching them.  He could have easily jumped down and slit Starr’s throat while she was walking the stupid dog if that fucking spick wasn’t always hanging off to the side.  He was probably just the one who got stuck watching her, no guy would be interested in that ugly bitch.  Alana was a bitch too but at least she was somewhat attractive.  Cassy and Jedia were alright but none of them could compare to his Kristine. 

No one would be able to compare to his Kristine.  She had been stupid in high school, didn’t realize that he was trying to start their lives together.  Her brothers would have never stopped interfering, never stopped trying to drive them apart unless she got pregnant with his baby.  They would have had to let him marry her, had to let them be together after that, it was only proper to let a man raise his child with the mother. 

She hadn’t gotten pregnant and after that, she refused to sleep with him again.  She dumped him soon after that, after those stupid bitches kept spilling poison in her ears.  He gave her another chance, figuring after she dated a bunch of other shitty guys she’d be running back to him, finally realizing how good she had it with him. 

His Kristine.  His beautiful, stupid, easily-manipulated Kristine.  Everyone who tore them apart would pay the price for it, he was going to make sure of that.  Her friends would die violently as a lesson.  Her family he would have to handle more delicately, a house fire maybe.  At least two of her brothers were still living at home.  Maybe after the rest of the family was dead he could consider leaving her one of her brothers, he was sure that the oldest would be civil if he realized he wouldn’t be allowed to see his sister if he said anything against her husband. 

Brett could hear them downstairs, they made so much noise that he could have probably jumped on the bed and they wouldn’t have thought anything of it.  He had always been good at hide and seek but now he knew he was a champion.  The day he had made his one mistake and left a print on the floor, he was about to clean it up when he had heard footsteps on the stairs.  Starr and the spick had come upstairs and checked out all the rooms. 

He had hid in a closet in a panic because he knew his game was about to get busted.  Everyone who had ever watched a horror movie knew you always checked under the bed and in the closets. 
The morons had peeked in each room and gone back downstairs.  He couldn’t believe his luck, he couldn’t believe how stupid they were. 

The comfortable bed was his personal reward for himself for pulling off everything so far.  He could have continued sleeping in the lean-to he had set up out in the woods but he deserved a little bit of luxury.  There wasn’t any reason for any of them to come upstairs anymore, they had moved the other mattresses and all of their bags down into the living room, as far as they knew, the upper level of the house was empty. 

Brett popped the last piece of jerky in his mouth and chewed with satisfaction.  Idiots. 

                                                                 ~*~*~*~*~*~

AJ awoke abruptly, feeling as though someone had just touched his shoulder. “Wha?” he mumbled, thrashing briefly before sitting upright on the couch.  Nothing had changed in the room since he’d lain down earlier. He glanced at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace, 9:27.

AJ sighed and turned to place his feet on the floor beside the couch.  Nick was still on his mattress on the floor.  He hadn’t said much since he woke up and found out that the psycho had stolen Jedia away after stabbing him to cause the house to erupt in confusion.  Briana and Cassy were snuggled up on the loveseat, her reading and him trying to fill in a crossword puzzle that Howie had abandoned.  There was no way he was going back to sleep again. His dreams were haunted by Alana—Alana being taken from the bed they’d shared, Alana hunted by a psychopath, Alana being…killed?

AJ shook his head. He refused to believe that. He knew that if he gave up his belief, his hope, that Alana was out there, alive…if that was gone then he would be too.


Putting one hand on his forehead, he groaned quietly.  It had been over a week now since Alana was found missing, over a week since he’d woken up with a lump on his temple, but the slightest movements sometimes made waves of dizziness wash over him. Carefully, he stood up, reaching out to the coffee table and grabbing the pack of cigarettes and lighter he’d removed from his pockets before trying to sleep.  He was the one who stayed watch at night so he was back to his tour habits, grabbing a nap whenever he could during the day and staying up all night. 

Quietly, AJ made his way out of the living room. This walk was becoming something of a nightly ritual, he’d wake from a nightmare about Alana and have to get out of the house where he could almost see her, almost smell her, and almost feel her. He crept around the couch, noticing Maddy standing at the bottom of the stairs, wagging his tail when AJ appeared.

“Hey, boy,” AJ murmured, reaching down the scratch the dog’s head. Maddy’s tail wagged more vigorously, thunking against the railing. “What’s going on? Come on; let’s go out on the porch for a while.”

AJ crossed the living room, pausing briefly to re-right a fallen lamp, and opened the back door leading out to the porch.  Startled, he paused for a moment, studying the other figure sitting on the steps. “She’s on your mind, isn’t she?” AJ asked Kevin as he walked across the porch to sit next to the taller man.

Kevin was hunched over, elbows on knees, chin resting in his hands.  He was gazing intently across the field separating the cabin from the surrounding forest, as if he could move the trees standing between him and Kristine by sheer force of will. Finally, he sighed, straightening his legs and torso.  “Yeah,” he admitted quietly, glancing over at AJ. “You?”

AJ shrugged. “Sleep has been a pain,” he admitted. “Ever since…well, you know.”

“Yeah, I do know,” Kevin replied. “I just can’t lie down knowing that she’s out there, somewhere. I can’t close my eyes without seeing her!”

AJ pulled a cigarette out of the box, placed it between his teeth, and flicked the lighter. He inhaled deeply. “That’s exactly it, man,” he said. “I know Alana’s out there somewhere. I know it. I can feel it. And if she’s out there somewhere, hurt or worse, I can’t just sit here and not do anything!”

“You think she’s still alive then?” Kevin asked quietly. AJ shot the other man a quick look.  Kevin’s head was resting in his hands again, his eyes covered by his palms. He looked broken, defeated.

“Yeah, I do,” AJ said, sitting next to Kevin. He took another long drag, flicked the cigarette and watched the ash glow in the still night air before extinguishing. “I have to keep thinking that. I have to keep hoping it, praying for it. She’s out there and so is Kristine!  They’re both out there somewhere, alive.” He emphasized the last word. 

“Besides, think about it,” he continued after a long moment. “This guy, this crazy fucker has been so obvious with the other people he’s killed so far.  Like, that shop owner down by the river.  Did he have to leave the guy dead on his own counter top? No!  He’s been blatantly leaving all the dead bodies lying around where we could find them, so we’d be scared shitless.”

“And we haven’t found Kristine or Alana’s body,” Kevin mused, lifting his head again and staring across the field. “That’s your theory?  They’re alive because we haven’t found their bodies?”

“It’s a damn better theory than anything else I can think of!” AJ exploded, waving his hand erratically. “I have to, Kev, I have to keep thinking that she’s alive.”  He broke off, feeling his throat start to close and tears sting his eyes. “She has to be alive. She has to. Because if she’s not…” he trailed off, unable to voice the terrible fears growing in his heart.

“Look,” he said aggressively. “You haven’t been feeling like this for long. Kristine’s been missing for what? A few days? Alana’s been gone for over a week now with no sign of her and no clues to point us in the right direction!  What am I supposed to think, huh? What am I supposed to do?”

“Hey, hey man, calm down!” Kevin said, holding up his hands. “I’m not… I’m not trying to shoot down your theory, Alex,” he sighed, looking at his friend. “I’m a little lost myself, ok?”

“Yeah,” AJ snorted, standing up and pacing back and forth in front of the cabin’s door. “Never would have guessed it from you, Kev, you always know exactly the right thing to do.”

“AJ…” Kevin started then sighed.  “Come on, man. Give me a break here. We’re struggling with the same thing. Can’t we just…I don’t know, support each other?”

“Why her, Kev?” AJ asked, walking back over to sit down next to him, inhaling from the cigarette.
“Why Kristine? I never would have pegged you as the ‘robbing the cradle’ type.”

“I could ask the same about you, AJ,” Kevin retorted humorously.  “Kristine is…she just is. And she’s great. I feel like…” he trailed off, staring across the field but not seeing anything.

Like she’s the one.  Like there’s no one else in the world for me but her. Like there’s a gaping hole in my soul right now that’s tearing me to pieces. 

“We connect in a way that I’ve never connected with a woman before.  Even Nadia and you know that whole story with her,” he continued aloud.

AJ snorted, cracking a smile. That had been an interesting time, to put it lightly, for all the Backstreet Boys, not just Kevin.  “Kevin, you’re almost nine years older than her,” he pointed out. “That’s not a small age difference and…hell, you know what people will say, will think. God, the press’ll have a field day once we get out of here!”

“I know,” Kevin agreed, “Sometimes I feel like a pervert or something, knowing how young she is.  And I tell myself to move on, that I’m way too old for her. I can’t ask her to give up everything she has going for her only for me. But now that she’s missing, it feels like I’ve lost a part of myself that is really important. I just didn’t realize how important it was until now.”

AJ realized his cigarette had burned down to the filter, so he flicked the stub into the bushes and took another from the pack still held in his left hand. “I thought you were running low on those,” Kevin commented, watching as AJ lit the fresh cigarette.

AJ took a deep drag. “Starr found them in Alana’s parent’s bedroom a few days ago,” He offered the box to Kevin.

Kevin shook his head. “Not for me, thanks,” he said quietly. “Although… tonight I feel like chain smoking a whole pack, doing something, anything, to help this sick feeling in my gut.”

“You and me both, man,” AJ chuckled darkly. The men sat in silence for a long moment, each deep in thought.

“Hey… Alex?” 

“Yeah, Kev?”

“I’m sorry, you know. For everything that happened in Boston, before you went to rehab. I was a shit and I said some things that I never should have.”

“Kevin, stop.  You had every right to say what you did.  You were right, I was being a dickhead and a drunken asshole and you needed to call me out on it. I needed help and you were the one to make me see the reality of things.”

“I still could have been more…compassionate toward you,” Kevin struggled to find the right words.

“You probably saved my life, dude.  Compassion has nothing to do with it.”

“I guess, if you say so,” Kevin replied.

AJ took the final drag on his cigarette and tossed the second stub in the same direction as the first. “Hey, Kev?” he asked, “Did you knock over the lamp on the side table here in the living room? It was on the floor when I came out.”

“Nope, wasn’t me,” Kevin said.

The two men were quiet for a moment. “Maddy,” they said simultaneously.

“What about him?”  Starr opened the door, letting the dog run outside ahead of her and Howie. 
Kevin and AJ took in their clasped hands and the content look that had replaced the strained expression on Howie’s face.  “What?”  She asked.

“Took you long enough,” AJ coughed and stashed the rest of the pack in his pocket. 

“We can’t all be as wise and all-knowing as Mr. Mclean, now can we?”  Starr retorted before Howie pulled her onto the porch swing with him. 

“Smart ass,” AJ chuckled. 

“What were you saying about Maddy when we came out?”

“Just that I found a lamp knocked over in the living room, we figured it was from him.”

She shrugged, leaning up against Howie, “It could have been, he’s knocked stuff over with his tail before.  Kevin, Brian wanted you to take a look at Nick’s leg.  He’s decided if he spends another five minutes on that mattress he’s going to go insane.  If it’s healing enough, he wants to move out here for a few hours so he can get some air.”

Kevin stood up and walked back inside, kneeling down next to Nick.  “Stir crazy?”  He asked, unwinding the bandage. 

“I can’t stop thinking about her,” Nick replied, his head facing away from Kevin, “If I hadn’t panicked over this stupid cut then she’d still be here.”

“If we hadn’t gone out searching, Kristine would still be here.  If we hadn’t moved up here from the campsite, Alana might still be here,” Kevin’s voice was low as he inspected the stitches he had done.  The area wasn’t oozing anything, the color seemed normal enough and normal meant it was probably healing.  “Fresh air can’t hurt it,” he decided, “Bri, can you give me a hand?” 

Together they got Nick on his feet and watched his face go pale.  “Nauseous?”  Brian asked. 

“I’ll be fine, just give me a sec.”

“Keep your leg as straight as possible,” Kevin advised, “the only way I can think of to do this is to have us drag you, I don’t want you to break any more of those stitches.  Cassy, can you hold his leg up so it doesn’t bounce?”

Cassy set her book down and walked over.  She still had a slight limp but the swelling of her ankle had gone down using the ice packs and keeping her ankle elevated for a few hours each day.  Thankfully it seemed like Brian’s initial diagnosis of it being a simple sprain had been accurate and she was able to get around more on her own, given it was with a limp but it was still better than have to have him help her to the bathroom every time. 

The three of them maneuvered Nick out to the back deck and helped him settle into one of the Adirondack chairs.  “Feel okay?”  Kevin asked.   

“My leg is fine,” Nick replied shortly. 

Kevin sighed and rejoined the rest of the group.  He, Nick, and AJ were all going through the exact same thing and yet they were all handling it so differently they were having trouble supporting each other through it.  Nick had become silent and sullen, AJ’s temper was getting shorter by the day, the smallest things were setting him off, and he was feeling so overtaken by grief that he was having trouble holding onto any hope, any faith.  He still prayed with Brian but had to admit to himself, he wasn’t able to connect with any sort of spirituality, not when their adversity was so painfully human. 

“Are we staying out here again tonight?”  Starr asked softly.

“Only if we grab a bigger blanket this time,” Howie brushed his lips against the back of her head, “Another night like last night and it’ll take me days to thaw out.”

“I caught a nap earlier, I’ll stay up and keep watch,” AJ eyed the pack of cigarettes before shrugging and lighting up another one. 

“Guess that settles it then,” Starr gave his hand a squeeze and hopped off the swing, “Let me just go grab another blanket.”

She skipped into the living room, planning on snatching the quilt off of the mattress she had been using every night until the prior one.  It was big enough for a queen sized bed so there wasn’t any doubt that it would cover both of them, even if she did end up stealing more than half of it again. 
She stopped suddenly after she ran into the living room, taking a step back when she spotted the figure on the stairs.  They stood there, both motionless for a moment, Starr wet her lips, refusing to break eye contact and she felt around on the table next to her for something, anything she could use as a weapon. 

Her fingers closed around the television remote control as he flew down the last few steps and ran at her.  She swung the remote towards his face but he ducked and she hit nothing but air, the force sending the remote flying across the room and knocking a lamp off of the other table. 

He growled out a curse, pulling a knife out of his pocket, Starr saw the gleam of the blade and immediately jabbed him in the ribs, sending it clattering to the floor. 

His other fist came down on her head, sending her sprawling on the floor in front of him.  His foot followed, sending her into unconsciousness.  He grabbed her quickly, throwing her over his shoulders and rushing out the front door back into the dark of the woods. 

The crash of the lamp made him tense up but the thud had him out of the swing.  “Howie?”  Brian asked but Howie was already inside the house, only a step ahead of AJ and Kevin. 

“Dammit!”  AJ swore, noticing the shattered lamp, the broken remote control and the open front door. 

Howie and Kevin bolted out the front door down the steps and into the woods.  “He can’t be too far ahead of us,” Kevin said, racing down the main path next to Howie.  A minute or so later, he tripped, falling onto the middle of the trail. 

“Dammit, Kev!”  Howie exclaimed, slowing down and backing up to help his friend up.  “You okay?”

“Fine,” Kevin sat up, wiggling his ankles to make sure nothing was damaged.  “Howie, do you hear anything?”

Howie sat back on his heals, “No,” he finally admitted. 

“It’s just like with Jedia, just like with Kristine,” Kevin picked himself up, “We could have ran right past him, we might have run in the complete wrong direction, he knows these woods and we don’t.”

“Kev, I can’t lose her.  For God’s sake, I’ve had less than 24 hours with her.”

“There’s not a damn thing we can do in the dark,” Kevin pointed out, “There’s no way we can find her like this.”

Howie slammed his fist into the ground, “I need to find her.  This never would have happened if I hadn’t been distracted.  I wanted to be with her so badly, when she finally told me she wanted to give it chance, I let my guard down.  I was too busy being happy with her that I forgot all about protecting her.”

“You can’t change things now,” Kevin helped him to his feet, “We’ve got to get back to the house.  We’re way too vulnerable out here and if he’s already tried to knock off Nick, it would be way too easy to take us out too.”  He placed a hand on Howie’s shoulder, directing him down the path back towards the house. 

Five men, Kevin thought glumly, five men in the prime condition of their lives and they couldn’t even keep two young women safe. 

                                                                   ~*~*~*~*~*~

Three days had gone by, Jedia sat glumly on a bin in the shack.  She had gone through all the chests and boxes and bins, pulling out everything that she thought could help keep her alive.  Brett hadn’t been back since cutting her face and she wondered if his plan was just to leave her out there to starve to death.  It wouldn’t happen right away, she had found some stale crackers, some packages of jerky, and a few tins of mints.  That combined with the bottles of water were holding her over.  She had found a thick flannel jacket that she curled up in every night, it kept out most of the chill at least. 

Nick, he was on her mind almost every second.  She didn’t even know if he was alive, there was so much blood.  Here was the first guy she had ever let herself get attached to.  He was so cocky, so boyish, she had never in her life ever considered dating a guy like him before.  He made her feel young, like she didn’t have to be a genius, that he didn’t expect her to be anything more than what she was. 

Jedia was so focused, so driven to her goals.  She knew where she wanted to be, she knew what she wanted to do and alone in the dusty, abandoned shack, it didn’t matter as much anymore.  What kept going through her head were the lighter moments she had spent with Nick, playing games, goofing around, wrestling, and kissing...so much kissing.  She had gone further with him than she ever had with anyone else.  There were nights where she wanted to throw caution to the wind, after all who knew if she would even be alive much longer. 

They hadn’t, some old habits died harder than others and she regretted it now.  She wished she had been brave enough to remove the last few layers between them and really let him know how much she loved him, how much he meant to her. 

It was too late now.  He could be lying dead back in the basement and she’d be dead within a few weeks in that shack. 

The footsteps were obvious, coming closer and closer to the shack.  Jedia quickly hid away all of her supplies.  If Brett was determined to have her starve to death in the woods, she was positive he would take away the only things that were sustaining her. 

The door opened but she could barely make out his outline.  He had something over his shoulder...a deer maybe?  Was that his idea of a joke?  Tossing an animal carcase in front of her and forcing her to carve out chunks or else starving?

He dropped what he was carrying on the floor and then dropped another bag on the floor next to it.  Brett had turned to leave and Jedia was certain he wasn’t going to say anything to her until she heard him right before he shut the door. 

“Now things are really going to get fun.”

Jedia listened carefully, hearing his footsteps fading away into the night.  She waited a few more minutes before crawling over to inspect the two things he had left for her.  Avoiding the dead dear, she opened the bag first.  There wasn’t much in there, just some food but it was a welcome addition to her current supplies. 

She glanced over again, and the body he had left on the floor suddenly looked more human than animal.  Too tall to be Alana or Kristine...oh no. 

“Starr?”  Jedia shook her shoulder, “Are you alright?”  She kept shaking her, eventually wetting down a rag with some of her precious water supply and sponging down her face. 

Dawn was breaking by the time Starr shifted on the floor, looked up at her friend and winced.  “You’re okay,” Jedia sighed. 

“Mostly,” Starr forced herself to sit up, wincing the entire time, “My head feels like there’s a marching band in there.  Jedia, am I going nuts or was that Brett?”
“It’s him,” Jedia confirmed, passing Starr the already opened bottle of water, “Don’t drink too much, there aren’t many left.  Starr...how’s Nick?”

“He’s fine, well, not fine but he’s going to live.  Kevin ended up having to stitch him up, we didn’t have any other option, he was just bleeding too much.  We still don’t know how deep it is, what the end results are going to be but so far there’s no infection and he started getting whiney about being stuck inside all day.  He misses you though, got really quiet since you’ve been gone.”

“How did he manage to get you apart from everyone?”  Jedia asked, “Howie was watching you pretty much obsessively.”

“I messed that one up.”

“You two got into a fight?”  Jedia asked in disbelief. 

“No, kind of the opposite actually.”

It took Jedia a minute to realize what she meant, “So you guys got distracted.”

Starr’s face went pink, remembering all the time they had stolen together throughout the day.  Howie had seemed to realize that she wasn’t comfortable with the PDA so there was time in the kitchen in the morning, a few stolen kisses in the hallway, an afternoon out on the lawn.  “You could say that,” she murmured. 

“So what do we do now?”  Jedia asked.

Starr stood up, ignoring the shakiness in her knees and tried the door “No way we’re getting out that way,” she pointed out. 

“No, I’ve already tried that.”

“Floor and walls are solid, unless you’ve found some power tools around here I don’t think we’re going to be able to get out of here on our own,” Starr dropped back down to the floor, her head in her hands.

“You okay?” 

Starr shook her head, “At this point, I don’t think either of us are.”