Love You Forever (2013 Wattys Finalist)

Chapter 15 - Letting Go

Georgie swayed slightly but managed to remain standing, dressed in a grey pullover sweatshirt and sweatpants, hugging the light blue rucksack the bastard had given her to her chest. Her eyes were blank as she stared straight ahead. Robert struggled wildly to be released from the guards.

As soon as they let go of him, he went to her and put his arms around her. "Georgie?" he said gently, but she didn't respond. She was completely gone.

He felt a hard shove on his shoulder, letting him know he needed to start moving. He tightened his hold on her and pulled her along with him, willing her to start walking. She stumbled a little and he worried he was going to have to carry her, but then she began putting one foot in front of the other as guards surrounded them, leading them down the hallway.

He concentrated on keeping her moving forward, looking at their feet and not paying any attention to where they were going. He fought back the feeling of terror that the bastard was fucking with him again, that this wasn't what it seemed, that they weren't really being released.

After they'd been walking for several minutes, he heard Georgie say, "Robert?" faintly with a raspy voice as if she'd just noticed he was with her, and he suddenly became alarmed. He wasn't sure how she'd react if she realized what was happening and he couldn't risk her having some kind of breakdown while they were being moved. He didn't know what the guards would do if she did, and he didn't want to take any chances.

"Georgie, I need you to be very quiet and very brave. Can you do that?" he said fervently in her ear.

"Yes," she whispered, and then was silent as they continued walking.

He only knew they were out of the building when he saw wet pavement under their feet and felt bitterly cold air. Georgie was barefoot and he heard her suck in her breath. Terrified she might react, he held onto her even tighter and kept her moving forward, desperately praying she'd stay quiet.

Within seconds, they were at the open side of an empty van. He was shoved hard from behind, making him fall onto the cold metal floor, landing half on top of Georgie since he was still holding her. She let out a whimper and he quickly got off her. He started sliding across the floor and tried to pull her with him but she was too heavy. A guard picked up her legs and started shoving her across the floor of the van. She grabbed onto Robert looking terrified and he tightened his hold on her, pulling her as she moved towards him, trying to get her away from the guard.

When he reached the far wall of the van, he laid with his back pressed against it and held Georgie tight against his chest, her head tucked under his chin, his leg wrapped around both of hers, trying to protect her as best he could. She grabbed handfuls of his t-shirt and then became completely still in his arms. Some of the guards climbed in and the van door slid shut. The men sat on the floor around them, watching him intently as the engine started and the van began moving.

They drove for a long while before the van stopped and its engine turned off. He saw one of the men pull out a small black leather case and open it. When he pulled a hypodermic needle out, Robert was suddenly filled with terror, fearing the bastard had ordered them killed and their bodies dumped somewhere.

When the man tried to take hold of Georgie's arm, Robert shouted, "No!" and swung his fist, hitting the man's wrist and knocking the needle out of his hand. He clutched Georgie tighter to him, desperate to protect her from what was coming. She began whimpering with fear and her body was tense in his arms. Then a hand gripped his shoulder hard and he jerked back, ready to face the new assault, prepared to fight them all to the death if necessary.

He focused on the face of the man looking down at him. It was the guard from the hallway, the one who'd convinced him not to go to Georgie. The man spoke reassuringly to him in French. While Robert searched his eyes, he thought he understood. They were going to be drugged so they could be transported, not killed. He felt Georgie relax against him a little, and realized she'd understood what the man had said.