Cats In the Cradle

45. Emma

"Daniel, come on, man, help me move this gate!" Kayden/Jayden called out as he pushed and struggled to make enough room between the gate doors for us to slip through.

But Daniel was frozen, staring up at something with a terrified expression.

I glanced up to try to find whatever it was that had him looking so frightened, looked down at Kayden, then did a double take when I found several weapons pointed at us. Particularly at Kayden, since he was still attempting to get the gate open.

"Kayden. Kayden! Look. Up," Daniel whispered loudly, somehow barely even moving his lips as he spoke.

"You do not have permission to exit the community! Please step away from the gates and return to your homes, or we'll be forced to use our weapons," someone called out. I squinted, trying to make out the familiar voice, and I realized it was my brother, Kevin. I'm not sure if he didn't recognize me, or perhaps he was being kind by at least giving us a warning before shooting, but I was terrified nonetheless.

"Yeah, fuck that. I'm not trying to get stuck here, too. Motherfuckers just tried to fucking marry me off to a 12-year-old," Kayden muttered.

Eleanor was not 12.

"Ok, well we have two options here. Get the gate open quickly and run as fast as we fucking can, praying we don't get shot... Or we go back to the community center and pretend we never left until we can plan something new," Daniel whisper-yelled. "What do you think Emma?"

I think I want to lay down and sleep for a few more days.

Orion was injured somehow, according to whatever Mr. Augustus had seen right before we exited Kayden's welcoming party. Perhaps that would buy us more time! Then I could say my proper goodbyes to my parents and Lars. Maybe we'd even win the hearing and none of the issues with Orion would ever be a prob—

"Yeah we're going with option 1. Help me. Move slowly so they don't realize what's happening, then on the count of three," Kayden whispered.

"...Ok, count of 3," Daniel agreed.

"Wait, what?!!" I scream-whispered. I'd already been branded and had the tip of Orion's cock painfully wedged into my bottom hole just this week. I did not want to acquire any new injuries. Especially if they were preventable.

"Emma, if they find out you were trying to escape, they might punish you. I've seen the way they punish the men, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to the way they punish the women. Kayden is right; we have to get the fuck out of here, love. Just try to keep up..."

Absolutely the worst plan I'd ever heard of.

We were going to be killed.

But then, I may end up exactly like Mrs. Augustus if we went back, and word got out that we'd been trying to escape... And I still wanted to have children. I didn't want all the men in town to discipline me to the point of receiving irreversible internal injuries.

"Ok, on 3...." I whispered, eyes still focused on my brother Kevin, who was focused on Kayden. Kevin had been at our wedding, but he hadn't officially met Daniel yet. Still, I know he definitely knew who we were. Perhaps he only intended to shoot Kayden.

"Emma, get ready, love..."

"1...."

"Stop moving! Stop moving towards the gate—George, why is the gate even opening? What's happening?—Do not go near the gate or we will shoot!" Kevin called out again.

"....3!"

Kayden and Daniel shoved the gate doors as forcefully as they could manage, and I had a brief moment to admire the thick veins in Daniel's bulging arm muscles before I was being pulled through the small opening they'd made.

"Stop them! But don't shoot my sister! Emma, stop!" Kevin screamed. Shots immediately rang out from all of the watch towers.

"Fuck, watch out! Run faster, guys! Move around a little so they have a harder time shooting you!"

Daniel, Kayden and I were sprinting full-speed down the bumpy dirt road, unpredictably zig-zagging as we ran. I'd never felt so scared; any pain I'd felt in my thigh before was replaced by pure fear and heightened nerves.

I felt something hit my shoulder, then saw something hit Daniel's back.

But whatever it was didn't hurt or pierce our skin?

Daniel didn't really even seem to notice whatever it was that hit him, and whatever had hit my shoulder felt more like a tap than anything else. So we kept sprinting, and the sound of gunshots and yelling grew more distant.

"Right there!" Kayden suddenly exclaimed, pointing at a large, black vehicle of some kind. I'd seen a few pictures of vehicles before, but never in person. The closest thing to this vehicle that I'd seen in person was a tractor or lawnmower.

The vehicle drove closer and then stopped in front of us. Daniel ran to the drivers side just as it began to open, and he yanked it open as wide as it could go. The person inside reached forward and engulfed Daniel in a tight embrace, awkwardly half-in/half-out the vehicle's doorway.

Kayden opened the door more gently on the other side, and a lovely, petite woman with deep dimples and curly, light brown hair jumped out with open arms.

"Hey Aunt Melody," Kayden said softly.

Aunt Melody—the woman Daniel claimed could help me once we escaped—smiled warmly at Kayden before being swallowed up in his large body. He wasn't quite as big as Daniel, but he was still an impressive size. Papa would've been delighted to have Kayden breed one of his daughters.

Poor, abandoned Eleanor.

Daniel and the other person stepped away from the vehicle and approached me. The person with him turned out to be an absolutely stunning woman. She looked so much like Daniel and Kayden, other than her blonde hair, that I could only assume she was their mother. She smiled hesitantly at me, peeking at Daniel from the corners of her eyes.

"Hello...." She said slowly. "And who might you be...? Daniel, she's coming with us...?"

Daniel visibly gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously as he ran a sheepish hand down the back of his neck.

"Uh. Mom, this is Emma. Emma, this is my mom, Aria. Emma is—"

"She's his wife!" Kayden blurted out. "Sorry, she just told me a few minutes ago..."

Both Aunt Melody and Aria spun around to stare incredulously at Daniel, occasionally glancing at me before staring at Daniel again.

"What the fuck?!! How old is she, Daniel?!'" Aria yelled, rather hysterically. She eyed me warily, waiting for Daniel to explain, and I smiled awkwardly.

"Fuck." She sighed heavily, appearing as if she might try to run Daniel over with her large vehicle. I suppose our silence answered her question somehow. "Just...get in the SUV. We'll talk about this once we get home."