Kidnapped You Because I Knew I Could

Chapter 8: My Plan is Simple

"C-can you not speak so close to my ear?"

Jonah lets go of Caedi and walks back to the couch.

"Are you gonna sit?"

"Um, I think I'll stand for now."

"Hmmm." Jonah sings. "So what you wanna talk about?"

Caedi shifts around nervously.

"Well, why are you doing all this? No matter what you say, there's no way you're doing it just because of me."

Jonah puts his elbow on his lap with his hand upward. He rests his chin on the palm of his hand and stares at Caedi directly into her eyes.

"You're right." He says.

Caedi looks away from him, made slightly discomforted by his gaze. She glances back at him to see he's smiling even more brightly than before.

"You're not gonna tell your reasons?"

"Of course not, there are people listening to us, you know. But, can't a guy just have some fun?"

Caedi's eyes widen, her face goes dark, and she turns away from him.

"Angry?" He asks, "It's okay if you are. Come on, talk to me."

Caedi's hands curl into fists, and she turns back toward him, tears trailing down her face.

"You killed my mother, my brothers, and even threatened us with your gun and these collars, and you call that fun!?"

Jonah gets up from the couch, his bright smile reducing into a calming one. He goes behind her then puts his hands around her neck; she tenses up, and then he slides them both down, hugging her.

"Wanna try it? You'll never know how much fun it is until you try. I'm sure there are people you hate, people who've made your life so difficult. I can help you pull the trigger if you can't do it on your own."

"No, I don't want that!"

"Shh. Don't cry. Everything will be alright. You don't have to if you don't want to. But if you ever change your mind just tell me. Is that all?."

"Why did you choose us?"

Just then the sound of the bathroom door opening rings in their ears. Grace and Iah come out from behind it.

Iah is wearing a loose dark blue shirt and a grey pair of sports pants. Meanwhile, Grace is just wearing a baggy white t-shirt.

"Sorry are we interrupting something?"

Jonah backs away from Caedi.

"No, not really." He says. "Just telling Caedi how much fun I'm having doing all this."

"I see. That's not the main reason you've done all this right?"

"Of course not. Anyways do you all wanna head to sleep or watch tv first?"

"Ooh watch tv please!" Iah says.

"Okay, we don't have cable or anything here but we do have flash drives filled with movies and anime. Made sure to stock up."

"It's pretty early so I don't think I'll be able to sleep anyway." Grace says.

"Caedi?"

"Um actually can I just...go outside for some fresh air?"

Jonah stares at her with a straight face.

"Fine then. Have it your way." He turns away from her. "Iah why don't you choose something."

Caedi, with a frown, goes outside. As soon as she closes the door, stars pick up the pace. When she's off the wooden floor, she starts running. She runs down the hill, the moonlight shining down upon her, then rain suddenly begins to pour.