Fears

Chapter 29 |Lakota|

| Chapter 29 |

| Lakota |

Hours after they threw me back in the shadow-filled room my heart was still racing in my chest. All feelings of hopelessness that overcame me when I had been caught had vanished, and the only thing I could think about was that piece of paper. They hadn't found it. They hadn't even searched me before throwing me back in this prison.

But now the hole was boarded up, and we were left in complete darkness again.

I stared blindly into the blackness filling my vision. listening hard. It had been a while since the men had left me here, but I still felt like someone was watching us. Watching me.

I nestled further into Darren's warmth. my stomach growling with hunger.

"Do you think they'll ever find us?" Kathleen whispered. Leaning on me. I reached out into the shadows until I touched her head, stroking her hair.

But I didn't answer her. I had nothing to say, and all I could think of was that piece of paper.

I had to tell them.

"Guys," I said quietly, so softly it was barely a whisper. "I found something."

I felt Darren turn his gaze to me.

"What do you mean?" He asked slowly, his voice hoarse from disuse.

"You found something when you got out?" Kathleen asked, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Yes." I hissed, "But be quiet. They. . . they can't know about this."

There was a moment of silence when Darren said, "So what is it?"

I swallowed. "It's a file. I found a cabinet filled with names of victims that these people have killed. and one . . ." I swallowed again, the familiar lump of grief rising in my throat. "I found one . . . about my uncle. It could prove that we're innocent."

Darren sighed. His breath tickling my cheek in the darkness.

"If we ever get out of here, that is."

"We will," Kathleen said, her small voice raising. "Riley must have found Levi and Ruby by now. I'm sure they're going to help us."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the thudding of feet hit my ears.

"Hush." I hissed.

There was the jangling of keys, then the door of the room flew open, blinding us in the florescent light flooding in.

"In. Now!" A voice barked as three figures were shoved into the the room.

My heart sunk as my eyes fell on the fearful faces of Levi, Riley, and Ruby.

"Riley," Darren gasped beside me, and then the door slammed leaving us in the shadows, but not before Darren ran over to his brother.

"Oh, God," Darren said. His voice shaking. he sounded like I felt; defeated and tired. So tired.

I couldn't believe it. How could they be here? How could they have been captured?

"Darren," Riley said, his voice tight. "I'm sorry."

"What happened?" Darren asked. "How can you guys be here?"

I was too numb to speak. They had been our only chance for freedom, and now even that was gone. All my hope was sucked down the drain of despair.

"It happened so fast," Levi explained, his voice thick with despair. "We were coming in to save you, but they had us before we even entered the building."

A sob suddenly shot through the darkness, stabbing me in my already bleeding heart.

"It was all my fault," I heard Ruby cry. "I said we should just go. We should have thought about it more. It's all my fault."

"Shhh," Levi said. "It's okay, it's not your fault."

"It is!" Ruby cried.

"I'm sure it's not your fault, Ruby," Darren said gently. "What exactly happened?"

"We were trying to sneak in by going through a broken window at the back," Riley said, his voice expressionless. "We were on top of a side shed to get in when Levi went through the window and got caught. We were found almost right after."

Silence followed Riley's words, seeping into our souls like ink into paper.

"But what are we going to do?" Katleen cried. "How can we get out?"

"I don't know, kid," Riley said. "I dont know."