Prove Me Wrong, Hun.

Run, Baby, Run

Clink, clink, clink.

Rolling over on my side I searched for the source of the annoying tapping sound.

Clink, clink, clink.

Damn, that fucking sound is annoying, I thought to myself, crawling slowly out of bed.

I glanced around the dark room, looking for the source of the stupid noise. It was coming from the back wall, near the private bathroom linked to my room. A small window was placed on the back wall. Between the metal sealed bars, I found the source of the noise. Jumping back as a small pebble hit the window. A small dark figure stood on the ground below me. Squinting I tried to figure out who the person was. The harder I would squint the more I thought the figure was getting closer. Then I realized who it was.

The ground was rising beneath his feet, roots unrapping and rerapping themselves as the ground pushed up with a heavy amount of force.

"Hey." Matt smiled brightly at me through the thin glass.

I shook my head vigorously, not wanting to accept the man in front of my eyes. I slumped to the ground, flopping my back against the wall beneath the window.

Cracking and popping sounded above me and I instantly covered my head.

"Hey," Matt said sitting next to me, gripping my arm gently trying to comfort me. "Kat it's okay no need to get upset." Glancing at the arm he was holding his face sank. Gliding his large fingers over the bumps that now laced almost half my body, his body shook. Wrapping my body in his long arms he held me close, as if that could make the burn and scars go away. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there when that happened, or when you woke up." He whispered in my hair.

I pulled away from him heavily, shaking my head rapidly trying to make him disappear. "You're not real."

He grabbed my head roughly between his hands and looked me deep in the eyes. "I'm as real as the fire you were burned by. As real as the woman that did it."

I gripped his hand, feeling the solidness in it. I nodded quickly once, taking in what he was saying as absolute and complete truth.

He laced his fingers through mine and sighed deeply, laying back on the wall next to me. "I had to do it, Kat. I had to make everyone forget they knew me, so that word wouldn't get around to Tazmin as quickly. Without me in the picture you're a lot safer. But I just couldn't stay away, sweetie. I had to find you, protect you, be with you. I can't help myself around you. I still believe we belong together, Kat. And I think you're beginning to feel it to." He held my hand to his chest, as if he was trying to get me to reach in and keep his heart for my own.

I took a deep, uneven breath. "So now what, Matt?"

"We run. To a place where no one will find us. I know a perfect place, it's a place for people like me, but they accept all people looking for help."

I shook my head. "I don't know about that. What about my mom? She will know I'm gone. And this whole place will know I'm missing."

He shook his head quickly. "I already took care of your file here and the main doctors don't remember you being here; I wiped their memory. And your mom, you can tell her your going on a trip or something. That it's healthy for your 'mental stability'.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded quickly.

"Here." Matt said handing me his cell phone. Quickly I punched in the number I knew by heart and waited nervously as the dial tone buzzed in my ear.

"Hello." My mothers sweet voice answered, her voice rough from all the crying she has undoubtedly done in the past few days.

"Mom?" My voice cracked as I held back tears.

"Kat? Is that you?" Her voice perked up as she heard me. "How are you baby? I miss you so bad."

Tears ran down my face but I smeared them away and took in a deep scraggly breath. "Mom, the doctor here thinks it's a good idea to go on a trip to help my health. He said it would be a good idea to be around nature and horses and things to help. They're leaving tonight and I'll be gone for a few weeks. I don't know when I'll be able to call though, mom."

I could hear her choke a little, holding back tears. "That's fine sweetie. If it's good for you then it's okay with me."

I held my tears back the best I could but some continued to slip down my cheeks. "I love you, Mom. So much." I choked out.

"I love you too, baby. Have fun on your trip." I could feel her resolve falling away. "I have to go. Write me when you can. Bye."

"Bye, Mom." I clicked the phone off and stared at Matt. "Now what?" I.asked him as he held me in his arms tightly hugging me to his chest.

"We run baby cakes. We run." He slid his hand down to mine when.my tears stopped spilling down my face.

Pulling me to the busted window, shattered glass crunching beneath my feet, I crawled out into the night air. Standing on top of that mound I felt like i was finally free. Like this was the start of something good, but I also had this feeling that crept up my spine and buried deep within my bones. Something was going to happen. I don't know what it is yet. But I am sure as hell going to find out. Looking down at Matt, he extended his hand to me. I smiled down at him, thinking about how he was my key to changing everything in my life. 

"Come on, Kat." He said taking my hand. Leading me into the night, and into a future of unknown.