Sweet Dreams, Evangeline

Chapter Two

Kyle looked at Stan, his eyes filled with worry, sorrow and determination.

"Evangline is out there somewhere...... and we're gonna find her." Kyle said, with a determined tone.

Stan knew he was right about one thing. Evangeline is out there somewhere, all alone. I couldn't stand thinking about her being out there cold, alone, and hungry. When Stan and Kyle adopted Evangeline, they got her by chance. It was a miracle that the birth parents even saw their porfolio, let alone them actually being okay with gay couples adopting. The fact that they chose them was nothing short of a rarity. Now, their little miracle was out to defend for herself.

"Kyle...." Stan said, trying to be the voice of reason. "I know you want our daughter back. I do too. But... we can't-"

"What is the matter with you?!" Kyle interupted, screaming with his eyes filling to the brim with tears. "Our five year old is out there all alone, and you just want to stay here and do nothing?! It's your fault she's out there!!"

Stan stared at Kyle, and he knew it was true.

"It's all my fault," Stan thought. ''I'm the one who threw Evangeline out that hole. I'm the one who told her to run. It was all me."

Stan threw himself to the ground and burst into tears. Kyle kneeled down next to him and put his hand on Stan's back.

"Stan, baby," Kyle whispered.
"I didn't mean-"

"Kyle! Just stop." Stan said back, crying even harder. Stan curled himself into the fetal position and turned away from his husband. "It's all my fault and I need to accept it.... She might have been safe here with us if I hadn't done it."

"Stan, stop. You did the right thing. You saved our baby."

"I don't deserve to be a father.... I practically killed her by doing what I did-"

"Stan! Don't you get it?!" Kyle screamed. "You saved her! Didn't you see what happened to the others?!"

". . . .What are you talking about?" Stan asked, lifting his head from the ground.

"Stan, come look." Kyle walked over to him and grabbed his hand. "Brace yourself." he whispered sad.

He walked me over to a small corner in our cell. He pointed at a miniscule hole in the wall and told Stan to look. When Stan lied down and looked he could see the top of a large building, with large amounts of smoke coming from the top.

"Kyle, I don't understand.." Stan said, confused.

"Stan, look closer." Kyle whispered sadly. "Listen."

Stan did what he was told.

He closed his eyes and focused on trying to hear. As he focused his hearing, Stan began to hear screams. Screams worse than Evangeline's. The cries for help began to fill his head; they were all he could hear. Cries in agony, begging someone to stop the pain, begging for mercy.

It was then when Stan began putting the pieces together. Smoke, screaming, begging for mercy. They were burning some of the prisoners alive.

That could of been my daughter.. he thought. Evangeline... Evangeline... Evangeline.

The screaming got louder, and louder, and louder. Nothing could stop the cries from filling his mind. Stan couldn't take it anymore, and his mind broke.

"STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" I screamed. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! PLEASE! JUST MAKE IT STOP!"

Kyle held him as Stan covered his ears. The screams went on for two whole days, and for two whole days Stan remained in Kyle's arms sobbing.

"Stan, I'm sorry for everything." Kyle said softly, still holding Stan "I just needed someone to blame for all of this. You saved our daughter, Stan."

Stan just stared off into space for what felt like an eternity, until he finally spoke.

"Kyle, get some sleep." Stan said, sternly.

"Why?"

"Because you were right." Stan said. "Evangeline is still out there as far as we know. I don't want her to share the same fate as the others. We're going to find her. We are going to break out of here."