The Run

The Run Chapter 11

Chapter 11

So, I decided not to tell Jaxon about my encounter with Tessa. He already seemed somewhat worried about me because of my nightmares, which had grown more frequent. Although I knew that Tessa was not a threat to me whatsoever, Jaxon might not see it that way. I may run for my life constantly but to him high school was just as serious. Go figure.

That day after school went by pretty normally, as far as my normal day was concerned. I ran track and again focused on getting faster, not on distance even though I was supposed to be a distance runner. I knew that I could outrun any of those kids in true endurance style distance running, but most could outrun me in shorter distances. I was aiming to get faster for future times I may have to escape somewhere.

Jaxon was very quiet when he drove us home that afternoon so we could shower before going to the bookstore. It was very unlike him to act that way, so I knew that something must be on his mind. I started to ask him what was wrong, when he started talking insead.

"Have you ever had nightmares this often before?" He asked softly, staring straight ahead. He was talking about the fact that after that initial nightmare, I'd been having them nightly. And, nightly, he was coming in to comfort me until I fell back asleep.

"No." I replied just as quietly. "I've had nightmares before but never this detailed and never this often. Normally my nightmares come once every couple of weeks, and before I came here they were getting a little closer together but still nowhere near this bad." I said, staring out the window to my right to avoid looking at him. I heard him draw a breath and prepare to reply, as though he had to carefully consider his words before he spoke.

"Raine, what are you having nightmares about? Are they memories? Or are they fears? What else did they do to you in that horrible place to affect you like this?" He asked softly, looking at me for just a second before his eyes moved back to the road. We were already in his neighborhood and would be at his house in a few seconds.

"They start out as memories, then they morph into something even more terrifying." I said so softly that I hoped he wouldn't hear. Apparently it wasn't soft enough for as we pulled into his driveway he turned the truck off and turned to look at me. I tried to turn my head away, but he wouldn't accept that and gently held my chin in his hand and forced me to look at him.

"Raine, let me in. Tell me what you see at night, what you feel. Help me to understand so I can help you." He said, letting go of my chin so that he could wrap his arms around me in a hug, like he did at night. I blushed and tried to duck out of it, but he just tightened his hold. "Calm down Raine, it's just a hug. Nothing more, nothing less." Jaxon said with a slight smile as he released me.

"Can we just go shower now?" I asked, ducking my head to hide the blush that still colored my cheeks.

"Together?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. I blushed even more and shook my head quickly. Even after all of the time that I'd spent in high school, I still wasn't quite used to all of the insinuations that high schoolers made-or the dirty jokes for that matter. "Oh alright." He said with a frown. "Go shower now then." He said, getting out of the truck and opening the door for me. "But tonight, you're going to tell me about your dreams, and about your life."

"I've already told you about my life." I protested quickly as I went into the living room. Jaxon shook his head.

"You told me the basics, nothing more. Nothing about what actually happened, or what you thought or felt." He said, gripping me with a stare that I almost couldn't look away from. Almost.

I turned my head and started into the kitchen as I answered. "I have told you more than I have ever told anyone. Actually, I have never even told anyone where I came from before, not even the area, let alone the actual place. Is that not enough?" I said, my voice breaking on the last word. I felt weak to hear myself do that. I've always been strong, because in the face of the lab tests I must be strong to live. And after I escaped, I had to be strong to continue to live. Hearing myself sound that vulnerable in front of anyone, even Jaxon, hit me really hard.