Watched

Chapter 18: "Rescue"

We sat there silently for several moments, too shocked to move. Then we both jumped into action, as if we read each other's minds, scrambling to get our boots and coats on so we could run outside to flag down the helicopter for help. Neither one of us was in any way prepared for what happened next.

The door of the cabin was practically thrown off its hinges as several SWAT team officers stormed into the house with guns drawn.

“Freeze!” The commander shouted.

I shrieked in surprise and dropped the flashlight I'd been holding.

The officers kept filing into the cabin; four of them rushed to me and surrounded me while the rest kept their guns trained on you. I realized with dread that this was a rescue effort – for me – and that you were going to be arrested. I knew you'd be in trouble for abducting me, but we had been planning to put together a believable story so that you wouldn't be thrown in prison. As far as I knew, we had five months of planning ahead of us, but now, all of that was thrown out the window as you stood facing at least twenty heavily armed officers.

“No!” I screamed. “It's not what you think!” But it seemed that no one even heard me as the officers moved ahead with their plan upon seeing that you had your hands up in surrender. One moved behind you and yanked both hands behind your back and then he viciously forced you to the floor. I winced as I heard your head smack against the hard wood. The first officer dug his knee into your back while the other patted you down and searched for any kind of weapon. Then the first officer handcuffed you and yanked you back up to standing. I heard you grunt from the pain of being manhandled so fiercely.

“Zayn!” I sobbed. You looked at me with the most heartbreaking expression crossing your face – you looked like an animal being led to slaughter and I wanted nothing more than to run to you and kiss you and tell you that everything would be all right. I tried to move toward you, but I was restrained much too harshly by the officers who were “protecting” me.

I couldn't get to you, but I made eye contact with you and shouted, “I love you, Zayn! I love you! Everything will be okay!” I wanted you to know that, even in this terrifying moment, I would do anything to be with you, that I hadn't been just playing a game with you until I was rescued, that my love hadn't been a charade that I was planning to drop as soon as we returned to civilization.

“I love you!” I sobbed loudly one more time before you were hauled out the door and to a waiting helicopter.

“River?” One of the officers asked while I was still crying hysterically.

“You don't understand! He didn't hurt me! I love him – please don't hurt him! Please!”

“Ma'am, you can come with us now. You're safe,” spoke one of the officers.

Safe? He didn't even listen to what I said. You never intended harm for me. How was I going to convince them of that?

I watched as the remaining officers began to scour the cabin for any evidence they could use against you. I felt sick as I realized that they would find the guns. And then I realized that the most damning piece of evidence was upstairs, lying under our bed along with my purse.

“My purse!” I blurted through my tears. “I have to get my purse!” And I tore away from the officers, racing upstairs and throwing myself on the floor next to the bed. I felt around for the journal and hastily shoved it inside of my bag, zipping it closed before anyone noticed.

As I was led away from the cabin towards the helicopter, I cried uncontrollably. I couldn't form any coherent words because I was completely sick at the thought of you being torn away from me so violently.