Caged Bird

Screams and questions

Catherine

Present

I swerved through the crowd with my tray in hand, music filling my ears. It was a busy night at the bar, the orders kept on flowing in not that I was complaining, at least I'd have more tips than usual.

I reached the bar and gave Zach the bartender the order for my table. As I carried the order to the table, I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned to get a good look at the person,it was a guy with black hair. He looked like he was probably in college. He swayed a bit. I could see his friends laughing at the corner.

"Can I help you ?" I did my best to sound polite, but my words came out laced with my frustration.

He looked at me for a second as if trying to think of something to say," Can I have a piece of that ass? "he said, slurring slightly.

I looked at him for a few seconds before sighing and walking away. I'm too busy to deal with this shit. I served my table and walked back to the bar.

The rest of the night was uneventful, and soon it was the last call, I sank into one of the bar stools. Zach slid a beer across the counter. "Thanks," I said.

My life had fallen into a pattern ever since I escaped. I wake up,eat,leave for work,go back home and sleep, and do it again the next day. I wouldn't have it any other way. It made it easier to disappear if there was a threat.

I stepped out of the bar, the cold air hitting my skin, causing me to shiver. I walked to the bus stop just in time to catch my bus home.

I sat in the front close to the door of the bus. There were only a few people on the bus, so I felt more relaxed than I would usually be.

The bus stopped at the next bus stop, and a man stepped into the bus. I don't know what it was about him, I don't know if it was his tanned skin or the intricate tattoos on his hand or his hypnotizing green eyes but something made me look at this man. He sat beside me, and I flinched, moving closer to the edge of my seat. He turned to me, green eyes staring into my soul, " You okay?". I nodded ,my throat suddenly dry .

He stared at me for a few more seconds before turning his attention. For the rest of the ride I kept on having to tell myself that I couldn't get hurt ,that the bus driver was here but the closer we got to my destination the more I started to freak out.

What if he hit me ?

I pressed the stop request button, feeling suffocated. The bus came to a stop at the closest stop, and I almost leaped of it. The bus stop wasn't too far from my apartment. I checked the time, it was almost 11 pm . I decided to call an Uber instead of walking to avoid getting assaulted on the streets.

After 10 minutes, my Uber arrived, and I stepped into the car. The whole ride, my mind was on high alert, my hands half into my bag reaching for my taser. I had to be prepared for anything.

If there was anything I learned from life, it was that no one could be trusted. You had to rely on yourself. The Uber pulled up at my house. I stepped out, saying thank you to the driver before walking into my apartment building.

It was an old building, the elevators weren't working and the heating was sometimes faulty during the winter. The place was anything but pretty, but it was cheap.

I marched up the stairs to my floor. I opened my door after a few moments of fumbling for my key and flopped onto my old raggedy sofa.

In the silence of my apartment, I could hear the soft pitter patter of the rain and the howling of the wind. I couldn't help but think about the man on the bus, his green eyes seared into my mind. He had an air of authority and confidence with him. He looked at me in a brooding way like he was trying to figure something out about me,like he knew me. His arms were designed by beautiful tattoos.

Shutting my eyes, I drifted off to sleep.

----

"By the faith of our father," the words kept echoing as I ran through the dark maze. At each wall was a girl with gagged out eyes saying those wretched words. I reached the end of the maze, and suddenly, a hand reached up from the ground, pulling me into a newly formed pit.

I jolted awake ,my heart pounding.

'It's just a dream ', I repeat to calm myself down.

Sighing, I drag myself off my bed and head to the kitchen to make myself breakfast hands still trembling from the nightmare.

No matter how much I run from it ,it still haunts me . Even when I think I've escaped, that I've survived ,I made to face it again in the form of nightmares. I thought I would have been used to them by now, but I was wrong

After a few minutes, I left the house for work.

My morning shifts at the bar were usually boring, so I had nothing to worry about. I walked into the bar, and the first thing that caught my eyes was the person on one of the bar stools. It was the man on the bus.

I made sure to stay out of his line as I headed to the back to put on my uniform, I kept a calm demeanor. My body was in survival mode, and my instincts had kicked in. After I changed into my shirt, I made sure to carry my can of pepper spray.

As I wanted around the bar serving orders and wiping tables, I could feel his piercing gaze on me, ignoring it. I continued with what I was doing.

"Excuse me, I'd like to talk to you," his voice was low and smooth. He studied my face, taking in the panic written all over my face, " we could sit down in the bar if that would make you more comfortable."he added, easing some of the tension off me.

I nodded, and we sat on the bar stools.

I waited for some time before he finally said something. " Have you ever heard of the name ' nam kalag'?" he asked, studying my face.

At the mention of the clan's name, my body went on high alert ,I managed to keep the neutral look I had on my face. " No," I said calmly.

He looked at me for a moment and sighed. "Look , I'm not here to hurt you, and I don't work with the clan,I'm here to help."

"Well, I already told you I don't know what you're talking about," I said, standing up from my stool

As I was walking away, I heard his voice again. " I'm only trying to protect you, Catherine." The mention of my name stopped me dead in my tracks. I tried my best to remain calm when I answered " sorry wrong person " and walked to the back .

When I came out he was finally gone. I let out a sigh before panic took over me.

Who the hell was?