Mine

Epilogue

⠀
TWO WEEKS LATER
⠀

⠀
It was finally the day Anya was going to be released from the hospital. Adam had spent all of his money for her recovery and when he ran short of it, he was provided by some percentage of the town's donations.

The wife of the man who helped us by the highway started a fund-raising for us victims. It was growing by the day and I couldn't be any more grateful.

I guess I was glad to cross out the least of my worries: money. Well, it was for recovery. I tried my best to put my worries on the back burner, to focus on recovering. But I definitely needed reassurance every now and again.

The day that Gabi escaped, the two drugged up girls in the cabin and another two girls in her house were rescued and admitted immediately to the hospital along with Anya and I.

Although, the bulky girl I was with in the cabin's cellar––who turned out to be my high school athlete––Chloe Boyd, was conscious when they got there. She must have been horrified at her state.

Natasha was found in Gabi's house clad in Anya's clothes; just as Adam described the decoy that Gabi used to blackmail him into tying me up. Also Alicia Fink was found in her house, but unconscious.

For this, the cabin and Gabi's house were closed for investigation. Although, they––for some reason––didn't find a record of who owned the cabin.

Adam's given his number plate to the police in hopes of tracking and catching Gabi. Weeks have passed and we've got nothing so far.

This was exactly one of those times I just need the reassurance. But I will require more than the usual 'It'll be okay.' That phrase was simply a euphemism for 'We don't know anything, but somehow we're hoping.'

❧

I didn't take long in the ER and straightaway reunited with my family. It wasn't good for my mother's health––especially that she's been working graveyard shift recently––to frantically worry about two of her children within two consecutive days. I meant for her to relax this summer, not the complete opposite. I expressed my guilt but she dismissed me, insisting that that was the best possible outcome in this tragedy.

It was indeed true. I was lucky compared to the other abducted girls. Anya was heavily drugged for almost a month and the rest had it worse by getting abducted and having acid poured onto their faces or ultimately... death.

I spared my mother the details of my captive or rather, captor. By that, I mean the one who put me in Gabi's hands... literally. I believe that he's someone I'd have to protect for he was pressured to do what he thought was best at the time; certainly not right, but best nevertheless. Besides, he somewhat redeemed himself after all. I wouldn't be living a reality where Anya was alive still, if it wasn't for him.

⠀
Amanda or Mandy's funeral was this week and my family along with Adam and Anya were planning on attending.

When the day came, I invited Adam and Anya to accompany me and my family. They rode in my car while my mother took my brothers with her in her own.

The funeral was being held on the other side of town, and so we had a few minutes of travel.

In the passenger seat, Adam spoke through the silence, "You know, I was planning to move away with Anya."

I looked at him, curious. And then over at Anya through the rearview mirror. She looked distressed. I was wondering if it was because of what Adam was sharing.