The Attached

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Present day...

Day break finally arose in the sky that morning, the brightness from glows of sun starting to rise over the trees in the distance, and the warmness from the day began. I had eventually found my way back to the woods, the ones surrounding the two way highway I had ran onto that night, as I walked on the left side of the road. Already hearing a few sirens from police cars that morning—I assumed searching for me—I had ducked into the forest briefly to my side, and waited for them to pass. Are they onto me? Do they know, or at least have a hunch that I would go into the forest? But how would they know that? I told them the bunker was located near a forest, there are a lot of forests around. They wouldn't think I'm going back to the bunker, right? Or are they onto me? Do they know more than I think? Did Johnny and my family tell them about the other boy I was locked up with? Do they think I have gone back looking for him? Are they really that smart that they know exactly what I'm doing? I really hope not. If they do they won't let me look for him anymore. If they find me they are going to drag me back home while they search for Noah. No. I have to be there. It's just us now. This is between Noah and I. We have to fight this. We have to escape together, the both of us. No one else helping. Just us.

Digging into my blue bag, I pulled out one of the many granola bars I had stuffed in my bag, munching down as my stomach growled viciously. I was thankful for bringing a bunch of snacks. However my body was still trained to become full quickly, as it remained the same from the bunker. That very reason was how Noah and I didn't rush to eat all our food, saving it throughout the day and rationalizing it. And through that process and routine, we didn't become hungry as fast, causing for our drastic weight loss. But it was a good system back then, for we didn't know the next time he would bring us food.

Finishing the bar up as I placed the wrapper back in my bag, I stepped along the side of the road with my hood still up, my hands shoving on my pockets. It wasn't cold out today, more soothing and pleasant feeling with the warmth surrounding me and the sun blazing down gently. The woods however—to my left—gave off this type of cooling breeze, drifting by me slight as I walked by. I had no idea how far I was going to walk until I would enter the forest, not too sure how far the bunker was from here. I know I only ran through that forest a bit until I hit the road, so the woods can't be that thick between here and there. However it wasn't just how long the woods went to lead to the basement, it was trying to figure out when to start passing through them. Looking for some type of sign where the car had stopped the other day for me, but so far there was nothing in sight. That was just great.

Am I doing the wrong thing? Is this bad? Should I just turn around and get the police to help me?
No! What are you talking about the police can't help you! It's only up to you! So stop doubting yourself! You are doing the right thing now. You should have done this days ago but you're doing it now so that's all that matters. You are going to find Noah and you are going to break him free. And then you guys can go back into the city together, and finally tell the whole truth about Michael.
But I don't want to tell them truth. I don't want everyone to know what happened. And I know Noah is going to feel the same way too. But what else can we do? They have to find him and lock him up. He has to be locked up for the rest of his life. I want him to suffer and die in prison, in a tiny area in the dark. Like we had, his captives almost died numerous times in his hands. I want the same thing to happen to him. I want him to be tortured and to feel that slight panic that he might get killed. That he might die in prison. I want other criminals in jail to beat him up and assault him, the same way he had to us for all those years. I want the other inmates to be sickened with him just as much as I am. I want them to be so disgusted by him, that they try to kill him. That they do kill him. I want him to suffer until he dies, a slow, painful, death.
But the only way that's going to happen is if you and Noah tell the cops everything. So is it worth it? Or not? Is it worth everyone knowing all the details of your abuse for all those years? Is it worth them shooting odd and pitiful stares at you? Other people calling you names after hearing what that guy did to you? Is it worth everyone knowing a man had sex with you, and other things? Knowing how dirty you are now? How gross and disgusting you are now? Is it worth all that?
I don't know.