Trigger warning mentions of attempted SA AND physical assault.
"Why don't you start?" I asked as he sat on the chair across me.
"Well first off I made contact with the guy after you" he sighs.
"What did he say?" I tense.
"Wait before I continue, tell me what you found."
"Yeah just leave me on a cliffhanger about a man who is trying to kill me." I deadpan but he doesn't budge. I got up and started pacing back and forth
"Well first of Theo, what the fuck. I mean you knew my parents were in some illegal shit, now people are dying and I'm next on the kill list." I take in a deep breath and let it out.
"I partly know about the storks project, I talked to someone from the asylum and that was harrowing conversation." I keep pacing.
"Who do I live with? I mean it always felt off in this house growing up, but I thought that was normal. Am I? I mean was I also taken. I have never seen a picture with my mum pregnant. I just can't believe they would do that to those woman"
I look at him and he just has this solemn look on his face.
"That's all I know" I shrug sitting down. "Now tell me what he said and what he wants cause if I'm still alive at this point in time he definitely wants something."
"How close are you to Mike's family cause they are throwing a party tomorrow?"
"I am as close to them as Alaska is to Zimbabwe. However, my father does golf with Mike's dad."
"Well he wants you to steal a list of all the mothers of the babies and the families they were taken to then post it online."
My heart drops.
"If I don't?" I whisper
"Jane I will take you far away from here to keep you away from him" He says sternly.
"This person is smart, calculating and patient. Dammit he's everywhere and no where at the same time, I can't let him hurt you Jane." Theo looks down in despair.
"Fine I'll do it. Then will he leave me alone?"
"Hopefully"
He stands up and I stand up with him.
"You're going?" I ask softly.
"I have to, I'm wanted remember?" He sighs.
I move closer to him and hug him, he doesn't push me away but holds me closer.
"I am sorry I locked you up but I got scared JJ. When I realised who he was targeting I didn't know how to tell you or protect you from all of this."
"Please you could you just hold me lie this for a few more minutes." I beg into his shirt.
He pulls me to the bed and we lay down together. As odd as it was Theo was the only person I knew was always honest with me. I felt at ease with him. Anytime my world opened from underneath me he was always the one to place me on a cloud and help me sore through the sky. Now it felt like we were both falling.
"Please just stay with me a bit?" I mumble, exhaustion finally taking over forcing my eyes to close.
"I'll keep you safe JJ" Theo whispers tracing patterns on my arm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Honey get up dinners ready."
My mother barges the door open and I sit up in a fit of panic. I look to my side and it's empty.
"Jesus sweetie try waking up gently, you'll get grey hairs early from stress"
"Sorry just trying to adjust being back." I shrug.
"Well dinners ready I made your favourite, Italian pasta salad" She places a kiss on my forehead gently rubbing out the my frown.
She did that a lot when I was a kid, told me I would look old quickly if I kept frowning. I wore a hoodie and headed down stairs. My father was here this time hopefully I could come up with something good enough to get me into the demon spawn Mike's house. An excruciating uneasiness befalls us.
"So school wasn't bad today" I let my phrase hang in the air.
"That's good sweetie and you'll be graduating soon so that's fun right?"
"Yeah awesome." I nod.
"So dad are you still close with Sheriff Waters?"
Just throw it out there Jane.
"Yes, why?" He sniffs.
"Well I don't know, I just wanted to know how far they were in catching that boy who took me. I would like to hear what he thinks, maybe you could ask him at the luncheon pool party they are throwing?"
"You can go with your mother and ask him yourself, I have a business meeting in China and I have a plane to catch. Excuse me" He doesn't waste breath and leaves.
"You can wear that black bikini I bought you, but that was a few months ago and you have gained weight sweetie. I mean the cellulite in the sun but I think you'll look okay." She smiles before leaving the table following suite.
I staying seated. I don't want to cry but my breathing is short. I hate him, I hate her, I hate this house. What kind of life have I deluded myself into leaving? Did I finally sever the veil between reality and fantasy I allowed myself to live in? I wince looking down at my hand, I squeezed it too hard the wound was bleeding again. Tears fell in a ceaseless stream. The emptiness of the now dining hall echoed back into my ears how lonely I was in this world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh Pamela Johnson is that you? And sweet baby Jane." Mike's mother embraced us, an angel I swear. Wonder why it didn't rub of on her demonic son.
"Claire darling quite the soiree you have going on here," my mother praised.
"Hi Mrs Waters."
I spotted Mike watching me from the opposite side of the pool with some of his jock friends. He just stared at me, I was regretting everything already. Sadly, Sebastian couldn't make it. He was out of town looking for universities, at least he had a chance to make something of himself.
"Jane do you want to help me in the kitchen with the desserts?" Mrs Waters hooked my arm with hers.
"Yes please."
"Oh she shouldn't have to much sweet stuff, she's gained a bit around the middle" my mother commented before going to fraternise with the other house wives.
"Don't worry I'll pack some for you in a container, and you look absolutely fine" Mrs Waters winked at me soothing my mothers statement.
I helped her pipe the cupcakes and honestly this was actually the most calm I had felt considering what I do. I felt my phone vibrate and it was from an unknown number.
Unknown
Go to the bathroom and you'll find a USB underneath the towels.
Go into the Sheriffs Office.
You will fine a file titled the Storks Operation. The password is Revenant17.
Work quickly Jane, I'll be watching.
My mouth felt dry all of a sudden. Okay Jane lift your big girl thong up and do this.
"Hey,Mrs Waters where is the bathroom?"
"Down the hall to the left sweetie"
I walk quickly and find the bathroom and the USB, next stop the office the office. Luckily it was empty, Sheriff Waters had an interesting taste in cowboys. The computer loads and I quickly look for the file.
Storks Operation
total 43 babies, 39 mothers, 25 adoptees.
"Gosh this is jarring." I whisper as I save the file on to the device. I log out of everything and leave the office.
"Mom where's Jane?"
I hear Mike talking to his mother and hide in the bathroom. I wait a beat, splashing my face with water. Adrenaline pumping blood into my ears. I open the door and there's Mike standing there.
"Why the fuck are you here?" He asks nonchalantly.
"I'm being neighbourly Mike, your mother invited us" I try to move past him but he continues to block the way.
"I see why Bastian can't keep his hands of you Jane" He looks me up and down, fear builds in me.
"Could I please move?"
"Could you?" He taunts stalking forward.
"He doesn't have to know and we can put all our fights in the past." he says casually but alarms ring in my head and my body freezes.
He takes his hand to trace my chest but I slap it away which angers him. He grabs the back of my head and slams my face into the wall, I try to fight him of but he persists.
"Help, stop it Mike. Stop it" I scream out but he covers my mouth.
The door slams open and his father walks in pulling him off and throwing him to the side as I stand there horrified.
"Officer Stephan get in here" Sheriff Waters calls outside of the bathroom and Stephan walks in his eyes going wide when he sees me.
"Apologies Miss Jane with my dog of a son, please allow Officer Stephan to escort you home. To not make a scene but are assure you consequences will be severed." The last part he looked at Mike whose nose was bleeding when his dad knocked him into the tub.
Stephan gently without touching me leads me to the front where Mrs Waters looks up at me confused.
"Jane are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine Mrs Waters, I just don't feel well officer Stephan is taking me home" I say quickly.
"Well here are your cupcakes special for you" She looks at me concern evident as she hands me the box.
Stephan opens the door and I sit down, my stomach feels knotted.
"Are you okay though Jane?"
I swallow. "Please just take me home" I say softly looking out the window.
We drive in silence.
"I didn't know you remained in Fallen Wood" I look at him.
"Well I was sent by my division to look over your case."
I nod and we go back to silence. When we reach my house I turn to him and thank him for driving me home. I walk into my dark cold house and break down. I drag my self to the bathroom and wince at how swollen my face is starting to become. My phone vibrates.
Unknown
Well done Jane leave the USB on the table outside.
"Fuck you" I whisper but do what he says.
Wish the Angel of death would take me now.