CHAPTER TWO

He kept dragging me farther up the stairs. The light was too bright, I couldn't see anything. All I see is white I finally ripped my wrist from his grasp and covered my eyes crumpling to the ground so all the light was gone. I began crying from fear and when I felt a soft hand on my back I jumped. "You're okay Chloe, no one is going to hurt you here take these," The woman spoke warmly, passing me something light. I opened my eyes to this weird plastic invention; I stared at them not knowing what they were. She took them out of my hand and opened it up and gently placed them on my face, my ears holding them into place, and making everything a shade darker. "They're sunglasses," She said gently. I took them half way off; everything was too bright again so I left them on. My long brunette hair fell down my thin back, and for once I looked around the room. This room was large with big windows around the back of the room, where the most of the light was coming from. I got up and walked closer towards the large windows and placed my fingertips on the cold glass, I looked outside and my breath was taken away. There was lush green grass and a fire pit in the center surrounded by lawn chairs, and a fence surrounded the house. Cars piled up in the dirt driveway, and there were trees far off into the distance as well as beautiful flowers. But further off into the distance there was a much larger gate that seemed to lock us in. "You can go outside, if you'd like." She startled me by making me face her. She walked up to the glass and slid it open as I stared in awe. "It's a sliding door, and this-" she pointed towards the outside. "Is the backyard," "It's really pretty," I said, amazed. "It will be yours one day," She smiled. "Don't go too far Carolyn," Alistair mumbled. The woman, Carolyn, ignored the comment. I walked outside to the back-yard, the cool air felt cold against my skin making me shiver, but I ignored it and continued to walk out further. I took a long deep breath of cool air and closed my eyes enjoying the sun against my face, enjoying the breeze I let my head back to face the rays of sun beating onto my face. Tears began to roll down my cheeks, so this is what freedom feels like. I looked back at where Carolyn and Alistair stood; I smiled through my tears over my shoulder and said, "Thank you." Alistair said nothing and just nodded looking away, and Carolyn holding her stomach and smiling. "Alright it's time to go back inside," Alistair ordered. I went back without a fight, because now I know that there really is a big world out there, and maybe, just maybe I'll travel it one day. I walked back down to my room with a wide grin on my face as they once again shut me in the darkness. I went back to lay down on my vacant bed, and fell back to sleep from the fresh air and beauty on my mind. When Colby gets back I'm going to tell him everything I have seen today. Holding his letter close to my chest as if that would make him come back faster but common sense tells me otherwise, because that's not how the world works. I wake up to talk by the vent, it's Carolyn. She sounds worried. I can't help but to try to hear what she's saying. "Alistair do you think he's really going to be out in 2 days, that's a bit much to ask of him he's hurt very badly?" she questions with a worried tone. "Well Carolyn he said he's doing much better and wants to come home" Alistair replied hesitantly "He only said that because he wants to come home and meet Chloe I don't think he's ready," she said frustrated. I sit up, he's trying to come home early to meet me, and why is Alistair being so calm and nice, I have never heard him like this in all my eighteen years he must really be upset. "I know that but he will just sign himself out if I don't, and you know it as well as I do he has been waiting years for this day" he said with a large sigh at the end. "We have to do something. What if they are not ready? I mean for me it took an extra three months before I could leave the room for more than 4 hours at a time," she said, pacing back and forth right above me. He grunted, then there was a knock and some whispering and then footsteps running out of the room and down the hall. I followed their footsteps until I couldn't anymore and tried to hear what was going on, but all I got was silence. Did Colby come home early, will I finally get that answer that I've been waiting for all week? No, I wouldn't want that. I don't want him messing with his health because of me. If anything were to happen to him because of me I'm not sure what I'd do. Also what did they mean when they said he was coming home to meet me, Carolyn said it would take a lot longer before I could meet him, What's really going on. What else is strange is that Alistair is being nice and respectful for once, maybe it's only towards me? I put my hand through my tangled brown hair out of frustration. Colby's P.O.V Crashing through the door, bandages around my naked shoulders, I know I shouldn't have left the hospital, but I just couldn't let Chloe be here alone. My parents ran towards me when they heard the commotion, I staggered passed them attempting to get to the couch, coughing up blood on my way there. "Oh my god Colby, you should have waited a couple more days," My mother said. "No, No way," I exasperated. "Today is Chloe's birthday, I want to see her. Where is she?" I panicked. "She's in the basement-" My mother replied. I got up to go get her, making my sore body make the distance. "-Are you sure you want her to see you this way, I mean you're still bleeding for god's sake." My mother called after me. "I don't care, I made myself a promise and I plan on keeping it no matter the risk," I said reaching the basement. "Sorry kid, I can't let you do that today." My father called from behind me. There it was, the monster my father really was, one minute I was standing then there was a sharp pain in the back of my head, I heard my mother scream and the next everything went black. I woke up an hour later to my whole body being in pain, I groaned in pain sitting up rubbing the back of my head, sticky wet feeling on my fingertips. Figured, its blood bastard cracked my head open. Shit where's Chloe? I jumped up running to my bedroom door and went to turn the handle and guess what; I'm shit out of luck. It's locked. I screamed in frustration and kicked the door, it didn't budge. Then I realized there was one other way to talk to her, I ran to the vent and got as close as I could. "Chloe, Chloe can you hear me, it's Colby." I called out to her. I waited a few seconds, I wonder if she's mad at me, maybe she hates me for leaving her, maybe-. "Colby is that you?" A sweet voice coming from the vent. "Yes, yes I'm home, are you okay, did anything happen when I was gone?" I asked anxiously. "Something amazing happened when I went outside; it's beautiful, the green grass, large trees taller than houses and even multi-colored flowers!" She sounded so excited, but also sounded as if she just woke up. "That sounds amazing, Chloe. I wish I could have been there; it must have been a lot to take in. If you are tired though I can let you rest," I said hoping that she would say 'no let's talk,' or something along those lines, but then again checking the time on the digital clock says it's almost midnight. "Okay, good night Colby," She said through a yawn. "Good night, Chloe. I love you," There was no answer just soft snoring, I snickered to myself, she probably didn't hear me, besides she had a long day. I hissed trying to straighten myself upright, and back to my bed, laying myself out on my bed I took out my phone to text Lucey, we've been best friends since we were kids. Me: Hey Lucey what's up? Lucey... Lucey: Nothing much just worrying about your ass, what the hell happened last I heard was you got shot.. Me: Yeah, I don't really remember much about that night. Lucey... Lucey: You need to start taking better care of yourself before you end up dead. Me: I won't have to worry about that much longer... You remember the plan right? Lucey... Lucey: Yeah I remember when are you going to do it? Me: After I earn Chloe's trust. Lucey... Lucey: Oh, right your bride to be or whatever. Me: I can't wait to finally see her, you think she will still like me when she actually sees me? Lucey... Lucey: Of course she will, Lucey... Lucey: Anyway I gtg to bed for school tomorrow, are you coming? Me: I think I'm going to stay home for a while. Lucey... Lucey: Alright well goodnight. Me: Night. I put my phone on the charger on my bedside table and stared up into the dark silence. Years ago when I found out Chloe was actually there in my head I promised we would run away one day. I doubt she remembers any of that now but I haven't forgotten it once. I promised to protect her and that we would be friends forever, after I turned thirteen I began liking her more than a friend, and when I turned fifteen, my mother told me that we were meant to be together and that was her purpose here. She's been down there by herself for years, and now that we are both eighteen we can finally meet each other. Although I know my father's plans, he wants us married as fast as we can so he can pass down the one thing I don't want... The gang, I'm the gang leader's son, so naturally I'm supposed to take over, and from there my son. I don't want that for my family. No, I will not let my family have a life full of agony, and that's the end of that.