While we drive, with nothing out my window to distract me other than the shadows, my mind drifts once again, trying to piece everything together. Many questions arise, but I'm unable to any of fit them with answers, and I doubt I ever will.
It seemed like they trying to get rid of Misty's toys and things before they searched for her, but was there another reason for leaving her after she ran?
I wonder where Misty hid before we arrived. Would they have found her quickly?
How did she get away? Chris wouldn't have let her run, so she must have done something sneaky or brave.
What was her plan? Did she have one? Was her hope and optimism still shining bright, or was she expecting death and failure?
I know I will never get answers to some of these questions. Misty could answer a few but I can't ask her. I don't want to bring up this day to her ever. If she wants to talk, I will, but I can't force her to relive the worst day of her life. I won't.
A bump it the road knocks Misty's head down to my lap. With a deep sigh, she lifts her legs up onto the seat and Wyatt allows her to place her bare feet in his lap.
She stirs a couple times during the drive but by the time Axel pulls into Jonah's driveway, she's been in a deep, restful sleep for a while.
As slow as I can go, I move her off me, get out of the car. I worry about waking her, unsure as to how light of a sleeper she is, but she proves to be a very heavy sleeper when Jonah gets out of the car and without thinking, he slams the door shut. He receives a chorus of shushes and he quickly apologises but she stays sleeping, only moving to roll onto her back.
I lift her out of the car and carry her into the house, the pathway illuminated by the yellow lights streaming out the windows.
Cursing under his breath, Jonah tells us he rushed out without his house keys, and walks back to retrieve the spare key hidden under a rock in their garden. I follow Axel and Wyatt inside and Jonah waits to close the door behind me.
From the entryway, I step into the lounge-room to discover the remains of the interrupted hangout that I never made it to.
All kinds of junk food sits on the glass coffee table, some in white plastic bowls. Sour gummy worms. A purple can of Pringles. A box of Oreos. A small bowl of either skittles or M&Ms, I'm assuming skittles. Doritos, chocolate, sherbet sticks, gummy bears. Coca-cola, Sprite, Fanta. The empty packets thrown on the floor.
The TV screen shows a video game with the player's character on the floor in an awkward pose, and the words "You're Dead" written over top of it. The cordless controller lies upside down on the floor in front of the couch.
Wyatt walks over and switches the TV off. Axel starts to clean the food off of the long couch. Jonah gestures me to follow him, and he leads me through the house to the spare bedroom where I lay Misty down on top of the covers.
Before Jonah walks out, I ask, "Do you have a spare shirt I can put on her."
"Yeah," he says and walks out, returning moments later with two, letting me know I can wear the other if I want.
He walks back to help the other two clean up while I struggle to take Misty's dress off without waking her, throwing it on the floor, and battle to put Jonah's blue shirt on her. I then pull the covers out from under her, lay them over her, and place my beanie back in her hold.
YOU ARE READING
Her Only Hero
Mystery / ThrillerA teenage bad boy, with a hatred for his family, has to chase a stranger all over town to find and save his little sister who has been kidnapped. *** When Dorian leaves one morning despite his mother's orders, it's just another simple act of rebelli...
