On The Run

Chapter Fifteen

I feel the blood through my fingers, there's a lot of it.

I'm crying on the floor silently as Ty bangs on the door.

"Iz? Iz! Open the door!" but I can't. I don't have the strength to drag myself to the door. It's not so much my bleeding hand as my sudden defeat. I'm emotionally broken.

It doesn't matter. After telling me that he's coming in, he breaks down the door.
"No key?" I ask sarcastically.
"What the hell Iz!" He's staring at the blood on the floor around me.
"It's not as bad as it looks." I mumble. I don't want to get scolded right now.

"Come here." He says as he lifts me off the floor.
Walking toward the couch he flops me down. He's mad, but I don't care.

He comes back with the first aid kit. He starts wrapping my right hand slowly, watching to see if I'm in any pain. But I'm not reacting. I'm just kind of... Blank. It feels better than the guilt.

"Better?" He asks wrapping it a final time.
"Sure." I say without emotion.

"Iz, I need you to talk to me." Ty says.
"I don't wanna talk." I answer.
"You know, the broken down Iz is a lot less scary than emotionless Iz." He tells me. And I know it's true. I let a wave of disappointment roll over me.

"I know." I whisper. "But I don't really wanna talk about..." I clear my throat trying not to relive the incident, "that right now." I say, and I can literally see the relief flood over Ty's eyes.

"Your back." He says.
"Hey." I answer. And he smiles.

"So I know it's a little unorthodox, but, my brothers birthday was a few days ago, and I really wanna talk to him." I say. And Ty loses his smile.

"Iz, I know your shaken up, but it's just too dangerous." He says.

"I know, but you have to call them somehow when you negotiate on my ransom... So it's not like you haven't done it before." I just need to talk to him.
He looks hesitant, and that's all I need to pounce.
"I won't say anything that would get you... Or I... In trouble." I promise.

He still isn't completely convinced so I use my puppy face.
"Please?" I ask.

"Um..." He seems at war with himself. But I think I convinced him.

"I guess." He says and I wanna jump up and scream of happiness.

Man it's amazing how my brother can completely change my day. But I have made a promise to myself. I won't beat myself up over the cop... Because I did what I had to in order to save Ty.

I'm only aloud to dwell on the topic on the day it happened each year. I can't handle the stress. What else am I supposed to do? I mean, I already beat myself up over it... Literally.

Ty is getting a ton of things ready for the call. I don't understand why he's being so cautious. But I understand that I am putting him way out of his comfort zone so I bite my tongue to keep quiet.

After about a half hour he goes to the fridge, takes a water bottle, and has a drink. Man he must be really nervous, but I need to talk to Nick. He's the only thing I miss about home. Well, that and  my bed. This trailer bed is not that comfortable.

He sits down next to me and starts explaining all of the fancy tech stuff on the phone. The thing at the bottom looks like a black box is a voice synthesizer. He told me once he has gotten off the phone he will take it off so they can here my voice properly, and it makes me feel much better. He explains the extra long antenna sticking out of the big blocky phone will block the trackers. They won't know where we are. That's good too.

Once he double checks that I understand all of the mechanism, he dials the number.

Using the voice synthesizer, he talks to what sounds like my mom on the other end of the line. I'm so mad at her I don't even want to listen to her. I just wait for him to get my brother on the phone.

He hands the phone to me.
"Iz?" He sounds so tired, and worried.
"Hi, Nick." I'm not scared, but I know I need it to sound believable or they are going to sound suspicious.
"What happened? I called that night, and you sounded fine, and I assumed you'd be ok!" He's rambling. He thinks it's his fault. It's not. And I want him to know. But I can't just say I'm happy.

"I know, it's okay, Nick." I say trying to make him calm again.
"Mom and dad won't pay Iz. I don't know what to do. They think they have the best detectives around, but they aren't making any progress." He's so upset.

"I know. I'd be home by now if they paid. Just try, try to make them understand this guy only wants his money and he will let me go." I say.

"I'm supposed to be your older brother... I should have been there, and I should have protected you. You have been gone for two weeks, so trust me when I say, I will make mom and dad pay the ransom, and I will get you home." He says, and I know he's crying... I can hear the breaking in his voice, and his sniffles on the other side of the line. He has never cried in front of me before. Not even when he broke his arm sliding off a golf cart on my birthday.

This phone call makes me feel so close to him, like I'm home now, talking to my brother face to face. But I'm not. I'm hundreds, maybe more, miles away from him, so there is nothing I can do to stop his tears.

"Nick." I say desperate, I have never heard him like this before... It's heart breaking.
"Yeah Iz?" He asks quietly.
"Happy birthday..." I wanted to change the subject. He chuckles but there's no humor in it.

"Only you Iz, only you could make something about you turn into something about me. You hate attention. Don't you?" He asks, I love him so much.
"A thank you would have sufficed." I say with a little humor in my voice, not too much to sound unlikely in my situation.

"Well, honestly, it was the worst birthday I have ever had because you weren't there shoving my head in the cake." He said, and I can't help it. A tear runs down my face.

"I love you Nick..." I say.
"I love you too. And your coming home soon, okay Iz?" And it's not a question, it's a promise.

"Can't wait." I answer, and it's true.
The phone is taken from my hands, Ty puts the synthesizer back on, and makes one more demand for the money before hanging up.

"This is why I didn't want to do this, Iz." Ty tells me.
"What?" I ask, trying to hide my sadness.
"Your crying, I know you miss Nick, but I need the money." He answers.

"I know, for your sister, I know." I reassure him. But I am not convincing myself, I need to go home.

"Your changing your mind aren't you?" He asks.
Yes.
"No."
"Your a bad liar, Iz." He's getting mad. I can't help it if I'm home sick! He can't get angry at me! So many things have happened to me these last two weeks and he's mad that I'm second guessing my part in this?

I didn't chose this, I was held at gun point, told to listen to him! It's not fair.
I think I have been more than helpful to him. On multiple occasions.

I get up, and walk out, slamming the trailer door behind me. I don't plan to leave, and get Ty in trouble, I just need some space from this whole mess.

Who am I kidding, I'm still upset with the shooting... I needed to talk to Nick to know I'm still loved while they don't know. At least some where, I can be the Isabel I used to be. The happy care free one. The one who's only problem was listening to annoying parents fight. I want that right now.

Sure, I love Ty, but my life has not changed for the better since I met him. I don't even know why I fell in love with him! It's like I'm completely insane!

It's getting dark and I honestly do not know where I am. I'm lost, and for some reason, cold, and I'm just broken.

I sit down at a tree and snuggle up against it as I let my sobs take over. This is too much. I'm not strong, I'm falling apart.

Is my love for Ty even worth it? I can hear him calling my name. I know he's scared that I'm going to run away to the police, but I don't want to get up. I don't want to go back and I don't want to make him feel better. Not right now anyway.

I need this, I need to be alone.
So I drift off to sleep, allowing my anger, frustration and sadness take over as I close my eyes.