Taken

Chapter 22

I can't help but feel a hole in my heart when Drake said we might not see each other again. I know that I have only known him for a week and a half, but he and Skylar are the only people I can trust here. These friendships are stronger while formed in a bad situation, and hopefully I can see both of them again after this mess.

"Don't be sad," Drake sooths me, "Let's focus on today, and then focus on tomorrow when it comes."

I sqeak out an almost unaudible thank you, but I think he understood what I said.

We go through each of the rooms, most of them had guards relaxing in their beds or doing whatever, so both Drake and I remained silent until we collected all of them and stood by the entry way alone together.

"Hang on, I have to let Calvin know. You should probably just stay here," Drake suggests me in a hushed manner.

He knocks on Calvin's door and I can hear a muffled "Hello" from inside.

"It's Drake," he opens the door and Drake walks in. I stand around the corner by the front door, out of view.

"I need to take Kendal to the dumster so she can take out the trash," Drake states.

"Go ahead."

Drake closes the door and flips through they keys in his keychain until he finds the gold house key that I saw the first time I walked in this building. He singles it out and unlocks the front door, which squeaks until we open it all the way. I hug the trash against myself since my arms got tired trying to hold it up, and we walk outside into the fresh air and the slight breeze. Drake closes the door and relocks it behind us, but I can't help but stand there and inhale the world around me. The tall trees call for me to go climb them, and the lake for me to run in and swim, but my feet stay put. I can't. I must be patient.

"You okay there?" Drake places his hand on my shoulder. It lands just above the cuts on my back, but the area around is sensitive and I wince in response.

To keep him from talking about me getting whipped, I turn towards him and his arm drops, "Yeah, just taking in the nature," I state. He opens his mouth to say something else, but I start walking to the left where the dumpster hugs the side of the house. He silently follows me.

My ears tune into the satisfying crunching sounds the forest floor makes, and how the birds sing love songs to each other in the tops of the trees where the branches sway in the wind. I miss camping. My father and I went all the time, but when he left I never went camping with my mom or anyone else. I wish I did, I miss being completely lost in nature.

We arrive at the puke green dumster. I set my bag of trash down to lift the black metal lid, but it pulls the muscles on my back and brings tears to my eyes. I manage to get it about four inches up, but drop it with an exhausted sigh.

Drake realises my struggles and easily opens it for me, "Thanks. I guess it has already been a tough week. I never been a fan of general sports, but I did use to rock climb," I start chattering, hopefully bring attention away from the fact I can barely open a dumpster.

Drake's brows knit together, and he easily sees through my way of distraction, "Can I see it?"

I swallow, looking around as if Calvin would be peering at us at any moment, but then I sigh in defeat even though I didn't fight it, "It is wrapped in bandages, be careful unwrapping them please."

"Of course," he says softly. I examine his lightly redding eyes. I know I didn't scream until the last lash, but I think he still cried while I was getting punished.

I turn around and cross my arms to pull up my shirt gently, still covering my chest. It hurts too much to wear a bra, so the bandages have been helping. I can feel Drake grab the small strip that is the end and slowly peeling it off. It unwraps from the top down, so I grab the strand to unwrap it when it comes to my breasts to help stay as modest as possible.