Drifting through the world

Chapter 14-Escape Plan

Adrian

We were thrust into a black van separate from Hazel I didn't know where they were taking her but I knew for a fact that there was no way they would hold up on their end of the deal. There was no way they would let me go after trying to catch me off guard all these years.

Frayed rope tied my hands together, it rubbed against my wrists with every movement making the skin beneath red and raw.

Ethan was the same but I didn't even want to look at him. I wondered what would have happened if Hazel had just gone with him. Would he have just turned her in or was he being genuine when he said I deserved everything that was coming to me but not her?

"Adrian..." a cracked whisper floated from his mouth and I just couldn't look at him so I kept my head hunched low. I guess I had no right to feel betrayed. I had hurt him a lot more used him as though he was merely an object at my discretion. I wouldn't have been surprised if Ethan lured me to them but Hazel?

It was hard to rationalise but he had a daughter that I never knew about. He's only 19 and he was already a father I don't know how I would feel if I had a daughter abducted and ripped away from me. I couldn't even begin to understand that amount of strain that would be on someone so young.

It hadn't really dawned on me at the moment everything had happened too quickly.

But Ethan had a daughter to protect he would do anything for her even if it meant betraying someone he had once cared about. Maybe he still did care about Hazel.

"Adrian I-I didn't mean to get involved in all this under any other circumstance I would never betray Hazel but those monsters took my daughter. Oh God, what is Allison going to say if she ever finds out." He buried his face in his knees doing everything possible to choke back a sob.

I lift my head up sympathy and guilt seeming to overwhelm me there was no way I could blame him.

"Ethan...you did what you had to do."

He finally raised his head enough so I was met with his solemn but shocked expression. His face looked so ashen and distraught like he couldn't really believe the events that had occurred. He shook his head unable to comprehend the words I had told him, "No I didn't there was so much more I could've done. I should've protected Amelia more I'm her father and I couldn't even protect her. I shouldn't have betrayed Hazel when she was nothing but kind to me. There has to be some other way this could've played out," his eyes were glazed with tears threatening to fall. He sucked in a frustrated breath, "I'm a failure. A failure as a father, a failure at a friend, a failure at everything, I-"

"Stop," I cut him off, more guilt began to grow inside me as I thought of every instance I had felt exactly like Ethan. Like I was a failure at everything and that there was nothing I could do to change the malicious person I became. That wasn't true there's always a way to right the wrongs you've made and though I may not have done that fully yet I knew that Ethan deserved a chance to make things better. Despite the anger that I had towards Ethan, there was no way that I could allow him to blame himself like he was, it wasn't just his fault it was mine too.

"I am just as much at fault. I'm the one who got Hazel involved in all of this in the first place. Without all my past mistakes none of this would've happened you would've have been forced into this either and I'm truly sorry for that Ethan I'm sorry for all the grief I have put you through and I know that my apology means nothing at the moment but it's the only thing I can give. But I will make sure that we will find you're daughter and Hazel and will end this,"

"How?" he croaked the tears now trailing down his face freely. The truth was that I had no idea all that I knew was that things had gone far enough.