MINE

Chapter 14

A week has gone by. I haven't left the room for anything other than food. My brain couldn't process the news that Cole gave to me the night that Sara ran away.

He was understanding of how I felt. He didn't push anything, he didn't yell, he was patient. In a way I think he was thankful that I didn't go with her. Cole was everything that I thought he couldn't be. A nice guy.

Sara came to me in my sleep. She told me to continue with my plan. Take advantage of this situation. My mind was fuzzy after waking up, but she was right. I couldn't let her death be in vain.

I pictured her one last time. She was scared, but excited to try and get out of this house. She wanted to help the other girls. Jenny is the reason Sara is dead. She just had to call Zac and let him know about it. Sara ran without me. She didn't have anything to keep her warm in the middle of a snow storm.

Zac said they found her body on one of their runs to the city to get food. She was frozen to the ground, claw marks across her face. They didn't know what killed her. The cold - or the animal that mauled her face.

I remember dropping my head at the news but not crying. I kept my cool until I slept that night. I wept into my pillow until it was soaked and eventually passed out. Cole stayed awake that night. After he thought I had fallen asleep he put his hand on my shoulder and confessed to being sorry.

Sorry for what, I thought? There was so much to be sorry for. His voice sounded broken. I could tell he wasn't apologizing just to do it. There was something wrong with him. Seriously wrong with him.

Putting aside the whole kidnapper thing, I think Cole could be a good person. He just needs the right person to show him how to be one.

I wasn't going to let Sara die and not avenge her. All she wanted was to get out of here. So that's what I was going to do for her. I am leaving. I will stop being such a coward. I will get Cole on my side and when he thinks I can be trusted I'll run. I'll get out of here and let the world know what happened to Sara. She will not die here, her spirit will live on outside of these woods. I just needed to get out of here and let everyone know. Seemed easy enough, right?

Doubt filled my mind this past week. But it's been long enough. I let myself grieve. Cole had showed his soft side more than once at this point. I broke rules and he didn't seem to care, as long as it wasn't in front of someone else.

We didn't speak to each other. Once in a while he would ask a question but instead of answering I would just leave the room. That is until tonight.

After dinner Cole and I came back to the? our? room.

"Emily.." Cole slowly breathed out.

I stopped walking to the bed and turned around, looking calmly into his eyes."I know you're upset..." He started.

"Upset?!" I snapped.

I haven't spoken in a week and he thinks I'm just "upset". I knew not to be too harsh as that probably wouldn't help trying to get on his good side. I just can't help what comes out of my mouth sometimes.

Cole didn't respond.

" Yes. I am." I bit my tongue.

"I've waited as long as I could but I need to tell you this now."

"Tell me what?" I asked gazing deeper into his eyes. He seemed scared to tell me. Almost like he was treading lightly. More bad news? What was it?

"Zac found out that you were apart of it." He bluntly said.

"Apart of?"

"He knows you were going to run away with Sara."

"What? Who told him?!" I stepped closer to Cole.