The Winter makes Monsters- Edge of Winter

Tears

08.01.2017 9:13 am

Lacey awoke when the sun was already up. Caleb was no longer in bed and the sun was shining outside. When she tried to sit up, she suddenly felt something that stopped her. It took her a moment to realize that it was Bradley's arm, which held her tight. She could feel his breath in her neck, gently not waking him, she slowly pushed his arm away and stood up. Bradley continued to sleep without notice anything. Lacey look at him for a second. It was strange how close she had got to Bradley in the past two days without really knowing him. She had just blindly trusted him a few times and he hadn't let her down. It had taken Zack much longer to let him get so close. Zack had been much more confident and had taken a lot of things for granted. Bradley was much more reserved and thoughtful.

And yet she trusted him more than she did Zack after four weeks. She pulled the blanket over him and then slipped quietly into her shoes and jacket. Outside she found Caleb, who was talking to Richard.

"Hey, "she greeted them.

Richard nodded to her and Caleb looked at her.

"Did you see Dad? "he asked.

"No, I just got up. Isn't he here? "

"I don't know, he's not in the house."

Lacey knitted her eyebrows. Elliot wouldn't leave them alone, at least not after last night. Maybe he was just looking for something to eat.

"He's probably gonna be back soon. Go inside and see if the fire is still burning," she said to Caleb.

He nodded and Lacey turned to Richard.

"Are you checking on the truck now? "she asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah, we're trying to get him out of the snow."

"Okay, so ... When you drive back, can you take me with you to the next town? "

Lacey was well aware that it was a pretty big risk to ask that, since she didn't know Richard or Luke. However, Elliot's was scaring her more and more, and she was afraid that Elliot might never let her go, out of fear she might tell someone that he didn't want to give up his children.

"I don't think your dad would agree," Richard said cautiously.

"He's not my dad," she said.

"So you're his stepdaughter or the girlfriend of the older one? "

Surprised, Lacey raised her eyebrows. Why would he think that Bradley and her were a couple?

„No, I'm ... nobody. My mom's really worried about me, so could you give me a lift? Just to the next town? "

Richard hesitated before nodding.

"Tell me, the father of the boys... is he doing something to you? Or is he holding you here? "

"No, he ... He is not hurting us."

The "holding" thing wasn't really absurd, but it wasn't like Elliot had become violent towards them or taken them hostage, even though his behavior had become more and more frightening. Besides, she didn't know Richard well enough to tell him the whole story.

"When we get the truck out, I'll talk to Luke, and we'll take you with us."

"But one more thing: When we're leaving, it's ... "

"Yes? "

"Elliot doesn't have to know, he's ... He's going through a lot right now," Lacey explained.

Richard looked at her blankly for a moment before he nodded.

"Okay. "

Lacey smiled briefly before turning to the house.