The bus ride to Oregon was long and boring. I learned to write with my left hand a little bit. It looked like a toddlers handwriting. Zak gave me a shortened version on how he met my "parents" and a little background on my family.
"So basically, I was looking around for any missing kids your age, and you're like what? Fifteen? So I came across your picture online with a phone number. I called and your mom answered. I explained how I found you and that you were going to be coming home in about a week. She was just so happy to hear that, she started crying." Zak says
He pulls out a printed picture of my 'mother'. She looks nothing like my actual mom. This woman is just a round face with a lot of makeup on.. My mom had sharp features, she was beautiful. She looked like a character from a movie. I remember because I see her face every night in my sleep.
I nod along to Zak's rambling and start to scribble on the practice page he gave me. He had written out the alphabet in big letters. I slowly started writing out the letter N, followed by O, and then T.
N O T M Y P A R E N T S
I don't have the time to show him the note as the bus stops and someone yells that we have pulled into my house.
"Are you excited?" he asks with a big grin.
I shrug. Not really, I don't know why he could just hand me over like that to complete strangers. I drop the pencil and crumple the paper in my fist. Zak helps me into the wheelchair. He covers my legs with a blanket he bought me on one of our rest stops. It's a thick blanket with a forest scene on it. He also bought me a sweater. He enlists the help of Aaron to get my chair out of the bus and onto the sidewalk. I clutch the paper in my hand. I need to give this to him. He needs to see it.
The woman in the picture Zak showed me comes running out of the house. She's crying and calling to her husband. I don't know these people. The area is gated and there is a large gate in front of the property. She tries several times to get the gate open. I try to hand Zak the page before she can reach me.
He pushes my hand away and pushes me through the now open gate. I look to Aaron. He's going back into the bus of grab all of my medications. I start to worry. What if they leave me here with these strangers? The woman runs back into the house still calling for her husband.
"Let me go get him! I'll be right back!" She calls.
I see a man standing in the front window or the house. I know his face immediately.
He tried to murder me.
I tug on Zak's sleeve as the woman walks right up to the man in the window. He finally acknowledges me and I hold out the paper. He opens it out and reads it.
"Wait a minute..... Serious?" he asks looking at my fear stricken face. Jut then all of the other members of his friend group come out of the bus.
I nod and whimper. I tug on his sleeve as I see the man coming towards us.
"Okay, okay. I'm thinking! Um... Jay!" Zak says
Jay comes up to us and looks between me and the 'family'.
"What's up?" Jay asks
"Get her out of here. These aren't her parents. I messed up. I messed up bad. I might have sent her back with her.."
"Sadie!" the man calls
"Fuck." Zak says
Zak shoves the note into Jays hands and moves to stand in front of me.
"Hello sir. My name is -"
"I don't care. I want to see my daughter." The man says
"I would like to ask you a few questions first. Ma'am, what's her name?" Zak asks
"Why would you ask that? Like I don't even know what her name is. It's.... Sybil." the woman says
"Your husband just said it was Sadie." Zak says
Jay pulls my wheelchair further away from the two.
"Sadie Sybil Rose. We call her both." The man says
"I don't think so. If that were really her name, she would have looked at you when you called her. Who are you?" Zak demands.
The wheelchair spins around suddenly and I'm pushed back towards the bus. Everyone starts yelling all at once and I see the gate starting to close. Jay calls for someone inside the bus and shoves me onto the sidewalk. I hit the grass and tumble out of the chair. I see him holding the gate open for Zak and Aaron. Someone grabs me by the underarms and lifts me off the ground. He smells of cologne and cotton detergent.
"It's okay. I got you. You're safe now." he says as he takes me into the bus.
He rushes to the back of the bus and sets me on the couch in the second larger living area. He runs back to the front and comes back with both the blanket and the chair. The others follow close behind him. The bus roars to life and speeds off suddenly.
"Someone check her! Where is she?! Dakota! Is she okay!" Someone yells.
"She's fine! I think she's just in a bit of shock!" Says the man in front of me.
I just sit on the couch wide-eyed. I'm trying to process everything that just happened. I hear loud pounding footsteps coming towards the back of the bus. I flinch at every single loud thump.
"Dakota, get outta here." I hear Zak say.
The other man leaves. Zak follows him to the doorway and closes a door I didn't even know was there. He sighs and walks over to me with a cellphone. It's one of the fancy ones I saw on the television.
"You are going to tell me how you knew those weren't your parents and why you didn't tell me sooner. Take your time." He says softly.
I take the phone from his hand and slowly start typing out what I knew.
'I remembered what my real mom looked like. The picture you showed me wasn't her. I didn't know how to tell you.'
I hand him the phone back and watch as Zak reads it. He runs a hand over his face and sighs. He stays like this for a moment and just as I'm about to zone out and forget what's happening, Zak throws his arms around me. He starts crying softly. I tense, hesitate, and gently try to comfort him with a pat on his back.
"I am so sorry. I am so.. so sorry. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you again."
He pulls back from the hug, but keeps his hands on my shoulders.
"I promise, I will never let anything like this happen to you again. I will find a way to protect you. I will keep you safe." He says
'I will keep you safe'
Those were the words that made me cry. They were silent tears. I start hiccupping. I let out little choked whimpers that make it sound like I'm dying. Zak hugs me again and rubs circles into my back.
I manage to pull myself together and stop crying. I wipe away the snot and tears from my face. He made a promise to keep me safe. The real question now is if he'll keep it and if I should have trusted him so easily.
YOU ARE READING
Just have Faith {EDITED}
Fanfiction{DISCONTINUED} She was found on the side of the road near the woods, half naked, bleeding, and mute. She can't seem to remember anything about her past, but even if she did, she doesn't have the means to explain herself. With these sudden turn of ev...
