Chapter Fourteen

It's been hours. I've just been sitting here. Slowly through the broken windows, I watched as the sun went down, casting the room in darkness. I don't even know what time it is anymore. If I had to guess, maybe 10? The birds stopped chirping while ago, making the only sound coming from the crickets outside and the rumbling of my stomach. I don't know when the last time I ate was. 

Just then, I finally hear Jeff outside of the cabin. I hear the leaves and twigs cracking underneath his feet. He wants me to hear him. If he didn't, I wouldn't. He jumps in through the broken window, covering the light of the moon that was flooding into the room. His face is serious.

"It's time." He says as he leans down and unlocks my ankle cuff. "I've checked out a few houses here. We will start here and make our way to Lynnwood. There is an abandoned barn south of there, that's where we will stay until you've snapped." Jeff says, pulling me off the ground by the shoulder of the shirt. His eyes remain serious. I realize now that I'm still in my pajamas. It's cold.

"Lynnwood? Isn't that almost like 20 miles?" I ask. 

"16 to be exact."

"And we are walking? I'm still in pajamas! I have no shoes." I complain. Really this should be the least of my worries.  He smirks. 

"Already on it, princess." He says sarcastically. I cringe. "There is a Kmart on the way. I can't go in with you, so make it quick. And if you so much as dare to speak a word of me or try to run, just know I will gut you like a pig before you even get 2 inches out of that store." He whispers close to my face. His breath smells metallic.  It makes my stomach turn and i nod quickly. He quickly hoists me up over his shoulder. I start pounding on his back to get free. 

"What in the hell!!!" 

"These woods are full of pine needles and shit that will completely cut up your bare feet. I hate this as much as you do. As much as I would love to watch your feet get all cut up, It would slow us down and I also don't need you hurt right now. We have better things to be doing. I'll let you down when we get to the main road by the store." He says in a bored tone. 

We walk for about 20 minutes. Well, he walks and I'm carried. I don't know how he hasn't gotten tired yet. Just then I hear cars and see big, red illuminating lights. Kmart. At the edge of the road, he puts me down at last and throws $10 in my face. 

"That's all you get. Make it work. And don't keep me waiting." He says glaring at me as I start to walk towards the store. I nod. 

As I walk in, it's then that I realize how bad I truly look. Hair all ratty, no shoes, dirty, muddy pajamas. Even a few blood stains on my shorts. I need to hurry. People are staring. 

I immediately go to clearance. All I can think about is just how easy it would be to run, but then again maybe now. I know he's watching. I pull a pastel pink hoodie off the rack. It's a little big but it will do. Next, I see some skinny jeans on a shelf. My size. Lastly, I just grab the first pair of shoes in my size I see. They are slides but that will do. Then I see a pair of socks. They are Frozen kid socks but whatever. 

I hurry up to the register and the lady looks at me strangely. She gives me a once over to which I smile shyly. I'm already so uncomfortable but she makes it worse. She finally starts ringing up my items. 

"$11.25 please." She says. My heart drops. I pull out the ten-dollar bill and stare at it. Reaching for the socks to ask her to put them back, she sets a hand on mine gently. "Are you okay...?" She asks quietly. I look up into her eyes and i can feel the heat coming to my face. "Do you need me to call the police?" She finally asks. I hesitate. 

That's when I feel a hand on my lower back. The lady's face turns to look at the person next to me. I look up. 

"Oh, honey. You're off a little bit. Here, I have some extra cash for you."

It's Jeff. But not his normal self. He looks like he did at school. Like a normal person, no slit cheeks and wide eyes. Though, the corners of his lips are darker than the rest. He looks down at me and smiles warmly, but I can see the hatred in his eyes. 

"I was waiting in the car and was wondering what was taking you so long. Good thing I found you. Haha," He says to me, a fake laugh. He grabs the 10 from my hands and gives it to the cashier with the extra cash he brought. He smiles at her. "Keep the change"

She takes the cash slowly, looking at me, to which I smile back shyly.  I know she isn't convinced. I feel Jeff getting impatient by my side. "We don't need a receipt," Jeff says between his teeth. The cashier nods slowly and starts bagging my things. I can feel jeff grabbing at my shirt tightly on my back, ready to pull me out. 

Just as the cashier finally bags my things and is handing us the bag, the TV behind us starts playing the latest new. I hear my name. Jeff slowly turns around, I look at the cashier, and I know she sees it. My face is on that Tv behind me. Her eyes go wide and she looks down at me and gasps. I smile, knowing everything is going south. 

"AW FOR FUCK SAKE," Jeff shouts as he grabs the bag from the cashier. She is already on the phone calling the police. Jeff gives me the bag and swings me over his shoulder. "YOU HAD ONE JOB MISTY," he yells at me as he runs out of the store. 

We can hear sirens already coming from somewhere, though it doesn't matter. Jeff is already running at full speed with me on his shoulder back towards the woods, though now going in the direction of Lynnwood.