Run (12 page)

That certainly didn’t make me feel any better.

“Guns,” Mason said.

“That’s my specialty,” he said rifling through the bag. He pulled out a long black case, brandishing a large knife. I swear it was sharp enough to kill a bear with one swipe. “And knives.”

“I don’t know what she’s looking for and I don’t have any money.” Mason backed up.

I looked around the room knowing the only way we were leaving was if we could get past the man blocking the door. “That makes sense seeing your mom told us to forget it,” the man at the door said. He stepped forward, eyeing the two of us.

“Yeah, she told us you were a piece of work. Mom knows best right? She assumed you’d still show up though,” the grizzly man said.

Mason shrugged.

I looked around the room for anything I might grab to defend myself in case things turned ugly.

“We can leave,” Mason proposed as he took my hand. “Come on, Kendall.”

I stayed where I was. That was a stupid assumption on Mason’s part because we weren’t going anywhere.

“No, I don’t think so, Mason,” the handsome one said. He touched my hair letting it slip through his fingers. He seemed amused with our dilemma.

“Look, Kendall has nothing to do with my mom and me,” Mason said.

Judging by the look on their faces neither one of them cared.

“Your mom seems to think you need to be taught a lesson. And that’s another one of my specialties,” the grizzly man said as he came around the desk.

I couldn’t contain my fear any longer. As he came around the desk holding that knife, I screamed. Payton was insane and I knew we were doomed. You didn’t want to be on Payton’s bad side. I had known for weeks that Mason had stepped on Payton’s toes one too many times. Payton wanted Mason to pay for going against her.

“Don’t worry, none of these are loaded,” the grizzly man said.

“These two are though,” the other guy said, lifting his shirt. Two guns were nestled in the waist of his pants.

“Come on, sweetie,” the handsome one said, grabbing me by the elbow.

Mason jumped in front of me to stop him from taking me out of the trailer. He pushed Mason back and reminded him who was in charge by lifting his shirt again to reveal the loaded guns. Mason didn’t back off.

“Mason, please stop,” I said. I knew he regretted forcing me to go along with his plan. I felt bad for him.

“I’m sorry, Kendall,” he said. I followed the man out of the trailer, looking back at Mason once as I left.

“You can call me Mark,” he said, pulling me down the rickety stairs. His hand remained gripped on my arm.

“Kendall,” I said. I kept my eyes glued to the ground. I could hear the grizzly man’s voice coming from the trailer. I wondered what they were going to do to Mason. Were they crazy enough to kill him?

I began to cry at Mason’s unknown fate. Tears slid down my face. It wasn’t a surprise really; I’d known for some time we’d eventually be facing something like this. I just wasn’t ready to face it yet…not now.

“Why are you crying?” Mark asked.

“Mason, doesn’t deserve this, sir.” I wouldn’t look at him.

“Whoa now, no need to call me sir. I’m thirty-seven, not fifty.”  He unlocked the door to a small garage. Inside were several cars and a bunch of boxes. Tools lined the pegboard on the walls giving me several choices for a weapon in case I needed to defend myself. 

“Ahh, Sam’s a big teddy bear,” he said dismissively. “He’s just doing a favor for an old pal. It’s not often the women line up for him,” he said, a big grin spreading across his face as he stared at me. He shut the door and leaned against it.

“Mason doesn’t deserve this,” I said again. I wondered if we were going to make it out of here alive.

“Seems not everyone agrees with your opinion.” He crossed his arms. “You guys run around with that crazy broad?”

I nodded.

“She’s a looker, but she’s nuts.”

I wondered how Payton knew these people.

“Are you going to kill us?” I asked finally. I watched him closely. His arm stayed crossed, his posture relaxed.

“I’m just the doorman,” he offered.

I knew he was full of crap. Men like this were capable of anything and would kill in a heartbeat and not blink an eye.

“What are you…about eighteen?” he asked. I nodded even though it wasn’t true—didn’t matter.

“Kids your age make a lot of mistakes. Probably like the one you made today.” He came closer, his eyes an intent stare. I wondered what he was thinking about doing with me.

“I like to think I’m not so naïve,” I said, my voice so low I could barely hear myself. He pulled the gun from his waist, running it along my cheek and back down to my lips. I blinked back the tears at his sick game.

He finally stopped the gun at my temple, my pulse beating against the pressure of the cold metal.

“Do you think you’re a good person, Kendall?”

“No, not at all,” I said, swallowing down the misery of my honest answer.

“Really?” he asked, one eyebrow lifted in confusion. “Are you afraid to die?”

I wanted to spit in his face for his cruelty. Why didn’t he just pull the trigger and end it already. A part of me, however, silently begged that he wouldn’t shoot me.

“No, I’m not afraid to die,” I admitted. I closed my eyes and the tears fell quickly. “I’m not afraid of much in life. I’ve seen too much to be scared.”

He let out a sigh. I opened my eyes. He pulled the gun away from me.

He turned his back to me and moved to the door. I took the opportunity to pull a dumbbell out of a box behind me. I quickly hid it behind me. Fortunately, he was none the wiser.

“Well, Kendall, we’ve got two options,” he said, looking around the garage.

I nodded, my heart pounding erratically in my chest as he came closer. I increased the pressure on the dumbbell, squeezing it tighter so it wouldn’t fall to the ground.

I no longer heard anything he was saying. The adrenaline in my body took over and I remained focused on his head—my intended target.

I took a deep breath and swung before I had time to change my mind. I connected with the side of his head before dropping the barbell.

His face contorted in pain quickly followed by anger.

While he was somewhat dazed, I took that opportunity to rush out the door.

My heart hammered in my chest and air filled my lungs as I tried to pick up speed.

“You didn’t even get to hear my options,” he yelled. He picked up speed and was quickly gaining on me. I ran toward the trailer then came to a dead stop. Did I dare barge in there with all the guns I’d seen. I’d be dead as soon as I hit the door.

I was frantic when the memory of the two guns Mark had flashed my way. I turned in a circle, not knowing what to do next. Dust swirled at my feet.

“Mason!” I screamed. I hoped he was all right and wondered if he could hear me calling for him.

I pushed forward in a run. It felt like I stepped on every rock or nail in my path. My body froze as a single gunshot rang out. My shoulders drew up in defense mode and I dove to the ground behind a big heap of metal. My lungs burned from breathing so hard.

I’d been in a lot of bad situations in my life, but I’d never been where someone was actually trying to kill me. Payton and Wanda had gone off the deep end and needed to be stopped. If Aunt Wanda hadn’t been in agreement with this plan, she would have stopped me from leaving in the first place.

Now I sat behind the pile of metal wondering if Mason and I would get out of this mess alive. Or were we really the sitting ducks he’d spoken of.

“Peekaboo!” Mark yelled, jumping out of nowhere. I jumped up and kicked him in the shin, then tore across the junkyard like lightning, fear gripping at my heels as I tried to lose him again.

Another gunshot echoed through the junkyard. Where were the cops when you needed them? I had to get away from this deranged man.

I landed on my face behind the trailer. After picking myself up, I hurried up the steps to find the door was boarded up. I looked in the window to try and see Mason or that ogre of a man who held him captive. I couldn’t see anything. I pulled at the board trying to pry it lose, but only managed to break my nails.

I jumped down just as Mark found me again. He ran faster until he caught me by the arm. I screamed as my body slammed against the trailer. He grabbed me by the hair jerking my head sideways and sent me flying to the ground. I clawed at his legs as his big boot pressed down on the side of my head pinning me in place. The rubber sole of his boot dug into my flesh.

“You’re not very smart are you?” He increased the pressure on his boot, making my skull ache. I pulled at his foot until it slid off my head.

I crawled across the dirt and scrambled to my feet, the fear of being shot sending me into panic mode.

I hid behind a tree.

Mark took his time to find me. He twirled the gun around his finger, slowly circling me as he continued his sick cat-and-mouse game.

“Now Kendall, are you ready to hear my options?” he asked, his breathing ragged from all the running.

I leaned against the tree, my own chest on fire.

“Sure, why not?” I breathed, closing my eyes.

“I never said I was going to kill you,” he said. He held one arm behind his back and wiped at the blood on his forehead where I’d hit him with the dumbbell.

“Have a little faith in your fellow man. You never know what he can do for you,” he said.

I pushed off the tree standing up straight, confused as hell. “What?” It wasn’t often I was wrong about people. But I couldn’t figure this guy out.

“You’re both young. He only wants to show your friend the meaning of respect and to make Payton feel like she got what she wanted. Then everyone’s happy. You understand?” He stepped closer to me. I flinched, expecting his fist to find my face.

Nothing happened.

“Mason’s a good kid. You should be teaching Payton a lesson, not him,” I said, letting out a relieved sigh.

Mark took me by the arm and led me back into the trailer. I was apprehensive at first.

“You sure you’re not going to kill me?” I asked, just to make sure.

“Will you calm down? I am not going to kill you. I told you,” Mark said. I hurried through the door, eager to lay eyes on Mason.

“Kendall,” he said, relief reflected in his expression. It looked like the grizzly man had worked him over good. His face looked awful.

Mason dropped his gaze back down to his feet. My heart ached for him for the pain he’d suffered. I noticed his hands were tied.

“What kind of people are you?” I blurted. The giant ogre moved across the room toward me, his body looming over me. He lifted my chin, surveying my eyes, taking in every detail.

“I am a man of my word,” he said, “a man of my word.”

I didn’t move a single muscle. His dirty hand held my face in place. The realization of what we had survived finally hit me.

“Mason understands. Now I want both of you to go. And not speak a single word of any of this.” He released me and untied Mason’s hands helping him to his feet.

He rubbed his wrist, standing next to me. Mark opened the door showing us a way out.

“You kids take care. Stay away from that nut job. See where she got you already?” he asked, looking at Mason. Mason nodded. I was confused and shocked, but somehow I managed to get down the steps. Mason pulled me toward the gates and then through them.

We didn’t hear the snarling dogs, we’d heard upon our arrival, as we made our way out the gate.

Silence loomed as we headed back into town. Neither of us spoke of what had happened back at the trailer.

I squeezed Mason’s hand tightly as we moved past the crowds of people on the sidewalk. Anyone who looked toward us was shocked at the sight of Mason’s injuries. A few people actually had the audacity to pull out their cell phones to snap a quick picture of him. At that point, we didn’t care; we just wanted to get back to our hotel.

Mason opened the door for me, gritting his teeth in pain as I passed him.

“So what now?” I asked as he hit the elevator button.

It was nearing morning. I laid in bed staring at the ceiling. The only sound was Mason’s light breathing next to my head. I locked my hands together underneath the covers afraid to make a noise, afraid to breathe.

I knew Mason wouldn’t be happy to know I hadn’t slept at all. I was too stressed to sleep and I constantly fought the urge to throw up.

We hadn’t said a thing to Wanda or Payton since our return. There had been a couple knocks at the door in the last two days, but we ignored them. He would hear the knock, then immediately fall back to sleep.

Mason never answered me when I asked him what we were going to do. He was in denial that his mom would have him beaten up, but the bruises and cuts on his face were the only validation needed.

We were almost out of money and we’d soon be out of a place to stay. I closed my eyes, begging sleep to come. A rush of nausea hit me again and I quickly ran for the bathroom.

The bathroom door came open with a thud, hitting the wall. Mason towered over me as I hugged the toilet bowl.

“You’re always letting your nerves get the best of you,” he said from above. He stroked my hair, his fingers soothing me with every light caress they made down the back of my head.

I closed my eyes enjoying his touch.

“What are we going to do, Mason?” I asked, waiting for the sick feeling to pass.

“What do you want me to do, Kendall? Say anything and I’ll do it,” Mason said. He pushed my hair off my neck, his lips grazing my cheek. I sighed, holding tight to the side of his head.

“I really don’t know. I just wish things could be simpler,” I said.

Silence fell over the room again.

I wasn’t certain of much. I didn’t know if we were going to make it out of this alive. There was no way out and I was about to lose all hope.

The silence was broken by the pounding on the door. Mason jumped up. Whoever was on the other side wasn’t happy.

My sickness would have to wait. I got up and quickly collected our things, being careful not to make any noise. He pressed himself against the door and peered through the peephole. I snagged the last thing off the floor—his favorite t-shirt—and I was ready.

Mason looked at me. I knew that look all too well. He was worried and that didn’t happen often.

“Now what?” I asked, afraid to ask if it was the police.

“We’ve gotta hope they give up and leave. And then we sneak out,” he said in a whisper.

“What about the money Roger gave me?” I asked. There was enough to buy us more time in Virginia. Mason shook his head. 

“That’s the only money we have in case of an emergency. If we’re out of money, so are they.” He was right, of course.

“What about the window?” I asked in desperation. My heart was racing and I had a severe case of cotton mouth.

“No way, Kendall,” he said. “We’ll kill ourselves pulling a stunt like that.” He took another look out the peephole. 

“What about Wanda?” I squeaked. She was the only security I’d ever known—as dysfunctional as it was.

In my despair, I’d lost all rational thought.

“What do you think Wanda is going to do for us?” Mason asked, almost yelling at me.

I bit my lip. I had no answer to that. For all I knew, she was responsible for whatever it was we were now facing.

After several minutes, all was silent again at the door, and my heart began to return to a more normal rhythm. Mason threw on his shirt and shoes. I held tight to our backpack as he slowly unlocked the door.

All kinds of crazy scenarios were playing out in my mind as he inched the door open bit by bit. He motioned for me to follow as we quickly slipped into the hallway. There was no one to be seen. I held tight to Mason as we moved undetected through the hallway.

“If it were cops they’d have just come in, right?” I asked. I was freaking out and couldn’t calm down.

“Exactly…the cops could get a key from the staff to get inside if they wanted to. It was probably housekeeping or something,” Mason whispered. Mason nodded politely at a passing couple and he nearly collided with another guy rounding the corner the same time we did. We didn’t need any upset to get in the way of our escape.

“Should we?” I asked, hoping he knew what I meant.

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” he mumbled nervously under his breath. He tugged me to move faster so we could squeeze into the elevator before it shut. Otherwise, we’d be left in the hallway waiting for the elevator to return. We startled the woman in the elevator by making our last-minute entry. She studied Mason’s battered face and pulled her arms closer to her body, taking up a defensive stance. She hugged her wrist with the opposite hand and draped a finger over her watch in case we had plans to rob her. If she only knew…stealing was the last thing on our minds.

I wanted to say something, but I knew better. I was momentarily blinded by the lights coming from the lobby when the elevator doors parted.

“Come on,” Mason said, yanking me across the sleek marble floor. As soon as my eyes focused, they landed right on Aunt Wanda and Payton. Payton dropped the magazine she’d been reading as soon as she caught sight of us trying to make our escape.

Mason kept moving us right out the revolving doors.

As we hit the fresh air, the reality of our situation punched me right in the gut.

“If we leave them its final, it’s done. You know that as well as I do,” I said, trying to get Mason to stop walking.

“I don’t care about them. We need to save ourselves,” he said, his feet moving forward.

I was pulled back just as Wanda snatched me by the arm, her claws sinking into my flesh.

“You’re free to do what you want, but Kendall stays,” she said, her lips making a perfect line. Her eyes filled with silent venom, threatening Mason. I had dreaded this moment.

“I’ll give you two options, Wanda,” Mason glared back, standing tall and unmoved by her threats.

He held onto my hand not backing down. He didn’t care about anyone passing by who witnessed this confrontation either. He was taking a stand.

“Mason, you have no options to give me,” Wanda tossed back at him.

“Either you get the fuck away from us,” Mason said, raising his voice, “or I go back and tell the hotel staff the whole story—the truth. Then it’ll be just a matter of time before we all go to jail.” 

He didn’t care who heard. He just wanted to get us away from Wanda. His words echoed over and over in my ears. My face grew warm with fear.

I managed to look at Wanda. Her face was beet red and her eyes were nearly popping from their sockets, surprised at Mason’s demands.

“Don’t go back to Joy-Ann,” she said. Her gaze was locked on mine when she did something I thought she’d never do…she let me go.

“Why would I do that?” I asked softly, tears forming in my eyes.

This was goodbye.

“If you want to be stupid…fine. But don’t go back there…Now get out of here,” she said. She turned and I watched her walk away until I could no longer see her. She was gone.

I fought the urge to run for her. She’d treated me badly and used me for her criminal gain. She’d ruined my life, but she was my somebody…my blood.

“Come on, Kendall!” Mason yelled at me.

I swatted at him, annoyed he was still yelling at me and I started running.

We turned down the first alley we saw and finally stopped to catch our breath.