Callie knew something was off in their interaction with Jonathon. She urged her brothers to finish eating quickly so they could return to the road. The boys complained that they had been in the car all day, and that they needed a bit of a break. At the sound of the bell over the door, Callie was shocked to see a group of 5 or 6 large men filtering in to the artificial light of the diner. She had the intense feeling of being trapped as they openly stared at her small family.
Get yourself together, Callie chastised herself. Too much time spent bouncing between small towns has made you paranoid.
Callie stood up and excused herself to the restroom. In the mirror, she splashed water on her face and stared at her reflection, questioning whether what they were doing was truly best for her young brothers. The stress of constantly moving had taken its toll on all of them. Her formerly shiny auburn hair was looking dingy after too many washes with cheap shampoo, and dark circles ringed her striking eyes. All in all, the weight of their way of life had left Callie with a lingering exhaustion she couldn't seem to shake.
After a spell, she came back to her senses and pushed at the swinging door. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. Her two brothers were struggling wildly against some of the men who had entered the diner after them. Her beloved brothers' arms were drawn behind their backs and they were cursing and pulling against the strong men.
Callie let the bathroom door swing closed and shuddered in fear. She didn't know those men, but she sure knew she didn't want them to capture her like they had her brothers. Her best option was the small window near the sink. She threw it open and pushed out the screen. As she started her climb, the door flew open and two men rushed in. Stifling a scream, she leapt through the window and landed hard on the pavement below. Her mind raced as her feet pounded against the ground. When she turned the corner, she saw more men leaning against the hood of her truck and Callie realized that her chances were looking grim.
Skidding to a halt, Callie surveyed her surroundings. She noticed that between some of the buildings, she could see a sliver of a dimly lit park and playground. It looked like a good option, so she sprinted toward the green space. Twisting and turning between buildings, Callie felt confident that she was putting plenty of space between herself and those men.
Panting heavily, Callie dove underneath a small play structure and nestled into the wood chips around her. Confident that she wouldn't be easily spotted, Callie let her mind turn to her brothers and what she needed to do. She had to figure out where they were and figure out a way to get them out. They'd hit the road and put this bizarre town far behind them. She refused to think about why Jonathon would have known her mother's name. As her thoughts wandered back to her family, Callie heard footsteps approaching. She bit her knuckles to prevent herself from screaming and waited silently. Callie knew she must have been imagining things when the person started to draw deep breaths, seemingly sniffing the air.
Callie couldn't smother her scream when the person bent down and she suddenly saw bright eyes staring at her. In her terror, Callie began to slide out from under the playground in an attempt to keep running from her mysterious pursuers. Strong hands grabbed her ankles and yanked her out from her shelter and another set of large arms wrapped around her. She struggled against them for a few long moments, but the arms held fast. A flash of pure panic rushed through her, and Callie slumped against her captor in weariness. At least she would be with her brothers, and together they could work out a plan of action.
The man holding onto Callie looked to his partners in surprise, as the feisty girl appeared to have wilted against him. They shrugged and he hoisted her up into his arms, noticing that despite her height, she felt light as a feather. The group took off toward the town's main street in a brisk walk and Callie sighed in resignation, letting her head come to rest against her captor's shoulder.
The further they walked, the more frustrated Callie felt. What gave these jerks the right to grab her and her brothers like they were their property? They were drawing nearer to the diner and Callie saw an opportunity. She lifted her head from the man's chest and caught his eye.
"I'm ready to walk now," she whispered, feigning obedience. The brute put her down with surprisingly gentleness and Callie began trudging along slightly behind him. When she was confident that the group trusted her to behave, she took off running again. If she could just reach her truck, she could buy herself some time to regroup and figure out what the hell she was going to do. Sprinting with all of her might, she dug in her pocket and grabbed her car keys.
Just as she reached the car door, an enormous force knocked Callie to the ground and forced the wind from her. Above her, a young man grinned down at her. Initially, Callie was taken with his deep green eyes and the dark hair he had haphazardly drawn into a ponytail behind him. When the shock faded, she began to struggle against him. Unfazed, the young man hauled her to her feet and extended his hand.
