CHAPTER SEVEN
“I can’t believe how many people live here,” she said quietly.
“Yeah, it was a surprise to me as well. My parents, the people I thought were my parents, lived on a compound where, as you know, they did a lot of illegal things. One of them was hunting animals.”
Blake said nothing as they walked slowly toward their destination.
“I always wondered why my brothers and I looked nothing alike. My, Florence, the woman claiming she was my mother, she would steal the babies of unwed mothers. She was the most brutal, cruel, vicious woman you’d ever meet.
“My brothers and I were expected to do everything to perfection and if we didn’t, we were beaten in the front yard for everyone to see. She’d strip us, sometimes used a belt, sometimes a rope, it didn’t matter. Whatever struck her fancy that day is what she’d use.
“Monty and me, my other brother that got away with me at first. We planned this whole escape. We were going to make the deliveries, take the money and run. We would go back for our brothers when we could or report it, we hadn’t decided yet.
When you’re programmed to feel fear all the time, that’s all you feel - fear.
“It was all a trap. Monty was stripped and told to run. He had a five-minute head start and then they hunted him. I knew I was next. Somehow I got away. I don’t know how but I did. I found a small place in New Mexico and I had the protection of the reservation. That’s when these guys found me.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said touching his upper arm.
“Don’t be. Everything led me here. I’ve never experienced so much kindness, so much forgiveness from people in all my life. And the animals, the animals at the sanctuary are amazing,” he smiled.
“I can’t wait to start working with them,” said smiled.
“This is your cottage,” he said stopped on the path. “Mine is just over there, so if you need anything, or if you get scared just come running. But no one gets on this property. They have cameras everywhere and there are all kinds of security measures in place.”
“They told me,” she smiled nodding. “Thank you, Zane. Not just for this but for reaching out to me today. You were the first sign of someone who actually might care what happened to me.”
“I somehow feel all of this is my fault,” he frowned.
“None of this is your fault. I know what abuse feels and looks like, Zane. I’ve experienced it before.
My step-father wasn’t a kind man. He didn’t touch me, not sexually but he was happy to backhand me or make me sleep on the porch if he thought I was sassy to him and my mother wasn’t there to protect me.
“My mother was terrified of him. My real father died when I was just a kid, four or five. Mom married Josh almost right away and my nightmare started. He had a good job, was seen as a pillar in the community and everyone loved him. Everyone except me.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” said Zane.
“What do you think the chances are for two abused, battered, damaged people to live a normal life?” she smirked. Zane started to respond but she shook her head. “Never mind. That was rhetorical. I don’t think there is a chance. I think I’ll take my chances with the animals.”
She walked up the steps of the cottage and took out the key, opening her door. She shook her head and smiled down at him.
“This place is so beautiful.”
“So are you,” he said softly. She stared through the darkness at him but said nothing. “Just so you know, I think the chances of us having a normal life are as high as we want them to be. Just a little effort and time and we’ll be just fine.”
“Do you really believe that?” she asked.
“With all my heart. Good night, Blake.”
“Good night, Zane.”
He waited until she was inside and the sounds of the locks engaged. When there was just one light on, he walked to his own cottage and went inside. He made himself a glass of Claudette’s famous peach iced tea and then sat out on the porch, listening to the cicadas and frogs in the bayou.
A little while later, he heard shuffling on the gravel path and looked up to see Blake. She was wearing a pair of running shorts and a tank top, her feet in flip-flops.
“Are you okay?” he asked standing.
“I-I saw your light on and, well, I’m having trouble falling asleep. Can I join you for a while?”
“Of course,” he smiled. “How about some peach iced tea?” She nodded as he went inside to fill a glass for her. When he came back out she was laying across the porch swing.
“Will you tell me about your brothers?” she yawned.
“Of course,” he smiled. “Like I said, there were seven of us. Monty, me, Jeremiah, Daniel, Martin, Denis, and Peter. Jeremiah was beaten really bad the last time. I think that’s why he wanted to go off and find himself, to leave this place even though he knew it was safe.
He needs to prove that he can make it on his own.
“Monty and me, we were the closest. I guess that’s why I feel so bad about him being chosen first to run. I was in better shape than he was. He always had a few too many pounds on him. Daniel, Martin, Denis and Peter were the youngest.
“I’m surprised they lived as long as they did. Something inside of them always said fight back. I wish I’d listened to that. They were braver than me and I should have protected them more. Did you have siblings?” he asked. He heard nothing and rose to look down on Blake. She was sound asleep.
Smiling to himself he put the glasses of tea in the sink and then went back outside and lifted her, taking her to the spare bedroom. He covered her with the small quilt and closed the door, letting her know that she was safe and wouldn’t be eaten alive by the mosquitoes.
Tomorrow he’d ask her about any siblings again. In fact, tomorrow he wanted to ask her a whole bunch of questions.