21- Get Out Of Here

I had Dane sit down before I told him what has been going on here, he couldn't believe what happened. "I'm so sorry, Nicole. I wish I knew, I would've came to the rescue." He felt the holes on my lips, I could tell he was upset. I smiled at him, knowing he would do anything for us. "Now, we have to go find Nate. Eat something, put that sweater on and let's go!" Doing as he said, I finished the last bite of an apple and got ready to leave.

"I'll go first, stay right behind me." I nodded my head, following closely behind. As we rounded the corner, Dane pushes me backward. "Keep quiet, someone's walking around the basketball court." I held my breath, hoping nobody saw us. Without warning, someone throws a bag over my head.

"Help!" I yell at the top of my lungs, my gut had a feeling that something was wrong.

I wiggled the bag off my head, it was pitch black all around me. "Dane?" I whispered, no response. As I try to stand, something pulls me back down. A short chain was locked against my neck, it was keeping me against the wall; my chest started to pound. "Hello?" I yelled, banging my head against the wall a few times.

"Finally awake?" I heard a familiar voice in the distance. As the light turns on, my eyes didn't adjust instantly. After a minute or two, I finally noticed where I was, it wasn't the orphanage. A familiar face walked up to me, they unlocked the chain. "Go get cleaned up in the shower, dinner will be ready in a hour." Leading me to the bedroom, Leo smiled at me. "It feels nice to be back home, huh?" I nod my head, looking around at my old room. Everything was just as it was when I left, it was like nothing changed.

"Where's Dane?" I asked, Leo pointed out my door. "He's just visiting the garden, poor Nina missed you two." As he said that, I shot a small smile. "I wouldn't smile if I were you, Dane saw too much....." Leo cleared his throat, "so I stopped him." My smile dropped, tears immediately flooding my eyes. "Is he okay?" He shrugged his shoulders, "I wouldn't say 'okay,' but he's alive." Hearing him say that made me feel relived, but on the inside, I didn't trust him.

"I need proof." I said, Leo nodded. "Kinda figured you'd say that, shower first." Once I got dressed, Leo took me to the garden. "Dane is in the shed, he's probably sleeping." As I pushed the door open, Dane pushed himself against the wall. I could see the fear in his eyes, something happened to him. "Nicole?" He asked, I nodded my head. "I'm here, Dane. There's nothing to be scared of." I said, reassuring him.

"I can't see, why can't I see?" Dane yelled.

As I came closer, I realized his eyes were glued shut.

"Dane would see too much if I didn't do this, now he won't. It's for his own safety, I promise." I looked back at Leo, he wasn't smiling like I thought he would.

He was scared.