Captured

Blinking the sleep from my eyes, it took me a few seconds to remember where I was.

Home, I was home once more.

But I still felt as if something was missing, as if nothing would ever be the same again.

Looking around my room I don’t find the comfort like I had before Kaden came into my life.

My pictures, paintings, and possessions no longer felt familiar.

Being in this room, in this house that I grew up in, no longer makes me feel complete and happy.

Sighing, I get up and walk out of my room, straightening out the wrinkles in my sweats and tank.

Walking down the stairs and into the massive living room I look around, trying to find something that filled the missing piece in my soul.

There was nothing. Not the couch that still had the red stain from my markers when I was five, not the large television where I watched my favorite shows.

Not even the fire place where I used to open Christmas presents filled the empty hole.

Walking from the living room and into the immaculate kitchen I smile as I see one of my favorite people.

“Maria!”

The old Hispanic woman who used to play Barbies with me looked up from the stove and smiled, “Miss Matty!”

We rushed to each other, meeting in the middle of the large kitchen and wrapping together into a tight hug.

“Oh, Miss Matty! I was so worried. I sent prayers for you every night!”

I pulled away and smiled at her, “Your prayers worked. I’m fine and healthy.”

“Thank God.”

I laughed and watched as she went back to her cooking.

I hadn’t realized how much I missed Maria. Even though she works for my father she always treated me like family.

And after my mother passed away Maria was there to fill in.

But she wasn’t able to fill the hole in my soul.

Plastering on a fake smile I bring my thoughts back to what needed to be done, “Maria, where’s my father?”

“He’s in his office.”

After a few more minutes of conversation I excused myself and walked up another flight of stairs and down the hall to my father’s office.

Knocking on the door I wait for his mumbled ‘enter’ before walking into the room.

Senator Collins sat behind his cherry wood table, the desk as clean and dustless as when her first bought it.

His office was large, the wall of windows behind the desk giving the illusion of open space.

Sitting back in his chair my father smiled and folded his hands in his lap.

“Hello Matty. What can I do for you?”

I swallowed, suddenly nervous, and sat in one of the plush chairs that faced his desk.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, just staring at each other until I couldn’t take it any more.

“How are you?”

The moment I spoke I could have kicked myself.

Who says that to you dad after he just rescued you from a kidnapper? Even if you didn’t really want to be rescued.

“I’m good, Matty. Is something bothering you?”

I bit my lip, “It’s nothing really.”

He gave a small smile, “It must be something if it’s bothering you this bad.”

I swallowed, prepared to ask about the information Kaden gave me, but what came out instead shocked me, “How did my mother die?”

My dad frowned, “You’re heard this a thousand times.”

I nodded, “I know, but I want to hear it again.”

He sighed, making me feel like I was interrupting something important.

“Your mother was a fragile lady. Beautiful, but very fragile.”

He tapped the side of his head with his finger, “After you were born she couldn’t handle the stress of having a young baby. She was so tired everyday and after months of sleepless nights she couldn’t take it anymore.”

He pushed back his chair and stood, walking around his desk to kneel in front of me and place his hand on my knee, “In no way are you responsible for her death. I should have done more. I should have seen just how far she had gone and I should have never allowed her to drive in that storm.”

I watched his eyes as he relived the past.

And what scared me the most was that there was no emotion in them.

“When I heard about how her car spun in the storm and rolled off a cliff I felt my soul rip in two.”

My eyes watered, but not for the memory of a mother I never knew.

But because I felt my soul rip in two when I watched my father’s men surround Kaden’s lifeless body.

My dad reached up and wiped away a tear that fell from my eye, “Don’t cry. She’s in a much happier place now.”

I nodded, but said nothing.

How am I supposed to tell my father that I’m crying because the man who kidnapped me is dead?

My dad narrowed his eyes, “Something else is bothering you.”

I took a deep breath, worried about my next question, “Kaden said some things-“

My dad frowned, “Who?”

“Kaden, the man who took me.”

Dad sat back on his heels, “You were on a first name basis with your kidnapper?”

I didn’t know what to say to that, “Uh… yes.”

My dad narrowed his eyes again, “What did he say?”

“That you’re involved in an organization.”

I watched my dad’s body tense and his eyes go blank, “Really? What kind of organization?”

I swallowed, “A bad one, he said you were their leader. He’s wrong right?”

My dad stood and paced to his desk.

“Dad? Tell me he’s wrong.”

Senator Collins looked out his window, staring at the tall sky scrapers of the city, “I had hoped that you wouldn’t hear anything.”

I swallowed, “Dad? Tell me it isn’t true.”

He sighed and turned, pressing a button on his desk.

Immediately the door opened and the man who took me from Kaden entered the room.

“Yes, sir?”

My dad looked at the man, “Take her underground. She’s a liability now.”

I stared with wide eyes as the man grabs my arm tightly, leaving bruises.

He pulled me from the chair and out of the room, my father watching with blank, uncaring eyes.

I struggled against the man’s hold as the office door shut.

“What are you doing? Let me go!”

“Now now, don’t make this harder than it is.”

He pulled me through the kitchen, Maria dropping a dish, “What’s going on?”

The man pulled me to a side door in the kitchen, ignoring Maria.

All I could do is whisper Maria’s name as the man shut the door, locking us in a dark hallway.