It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing...

“Stay quiet.” Grechin hissed, his face panicked. I nodded emeidately, knowing that if I didn’t I’d get hit later. He slammed the basement door closed and I rushed to it, placing my ear next to the door.

“Hello officer. How may I help you?” Grechin’s voice said, no trace of panic in it. I leaned against the door, and then a small crash behind me made me freeze. I spun, gasping, and saw a guy on the floor, dazed. He saw me, and motioned for me to stay quiet. I glanced at the door, then ran down the stairs to kneel next to him.

“Who-“ he flashed a badge in my face, and I gasped again, cringing back. He ignored me, going to the stairs. He pulled a gun at the top and I flinched, covering my head with my hands.

I still heard the door bang open, still heard the yelling, still heard the gunshots.

“ Ma’am, we need your name.” The man said. I pulled the blanket around me tighter, closing my eyes. He was Gone. Grechin was gone. He was busted for a drug deal, of all things.

“Ma’am, we’ve been here for hours. Please, tell us-“

“Gracie. Gracie Fredrin.” I said softly. His eyes widened, and he turned to the other man, who looked equally as stunned.

“Get a forensic in here, we need DNA proof.” I shook my head, rolling my sleeve up so they could see the cresent moon birthmark on my elbow. Then I proceeded to take my brown contacts Grechin had made me wear-just in case- out and set them on the table so my green eyes where visable. The man began swearing and the other sat across from me.

“We just need to take a swab and see-“

“Ok.” I said, shrugging. He sighed, leaving and arriving with a woman who swabbed my mouth.

For three days I stayed in a jail cell, because they didn’t have anywhere else for me to go. I sat in there and thought- mostly about Grechin. He was finally gone, killed because he’d lunged at a trigger happy new cop.

I was thinking about that when the same cop came into my jail cell, clearing his throat.

“Gracie?” I looked up, then sat up from my laying position on the floor. I hated the bed, it was just like the cot I had had in the basement. He looked me over once, then shook his head.
“We have some clothes for you, and a shower ready. You can get dressed, and we’re going to meet your parents half way.” I bolted to my feet. “They moved!?” he shook his head yes slowly, watching me. “They live in Arizona now. A small town about three hours from Phoenix. How did you know they moved?” I slumped onto the cot, covering my face in my hands.

“They used to live right down the street.” His mouth made a small ‘o’ and then he cleared his throat.

“Well, here is your clothes. We found them in the dresser in the basement, so we assumed they where yours. And the shower is down the hall three doors on the left. When your ready we can go. Do you want anything specific to eat?” I hesitated, taking the clothes that he had, then said “Could I get hot chocolate? I haven’t had it in such a long time.” He smiled slightly. “Of course. I’ll have someone get it from starbucks while your in the shower.”

20 minutes later I was in the front of a cop car clutching a steaming cup of hot chocolate. They’d grabbed a pair of sweats and a tanktop with a jacket, so I wasn’t at my most fashionable, but it was better then nothing. My blonde- dyed- black hair was still wet but pulled back into a long ponytail. I set my hot chocolate down and started braiding it nervously, and the cop shot me a glance.

“You know, it will take about three hours to get there. Why don’t you catch some sleep?” he said, trying to be nice. I shrugged, picking my hot chocolate up again and taking a sip. I gasped suddenly. “Wait!” he slammed on the breaks. “What!? What is it?” he asked, looking around. I blushed slightly. “Sorry. I just- could we go back to Grechins house? I need to get a few things.” He gave me a look, then sighed. “Five minutes?”

“Two. It wont take that long.” He nodded and we drove a few minutes out of the way. I ran inside, and down the steps. I avoided looking at the cot still down there, but went to the dresser, pulling out a drawer in the dresser and dropped the secret comparment that I had made long ago. I pulled out the mp3 player I had hidden in there, then the cord for it and the notebook and pencil I had found one day when he had let me out of the basement.

“What’s that?” he asked, confused as I sat back in the car. I shoved the mp3 player in my pocket and I sat on the notebook. “It’s mine. It was hidden in the dresser. We can go now.” I said matter-of-factly. He sighed, but took off. I looked out my window, seeing the familiar yet not seen in forever streets flying by. I sank into my seat and finished off my hot chocolate, leaning my head against the window.

I’m not going to lie. I cried. Why couldn’t my parents had stayed around? Maybe I would have been found sooner. Maybe then I would have felt the need to fight against Grechin more instead of always letting him have his way. Maybe he would have been more cautious if they had stayed around and I wouldn’t have been hurt as often. Or raped as often. or-

“Gracie? Are you ok?” the cop said. I shot up, realizing I had fallen asleep. I rubbed at my wet eyes before saying “Fine.” In a cracked voice. He shook his head. “Ok. We’re almost there. About ten more minutes. And we’re actually only about 20 minutes away from your actual house. They got a late start and I just kept driving.” I nodded, sitting up straighter and looking out the window. I decided now was a good time to begin gathering my things. I shoved the notebook in my jacket and zipped it up, then shoved the cord in my other pocket. I hesitated, then turned to the cop.

“Thank you.” He looked surprised. “For what?”

“For shooting Grechin.” He looked taken aback by that, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to.

I looked out the window and saw, in a parking lot, my mom and little brother, Timmy. He must be 15 now. Where was Josh? He was probably in college now, he’d been 16 when I was taken, that’d make him, what, 21? Was he the man behind my mom? And where was dad? I had so many questions to ask them. But when the cop put the car in park, it took me such a long time to open the door, to step in my new- and old- world.