A Life Less Ordinary

Bane was behind the wheel, Isla curled up in the passenger seat with an ice pack against her cheek. She watched the snow hit the windshield as they sped down the nearly empty highway.

Occasionally she would doze off, only to be jolted awake by too fresh memories of her attack. Images of Bane crushing the man’s throat and tossing him aside like a broken toy. It was clear to her that she had been unaware of his full strength and something about that didn’t sit well with her. As if reading her thoughts, Bane looked over at her and squeezed her leg gently.

“I will never hurt you…” he said quietly. She slid her hand over his, but continued to stare out the window.

“What happens when we get to Canada?” her voice was barely audible. He glanced over at her, brows furrowed.

“I don’t understand your question.”

Isla sighed and turned to him. “What are we doing, Bane? What is this?” she asked, waving her hand between them.

“This is us. We are putting as much distance as we can between ourselves and that body in Clarion.” Bane replied.

“What is in Canada?” she asked.

“My sanctuary.” He said, returning his hand to the steering wheel. “My men, those of them who are still alive.”

“I’m not your captive anymore.” she said, crossing her arms.

He looked over at her. “What? I know that-”

“And I’m not some whore you can share with your men.”

Bane veered to the right, onto the exit for Chesterton and pulled the car onto the shoulder. He turned to look at her.

“Is that what you think?” He asked incredulously, staring at the steering wheel.

“I don’t know. This whole thing has been crazy.” she mumbled, suddenly feeling stupid. She looked down at her hands.

“It has been crazy, I agree. Everything that has happened has been pure chance. I never planned for any of this.” he said.

“You planned on kidnapping me.”

“But I didn’t plan on YOU. I didn‘t plan on caring about you. Anger is the only thing I have felt in a long time. And in response to your previous comment, no. You are not a whore. That is the most absurd thing to come out of you mouth these past weeks.”

He took her face in his hands. “You are the most beautiful creature that I have ever come in contact with and NO ONE else will touch you as long as I am alive.” his words were strong, almost angry.

Isla’s heart lurched as he spoke them. She knew every feminist within a fifty mile range probably twitched at his declaration of possessiveness towards her, but it was all she could do to breathe from the fluttering in her chest.

“I want to know all there is to know about you, Isla Sloan.” He pulled the mask from his face and took a deep breath of fresh air. “You are mine…what I need. But you are free to go whenever you please, I wont stop you.” He looked at her. When she didn’t respond, he leaned across the seat and took her gently by the chin, forcing her eyes to meet his.

“You mean what you say…?” she asked, lifting her hand to rest lightly on his cheek.

“I am many things, but a liar is not one of them. I swear to you Isla, I will protect you. You will never have to fear me…” he whispered, closing the distance between their lips with his own. Isla felt herself melt into his soft lips and had to force herself to pull away.

“I believe you…” she whispered, pressing her forehead to his. He buried his face in the crook of her neck. The air was thick with tension that could only be broken my smashing two bodies together in ways that would be difficult in the SUV.

Bane pulled himself away from her and started the car once more. Outside the snow continued to fall and the sky was turning light gray.

“There is a motel not far. We need to stop to rest, but this has to be the last night. The sooner we get to Canada, the better. It would not do to be tossing around your ID if we can help it.” he said, clearing his throat.



The room they had gotten was small and dark. But it had a bed and that was all they needed. He had all but carried her over his shoulder and thrown her on the bed.

Several hours and many positions later, Isla lay sprawled over Bane, absentmindedly tracing the lines of his chiseled chest with her fingertips. He had his face pressed against her head, breathing in the ever-present scent of lavender, rubbing her back gently.

“You need to sleep…” he said quietly.

When she didn’t respond, he looked down to see her sleeping calmly. Her breath was warm and soft against his chest. He shifted and slid out from under her, laying her down next to him. His stomach flipped as he tenderly brushed the hair from her face. If he spent the rest of his life like this, it would have been a life well spent. With her was the only was he would ever know peace.



They left quietly in the night, driving through the snow and sleet, trying to get as close to the border as they could before having to stop and rest again. Bane drove as long as he could, before letting Isla take over so he could sleep. Before driving any further, she had her iPod plugged in and hit RANDOM. A broad, almost giddy smile crossed her lips as the sound of the wind was replaced by familiar music.

“I'll dig for water and fashion our very own wishing well…Then we'll throw our coins down hoping to rid of us of this little hell…” her arms tingled with chills and she allowed herself to be taken away by the voice of Dallas Green and his guitar. Music had always been one of her few escapes. Every song was a memory, every lyric had a meaning to her.

She glanced behind her. Bane was stretched out over the backseat, which flattened out into a makeshift travel bed, his arm draped over his eyes. Focusing back on the road, she turned the volume up just a bit more.

This part of the trip took them through seemingly endless crop fields and cow pastures, all blanketed with thick snow drifts. Homes and farms were scattered about. At some point during the trip, Isla had gone from mouthing silently the lyrics to Etta James’ The Very Thought Of You, to belting out Come On Feel The Noise by Quiet Riot at the top of her lungs. She had to force herself not to head bang to the guitar solo in Bohemian Rhapsody and hold back tears as she sang Josh Groban’s You Raise Me Up, which always made her tear up.

She was in the middle of Shake It Out by Florence and The Machine when Bane laid a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump. She quickly turned the volume down.

“I’m sorry…” he said. She could detect the smile in his voice.

“Did I wake you?” she asked, looking back in the rear view mirror. He locked eyes with her refection.

“Yes.” He said.

Isla was slightly taken aback. “Wow. Most men would at least lie and say no…”

“I told you I have no reason to lie to you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

He chuckled that mechanical chuckle that she was getting used to. “It is ok. I enjoyed the last four hours of your performance. I didn’t know you had such a remarkable voice. I especially liked when you mumbled your way through the lyrics you didn’t know.”

She felt her face flush and briefly considered throwing herself out of the moving vehicle. “I do not do that!” she cried.

He was laughing openly now, sounding more like Darth Vader than ever.

“Do me a favor. Say ‘I am your father’.” she said.

His brow furrowed. “Why would I-”

“Just say it. ‘I am your father…’” she said.

“I am you father…” he said slowly. Isla immediately burst out into hysterical laughter. Bane shook his head slightly, seeming ever more confused.

“That made no sense to me…” he replied.

“Oh come on, you’ve seen Star Wars. Everyone has seen Star Wars!”

Bane sighed and smiled behind his mask. “Dearest, I spent the better part of my life in prison, and the rest of it staying in the shadows.”

She felt her jaw drop in amazement. “You’ve never seen it? What was the last movie you’ve seen?”

“I don’t remember the last one. I was just a child, that much I know.” He said, looking out the window.

“Oh my my my…you have some living to do when we get to Canada.” she said, increasing her speed.