The Evans Escape

Chapter 24

The car stops and I finally sit up without Noah restraining me back down. I see my house. I pretend to be excited and shove the dread down that arises.

"I'm home," I say in mock excitement while opening the car door. My dad blocks me from walking towards the front door.

"Not yet you aren't," he replies while grabbing my arm and leading me to the cellar.

"NO, MOM PLEASE," I cry out while looking back at her, but she's already gone. I thrash against my dad's grip but Noah comes around the other side to grab my feet that are currently doing the best they can to kick him in the face.

"DAD STOP," I demand as they pull me down the stairs.

There is a chair in the center of the room. I am pushed down into it and then they are both in front of me with their arms crossed.

"Cut the act," Noah demands.

"What act? I want to be home. I was going through the deal so I could come home," I explain.

They look at each other for a moment.

"Kaydence you're my daughter and I know when you're lying," my dad pushes.

"I thought about leaving everyone and going off on my own, but staying with them was never an option," I sincerely reply. I hold back the part that I was going to give them a chance to prove me wrong.

"Enough," my dad holds up his hand. "What I need to know is what they've told you. You seemed different on the phone last week. How did they get you to tell them about your training?" My dad urges.

"I didn't have to tell them they were suspicious and when I tried to follow things from the rule book, they called me out for being trained. They have both read the book and Egan knows about the unpublished chapters," I recall. My heart clenches when I say Egan's name.

"The truth Kaydence," my dad demands.

"I am telling you the truth!" I scream while standing up out of my chair and throwing it at them. I take the chance to run past them but Noah catches my arm before I can make it the stairs. He holds my arms behind my back as my dad recovers.

"You were right," my dad says in disbelief to Noah while looking past me. "She's further gone than I could have imagined," he continues.

I take my foot and kick back as hard as I can into Noah's shin.

"Kaydence stop," he demands while pushing me forward and away from him.

"Perhaps some time in isolation will help clear your mind," my dad sighs while walking around me and towards the stairs with Noah.

"Don't leave me down here," I panic while following after him. My dad turns, nods, to Noah and continues up the stairs.

I back away from Noah as he advances toward me.

"I-I'm sorry Noah," I say while holding my hands up in surrender.

He grabs a chain and connects it to my ankle. I stare at it as he walks away.

"Ironic," I say aloud while sitting on the floor and against the wall.

He pauses.

"They never chained me up. I'm more of a prisoner here than I ever was there," I go on.

He tenses and continues to walk towards the stairs. I hear the cellar shut and the wood come down across it.

I pull my knees up to my chest and bury my face in my hands.

Egan and Pierson have to be coming to get me, right?

************************