New to the Family

Freshen Up

Author's note: I should be doing homework, but I would much rather be writing :)

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A horrible pain was running down the side of my temple. My dry mouth was filled with an awful taste. I moved my heavy mouth from side to side to try and build up some saliva. I swallowed and my throat burned.

I peeled my eyes open, and the light coming through the window caused the pain to spread across my skull. I groaned, and tried to roll over onto my side. My body was stuck, and something tore into my wrists. I looked up, and realized I didn't have my glasses on because the room was blurry. I squinted to see that thick coils of rope were binding my hands to a wooden headboard.

The awful taste of bile filled my mouth. The last thing I could remember was Gabe on top me with a needle. I pulled my arms down, and the rope burned into my wrists. I gritted my teeth as I tried to pull myself free. I twisted my body from side to side hoping that it would loosen the the knot.

My bare legs rubbed each other as I rolled my body to the side. I looked down to see that my naked body was covered by a blanket. I lifted my head a bit to see that the only thing I had on was the gold necklace in the shape of a dove that my mom had given me for graduation.

I let my heavy head fall back onto the pillow. The tears pricked at the back of my eyes.

How could I be so stupid? How could I possibly think that it was a good idea to go into a strange man's hotel room? I should have called my mom. I should have called her crying, told her about Owen cheating on me, and begged for her to give me some money. She would have done it. Now, I'm kidnapped and probably going to be sold into sex trafficking.

A door creaked open, and I took in a sharp breath. My warm tears were rolling down my cheeks. A tall figure walked into the room, and did not come into focus until it sat on the edge of the bed. Gabe was sitting beside me. He reached forward and wiped the tears off of my cheeks with his calloused hand.

"Please." My voice cracked. "Please, just let me go. I promise I won't tell anyone."

"There's nowhere to go," he said. "You're staying here."

I squeezed my eyes shut, and a few more tears escaped.

"Leah, don't be upset," he said. "I brought you home. You were all alone, and we have brought you into our family."

"I am a family," I said. "They're going to wonder where I am."

"That family all the way in Alaska? That is your birth family. We are your real family. We are going to take care of you."

"Please." I pulled against the ropes.

Gabe's hand covered my wrist, and I stopped moving.

"Don't hurt yourself," he said. "My son, Jared, just turned twenty years old. It was time for me to go out and find him a wife, and I found you."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. I was gasping for breath between the sobs that were racking my body. "You can't do that."

"Yes, I can. It is this family's tradition."

Gabe stood up, and walked over to the the doorway. He poked his head out into the hallway.

"Lindsay, come here," he yelled.

A smaller figure hurried into the room.

"Can you clean up Leah?" Gabe asked. "Jared will be done outside in an hour."