Page 25 of Resistant

“It’s okay baby.” I murmur. I take several slow breaths.

“We are staying here tonight honey; we’ll get some sleep and leave in the morning. You can sleep with me. We should both take showers and get a clean change of clothes. Feed Lily, she stayed up all night long watching over us.”

We go upstairs, eat, clean up and crawl into bed. I pull David close to me. It’s dark in my room and I can hear his breath soften.

“David honey, your Daddy died in battle today.”

I feel his body convulse against me, and I hold him tight as we both cry. He eventually falls asleep, and I stroke the hair away from his face and listen to his breath. In a few hours, I will wake him, and we’ll try to move forward together. I’ll go northwest like Wyatt told me and see if I can get some help.

I help David into the truck. Lily curls up at his feet under the dash. I stuff a pillow under his head and hope he gets more rest, when the truth about his Daddy sinks in he won’t sleep much.

I glance around, all is quiet. I start the truck and keep the headlights off. I get to the end of the dirt road and flip on my lights to turn on the state highway. I pull out and blue lights flash behind me.

I curse and pull over. I can talk my way out of this. I roll down my window and pull out my road passport. It’s forged, and I try to still the shaking in my fingers.

The officer walks to my window and asks for my license and passport. I hand them out the window and he makes a grab for my arm pulling me half out the window. I scream and struggle to free myself from his grasp. The passenger door of the truck opens and I turn back, screaming.

Knox is pulling David out of the truck. He looks at me and shakes his head. I stop struggling. David kicks out, and Lily bursts out of the truck. I see her fly through the air and latch her teeth into Knox’s bicep. I hear them hit the ground.

The officer holds tight to both my wrists and tells me to be still. Footsteps crunch on the gravel and I and hear a pop, and a small whimper from Lily.

Tears pour down my face.

“Knox, don’t take him, please don’t take him! KNOX!”

Footsteps move away, I hear a car door slam and Knox is pulling me out of the truck.

“I told you I’d come for you and keep you all safe.”

He’s murmuring more, but I can’t follow what he’s saying. My mind has broken from reality.

I’m looking around for David, and I see him looking out the rear window. His palm is pressed against the glass, and he watches as Knox pushes me past the cop car. Knox shoves me in the front seat of a sedan and buckles my seat belt.

“I swear to fucking God Brynn, if you move one inch, I will shoot you myself.”

“I can’t Knox.”

“Je m’en fous lan!”

I blink at him, and he slams the car door. He walks to the police car and talks to the officer through the open window. He opens the back door, ducks his head in and speaks to David. I see him pat David on the shoulder. He walks to the truck and grabs a couple of ruck sacks, throws one into David, and shoulders the other. He slings it into the back seat of the sedan and slams the door.

He’s staring at me as he gets in, his expression is murderous, and I clamp my mouth closed. I’ll get information from him, but I’ll need to be patient.

I watch as the officer drives away, David in the back seat. I whimper and watch as my son is taken from me. Both my sons have been taken from me in the last two days and I feel all my resolve slipping away. I’m suddenly weary, and see no good options for my family. I lean my head against the window and close my eyes.

I wake up, my head tossing around on the headrest. It’s daylight now and the fog splits around the windshield of the sedan.

“Where are they taking David?”

“I’ve arranged for him to live with some of my family, a childless couple who will treat him well. Fuck Brynn! I told you I would take care of it. And what the Fuck was that stunt you pulled yesterday? You killed my men! Do you know how much I have to do to make this all go away? Do you understand what would happen to you if I didn’t?”

He’s screaming at me from the driver’s seat and we are all over the road. I’ve been stunned into silence.

“Why did you try to run?”

Is he serious right now? Can he not acknowledge that this new life is hell for people like me? My anger rises, and I try and tamp some of it down. Getting myself killed will not be helpful for my children.

“Why wouldn’t I run? Do you not see what this new life is like for me Knox? Would you want to be in my position? Why the ever loving fuck should I trust you?”

---