Captured Witch

V. The woods and the Diner

            When I awoke, the fire alarm was going off. “Ugh, what time is it?”

            I rolled over and looked at the clock, 4 am. I jolted out of bed and started packing. Then I heard it. “Look upstairs”. 

            I started panicking. They were here, they’ve come for me, I have to get out of here. I looked out the window and didn’t see anyone below. I grabbed my bag, climbed out of the window, and down the side of the building. I heard the innkeeper screaming and felt bad, but I had to leave her behind, I had to detach myself. The second my feet hit the ground I started running. My learned instincts began to kick in. Get to the woods, keep running, don’t stop. 

            Once I reached the edge of the woods, I heard them start yelling that I was headed for the woods. I might be fast, but they were faster. I slowed them down by inhibiting their use of vehicles, but they had a lot of men compared to me. My disguise spell had worn off so I couldn’t use that to my advantage. I never should have used magic, I don’t know what they have but the more magic I use, the faster they find me. Well since we’re in this situation anyways. “ Multiple ór mik”. 

            I watched as 10 or 11 of me scattered across the woods. I laughed as I heard the men chasing me become confused, not knowing which one of me to chase. This gave me a bit of a boost, but it wouldn’t fool everyone. I was far enough ahead to have extra time to hide. I found a nice tree and quickly climbed up as high as I could go and waited. “Adalaide, you can’t keep running from us, it will be easier for everyone if you just give up and come with us now”.

            I stayed in a squat on the branch I was on. “Camp out here for the day, she won’t have made it far and she’s been thrown off, especially since she doesn’t have her map.” He pulled out a map with all of the markings I made on its last night. 

            It was only 5am, when I was supposed to begin walking to the city. Now I’m stuck in this damn tree with no chance of help. I sat down as comfortably as I could on the branch. I might as well get comfortable; they’re camped right below my tree and I had no chance of getting down without being noticed.

            Once noon rolled around, I had listened to way too many stories of drunken encounters and their time with the “ladies”. Any more stories and I might just have to throw myself out of the tree. I mean seriously, do they have nothing better to talk about in the 7 hours they’ve sat there? My stomach started to grumble. I hadn’t eaten in 2 days now, but I didn’t have any time to pack food for my journey. “Ugh” I groaned softly.

“Did you hear that?” The men began to look around. “I thought I heard a woman’s voice”. 

            “Come on Michael, stop messing around. We’re searching for someone who would never be stupid enough to speak while she’s hiding”. 

            That’s when I had the idea. Magic got me into this predicament, but magic will save me. “Mayminnr voice munu heard away fran hí” I whispered. Then I began to hum. It caught the men’s attention but didn’t make them move so I began to sing. They listened intently but still no movement. “Hello? I’ll speak so you can follow my voice and if you can find me you can keep me” I said in a taunting, childlike voice. 

            That’s when they started to run. I waited for all of them to leave and as I kept talking, I climbed down the tree. Once again, the second my feet hit the ground, I set off to run. But as I began to turn in my run, I was met with what felt like a brick wall. I tried to use my arms to push away from whatever I hit but I was inhibited by some giant man hands on my shoulders. I continued to try and free myself from his grasp, but he was too strong.  “Clumsy, aren’t we? First, slipping in the street in Italy, then falling off the roof and into my bushes, and now look at where we are. You in my grasp and refusing to look at me.”

            I stared off to the side, not wanting to know what I already knew. He grabbed my wrists with one hand and with his other hand he grabbed my chin to turn my face to look at him. Like a child, I closed my eyes. I couldn’t give in; it would make me look weak. “Are you really going to play this game?” He paused, almost like he was expecting an answer. “Fine” he said after a moment of silence, “You don’t need to speak or even see for me to carry your ass to the car and take you to your new home.”

            I yanked my hands from his and attempted to run but he caught me by my hair and yanked me back. I screamed as I fell to the ground in front of him. He squatted down to look me in the face. “You really want to do this the hard way?” I spit in his face. I was then slapped by his brutish hand. As I caught myself before my face hit the dirt, he called for his men. “Take her to the car. And be careful, she’s a fighter.” 

            They carried me to the car as I screamed and kicked the whole way. They threw me in the back where I hit someone who was already sitting in the back seat. Someone got in behind me and shut the door.  “Great I’m trapped between two smelly apes for however long this wretched car ride is.” 

            “Ah she speaks! Good to know that you haven’t gone mute in the few days since we’ve seen each other.” The man who caught me said as he settled into the passenger side.

            “You know, I’m at quite a disadvantage, you know my name, but I do not know yours! Care to share, or shall we remain on stranger terms?”

            “My name is Edwin, and their names aren’t important.” 

            I let out a disgruntled sigh as I slumped against the back of the seat. Edwin continued to talk to his men. I rummaged through my brain for any unspoken spells to get me out of this predicament, but I couldn’t think of any that didn’t require other ingredients or excessive arm movements. Realizing that it was essentially a lost cause, I started listening into their conversation. Most of it was dull, useless information, but some things gave me a bit of a clue as to where we were headed. My stomach grumbled again. “Can we get something substantial to eat? I didn’t get the chance as you guys interrupted my day.” Edwin sighed angrily and told the driver to pull off at the next exit. “Will fast food do? Or are you to pretentious for that?”

            “I was thinking more restaurant style. There isn’t much room between the two apes to eat back here.”

            “Fine, but one hint that you are trying to escape, and I’ll kill everyone in the place, understood?”

            I nodded my head pleased with myself. I knew they wouldn’t let me out of their sights, but I was starving, not having eaten since before I left the school. The car pulled up to a small diner and the brute to the left of me pulled me out of the car. Edwin came next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, smiling. “Remember, one move and-”

            “And everyone dies. Got it” I put a fake smile, and was pushed forward by his arm, still around my shoulder. 

            “5?” The Waitress asked.

            “Yes, and a booth please.” Edwin replied. 

            Great I was going to be squished against the wall. She showed us to our table, and I was nudged to slide in. The waitress set down the menus, took our drink orders and left. Edwin, who sat across from me, stared at me as I read the menu. “So, Adalaide, what drew you out of that fortress of a school that no one can penetrate?” 

            “It was you, actually. I saw a sketch I did of you from my time in Italy, realized that you were the same person I saw that morning, and decided that it was safer to run than to stay.”

            “Hmmm. Italy, it would have been much better than living in Tennessee these last two years.”

            “Oh yes, you and your fake family that you used to spy on me, what a rather nasty trick that was.”

            Edwin shrugged and put his hand on top of my menu, guiding it down to the table. I looked up at him with frustration. Just then the waitress returned to take our orders. I ordered and she looked at the men, but Edwin waved her away. She gathered our menus and quickly walked away. I leaned against the back of the seat and crossed my arms against my chest. I stared angrily at Edwin as he stared at me. After a minute or two he laughed. I raised one eyebrow in confusion. “I guess it’s true what modern culture says today, you women can be really bitchy when you are hungry.” 

            “Sure, that’s why I’m angry. Not because of the events of the day. You know, you kid- OW!”

            Edwin kicked me under the table and looked at me in a reminding way. “Ugh, I guess it’s true what I’ve learned about you guys from trailing you all these years. You’re real assholes.”

            “You. Trailing us? What a thought.” Edwin laughed, “Please, spare me the jokes.”

            “Now your last position threw me. I’ll admit it. But I wasn’t in Tennessee looking for you. I was following one of the lesser men.”

              The waitress brought my food as soon as I finished speaking. She set it down in front of me, watching me carefully. She knew something was off. I thanked her for the food, and she walked off. I went to start shoveling food into my mouth, but the plate slid out from my hands. I threw my fork down. “Really?”

            “Why were you following my men?” He said with his teeth gritted.

            “I was gaining information on how you all act, what you look like. I sketched down recurring faces, journaled about your movements, and gave them all to the head-father of the school. Can I have my food back now?”

            He slid my plate back and I ate as quickly as possible. Just as I took my last bite, red lights flashed outside of the window. Armed policemen ran in. “And that is our clue to head out.” Edwin said as he got up.

 The man next to me grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the booth. This is it. This is the only chance I have to escape. Gunshots were fired as I loosened my captors grip on my arm and tried to run. “Ah, ah, ah.” Edwin grabbed me and pulled me back. “Let. Me. Go.” I screamed, attempting to pull away. “Take care of this while I put her in the car.” He dragged me to the car and threw me into the passenger seat.