I
Light barely poured through the window curtains. Unfamiliarity set in as Lena open her eyes and sat up in the empty bed.
"Adam?"
No response, not even a creak from the house. Lifting the blanket around her bare body, she stood and called out again, slightly louder.
"Adam..?"
Again, nothing.
Lena stepped to where she had taken off the dress she found earlier, and put it back on. As she walked through the strange house, there wasn't a sound. Not a single thing. Living in a remote town had it's perks, but currently that scared her. She was alone and in a strangers house- somewhere she had never been before. If she left she was certain she wouldn't know the way home. Fear had set in, although when she realized no one was in the house with her she felt slightly more at ease.
The sun could barely be seen through the trees, giving just enough light to see where she was walking. There weren't any cars outside. The house seemed remote, isolated from the outside world (much like their entire town). As Lena turned around to go back inside and wait for Adam to return, she noticed another building beside the main house. She hadn't checked there, perhaps it was worth looking at.
Damn, she thought as she tried twisting a locked handle. It didn't turn. Out of frustration she punched the solid wood door. Quickly after the pain set into her hand she winced, and began shaking the limb to disperse as much pain as would leave. Turning back towards the house, Lena began walking disappointedly. She would have to wait for Adam to show up before being able to leave, so he could direct her home. But what if he never came back, and left her there to die? As more thoughts along the same line sunk through her mind, her eyes fogged up with tears, making the already hard to see vision she had one hundred times worse.
"Lena?" A muffled noise came from behind the door she had hit. The turning of the deadbolt and handle had her turn around. Adam burst through the door.
"Shit!"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. What are you doing out here? I thought you were sleeping."
"I was.. I couldn't find you."
"Oh." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Why was the door locked?"
"I'm not used to anyone being here. I used to think my brother would come around here and beat me if he were able to get in, so it became a habit of locking it."
"I'm sorry.." Lena nearly whispered, standing in front of him. Adams gaze was in the dirt, every few seconds his eyes would meet hers only to drop again.
"He's gone now. So lets forget about him."
"Okay." Lena mouthed.
He kept swatting at the mosquitos that hovered around his face before he opened the door to the shed.
"Can I come in?"
"Oh. Yeah." Adam rubbed the back of his neck, walking further in the shed. Lena followed, closing the door behind her. For Adam, she locked the door. Smiling at him, he also smiled at her because of the gesture. The room wasn't too large, smaller than the bedroom Lena woke up in.
"What were doing in here? Before I interrupted.."
"Going through stuff, getting rid of my brothers crap." Adam moved a box to a pile that had been accumulated by the door.
"Do you want any help? My parents didn't do a thing with my sisters stuff after she died until this year."
"What happened?"
"She died in the bus accident four years ago."
"Sorry. If you want, I guess you can. We don't even have to do this."
Lena reached over and touched his arm.
"Don't stop because of me.."
"Okay." He barely voiced the word. Looking directly at Lena's eyes. Her hand slid along his arm, across his neck. His cheek was cold, full of stubble that wasn't prickly, but long enough it was soft. Adams hand covered hers before she had leaned over him. Their lips met, as she tried pulling away from the kiss Adam kept her there. Lena's arms wrapped around his neck as she transitioned into sitting on his lap. Each kiss seemed right, so they continued kissing until they mutually stopped. Her head had rest on his shoulder while he went through a pile of pictures, throwing most out. Lena watched, quietly. Occasionally she would ask which person was him. While going through the pictures he came across a picture of himself and his brother Tony, possibly a more recent one. Lena stopped him, and grabbed the photo.
"You know Tony?" She asked, looking more closely at the photo.
"Yeah. He's my brother."
"You're Tony's brother? He said you were sick. That you died."
"No."
"Then what happened? I remember you, I think, but it was so long ago.. What did he do to you?" Lena found herself caressing Adams hair as he spoke.
"It was a couple years ago, back when he used to beat me for hanging around him. Everyone always believed him when he said I was sick in the head. I'm not. It was always him. Well one night he had given me hell, probably broken a few ribs. I had had enough, and I was going to leave. Ma had been yelling at us, and he left- I'm not sure where he had gone at the time cause I went to my room and was getting my stuff. I left her screaming, and took off running. I thought I would just hike along the highway, since I didn't had anywhere in mind as to where I was going. I'd made my way to the tunnel under the highway when I saw him. We'd had an argument and I punched him, he.. He stabbed me." Adam closed his eyes and sighed, continuing. "As I was bleeding someone else came into the tunnel, a woman, and he stabbed her too. I was losing consciousness and saw what he had done to her." Disgust plagued his face.
"What did he do after that, Adam?"
"He was eating her stomach.. I tried to save her but he kicked me unconscious. The next time I woke up I was chained up in this room. The coward brought me back here and kept me his hostage."
"Adam, that's horrible.."
"The coward kept me locked in here for years. I finally got free and kicked his ass then through him out."
"Have you gone to the police?"
"No. I-I.. He's my brother."
"What he did was wrong. He could've killed you. What about the woman? She wasn't the only one. Last week another woman was stabbed, my friend, Lucy, and her stomach... He deserves to be in prison.."
"What if he comes after me?"
"You'll have me. We can go together, you'll be safe with me.."
Adam rest his head against Lena's shoulder and she kissed the top of his head.
"We have to do the right thing."
"Okay." He set the pictures down and wrapped his arms around Lena. Her embrace was all he wanted though.
"We don't have to go right now, if you don't want to."
"That'd probably be best."
"Do you want to go inside?" Lifting his head, Adam kissed her and nodded.
II
The sun blared through the window, lighting every part of the room. Sweeping her wavy blonde hair out of her face Lena stretched out and opened her eyes. Adam lay with his forearm draped over her bare lower back, his fingers twitching. That explained the tingling feeling she felt. Smiling to herself, Lena turned her head over to face him. Open eyes met hers.
"Morning." The voice barely left her mouth. He seemed happy, or at least relaxed. Moving closer, Adam kissed her. Both of her hands raised to his face, holding his cheeks, his hair, welcoming him. Strong hands turned her body around to lay against his while consumed in the kiss. Her leg lift and wrapped around his waist, pulling closer. As their kiss grew, Adam kept moving her until she was underneath. His hands covered hers, winding their fingers throughout each others. Against the mattress and pinned to the bed, Lena willingly moaned with pleasure. Only once Adam was penetrating inside of her did she break the kiss to breathe, to speak his name.
Time passed, eventually the bed became empty. Adam showered and dressed, shortly after Lena did the same. Since she wasn't sure where they were, he drove them into town. Lena convinced him that she couldn't go to the sheriff station in the clothing she had (no offense to his mother) to wear, so he drove towards her house. Lena made him wait along the street as she snuck in. Avoiding her parents was easy. Changing didn't take longer than ten minutes, but Adam had his anxieties of waiting alone. Lena had taken his hand once she got inside the truck, to reassure him that she would still support him doing this. Even if turning in his brother felt like betrayal, it was the right thing to do.
After being tossed around between different deputies, he had to fill out various forms of paperwork. It felt like hours were spent with no one listening to him. When Adam looked up and saw Lena by his side she gave him a look that he seemed to understand. She made him calm and focused.
Hours had in fact passed before he was finished giving his statement, and they processed it. They had taken action though, whether or not Adam knew. Tony was taken into custody within the hour.
"What do we do now?" Adam didn't have any plans, responsibilities. Nothing. Without the weight on his back of the fear of his brother returning Adam almost felt lost. Lena didn't know any better. She was young and naive.
"Can I stay with you?"
"Won't your family-"
"They stopped caring about me when my sister died. I've been ignored since it happened."
"You don't even know me, what if it's a mistake?"
"Just for a few days? I want to know you, Adam. I can't explain it but I can't stand the thought of not being by your side."
"I believe you."
"I won't hurt you."
They sat in his truck, watching the few cars drive past. Unsure where to go, or what to do, Adam didn't want to leave.
"Will you need anything?" He asked.
"What?"
"From your home?"
"Oh.. Probably, but can't that wait till later?"
"Yeah." He shrugged. Lena could feel the tension building in him, reaching over she held the side of his head.
"Hey..." As Adam looked at her he couldn't help but smile softly. "Lets go somewhere, just us.."
"Do you think anyone will be down at the river?"
"Probably not."
"Good." Leaning over Adam kissed Lena before starting the truck and putting it into gear.
Lena was right, no one was at the river. He drove near where his house was, and they walked the rest of the way. Adam lived nowhere near the popular half of town, so the chances of someone being around were slim.
"I'm glad you found me, Adam."
