Chapter 1: Caught

I saw the worn down Chevy Silverado and mentally created a checklist in my mind. Once I decided that I had covered my tracks well enough, I walked out of the shadows in front of the Jiffy Mart store and opened the passenger door.

A lopsided smile spread across the drivers face. He was a boy of around 18 wearing coverall pants and a flannel shirt. It was the popular attire in the sleepy farming town of Roy, Nebraska, I had learned. I climbed inside and shut the door.

"Cora," he gasped "You came."

"Of course I did," I said sweetly "How could I stay away from you?"

His smile got even wider and leaned in to kiss me.I could tell he meant for it to be short, but he never pulled away. And now I was on his lap, running my fingers through his hair, my shirt coming off somewhere in between.

There was a sharp smack on the window and he jumped. I leaned back and tilted my face towards the peeled ceiling and sighed. I had made sure he wouldn't find me. I had covered all my transactions, what car I took, practically even my footsteps. But he found me nonetheless, and he always did.

"Cora, get out here, NOW."

Still on the boys lap and my shirt off, I opened the door briskly.

"Hi Daddy." I said with a mock joy, topped off with a too tight smile and tilt of my head.

His eyes were wild with anger and his face contorted to look as stern as possible. The boys eyes widened and he looked between us.

"Get the hell out," he demanded, then paused "And put a god damn shirt on."

I shrugged at Dad and kissed the boy on the cheek, only to gracefully topple out of his lap and onto the pavement. I looked back expectantly at him until he realized what I was waiting for. He quickly tossed me my shirt, which I threw on myself hastily. Dad grabbed my arm and started to tug me away, but I managed to turn back and smiled charmingly with a silent wave in the boy's direction.

Dad had hauled my ass back to his '67 impala, which was extremely uncomfortable to ride in not to mention the reek of dirty clothes. I swear he's never cleaned the thing. About 20 minutes later, while I was going over in my mind why he doesn't just clean it, maybe spray some Febreeze, he cleared his throat.

"Do you wanna know I found you? "He asked quietly. Tiredly I noted.

"Actually I've been wondering." I stated coldly, seeing the words hit his face.

"Internet history," he answered, looking towards me "You looked up directions to Roy, Nebraska."

He sighed, looking ahead. As much as didn't want to admit to it, I could barely stand to see him like this. What human can watch another person hurt without feeling remorse? But I didn't say anything. I couldn't without giving up, and if there's one thing I don't do, it's give up in a fight.

When we reached the bunker, he grabbed my arm just above the elbow and marched me inside. Sam was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and watched us until we were on the main floor.

"Where was she?" He asked, now walking with us.

"I'm right here." I snapped.

"Roy, Nebraska" Dad answered, obviously ignoring me.

He half dragged, half walked me down the hall and into my room. He opened the door and quickly shoved me inside. I fell backwards into my bed, and scrambled back towards the door. I was too late; I could tell he was holding the door shut. I banged on it with my fist.

"You can't lock me in here forever!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I knew I would never be able to pry the door open, not unless he let me, but I knew he wouldn't. He wouldn't let me out of his sight after a night like this. And definitely not after me lying directly to his face saying I wasn't going to do it again. After a few minutes of staying pressed against the door, I retreated to my bed, where I laid looking up at yet another peeled ceiling.

Corona Ann Brown. That's my full name. My mom named me Corona because she thought it was bad ass, or at least that's what I thought. I remember asking her one day when I was five why my name was so different.

She just smiled and said "Because you're special Cora."

I felt so happy and complete, that I could recall. But that was before the accident when I was six. It ended up being a vampire that did her in, when all the drunken fights she stopped while working at the bar didn't. She was walking home from the bus stop after work and got snatched. I was home alone waiting for her, ended up waiting all night before I called the cops.

I knew Dad got revenge on the bastard long ago. I don't think it was to avenge my mother's death, but more my childhood. I knew that even though we weren't close, he would have done anything to give me my life back.

It wasn't long after the accident that he showed up and took me home in a blazing glory of leather and Metallica. I don't really know how he knew about me, we never really talked about it, but I always thought that maybe, just maybe, he had been secretly looking out for us in those years. But hopes don't always come true and dreams can only last the night. So I got up and walked to my closet, opening the creaky, wooden door and checking I was alone before stepping inside.