Okay, new chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner. I had this chapter all typed up and ready to go, but I read it over and decided to rewrite it. Then Fan Fiction wouldn't let me log into my account.
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. I only own Tawny and her uncle.
Chapter 3
Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
One Month Later-Jack's P.O.V.
"We're moving." Mom said slowly, "Not out of town, but across town to another house. I can't live here anymore."
"What?!" I yelped, "But what if Tawny tries to come back?"
"It's been a month. She's most likely dead Jack. He might've killed her. He's dead too." She said it bluntly like she didn't want to care, but I could tell she was trying hard not to cry. "He died in a car accident. They found his body, but she wasn't there."
"SHE IS NOT DEAD!" I roared, "She can't be. He wouldn't do that to her. She'll be back."
"I'm sorry, Jack." She whispered and hugged me, "They told me this morning. The movers are coming tomorrow. Start packing."
"No, I'm not leaving if there's still a chance that she'll come back."
"Serious Face, Jack." I backed away when I looked up. It wasn't her serious face. It was a mask of pain and hurt and anger.
I stared at her numbly and walked upstairs to my room. I looked at the boxes mom had no doubt brought up earlier. Some were full. Tawny's shelves were empty and her bed was stripped. Mom had already packed Tawny's things. I slowly started packing up my shirts and pants, then my few books, then a few projects from school. I packed up everything, but my blankets because I had to sleep tonight.
I looked over at my dresser and remembered the one thing I owned that was worth keeping. The iPod, Tawny's iPod. The one thing that could keep her close. I had read stories about people who had lost family members, who slowly forgot their faces, their favorite things, and even the person's name. That won't happen to me I thought boldly as I clutched the iPod in my left hand.
Tawny's P.O.V
"He's not going to come back, is he?" I whispered to David. His head shot up and I saw the startled look before it disappeared. "What do you mean?" he said slowly.
Suddenly I felt angry, "You know darn well what I mean! He left me here and HE'S NOT COMING BACK!" I yelled at him, "It's been a month and I haven't heard anything from my family!" My vision blurred with tears. David walked over and put his hand on my shoulder, "Tawny, I'm sorry. I was going-"
"YOU KNEW!" I screamed and pushed him away from me, "I hate you. Get away from me!" I ran up the stairs and into my room. I slammed the door and locked it, then for good measure I put a chair under the knob. I curled up on the window seat with a blanket and my photo frame. I stared at the smiling faces in the picture. I was 4 and Jack was 6 when this was taken. Mom was holding me and Jack was sitting on dad's shoulders. Jack and I weren't looking at the camera. We both were looking at each other and grinning ear to ear.
I stared at the picture and fell silent. The tears still streaming down my face. The silence was broken only by my occasional hiccup. David was probably going to wait to talk to me. If he wasn't he would have been up here now trying to get through the door. I got up, turned off the lights, and drew the curtains over the window. Then, I double checked the door to make sure it was locked and changed into my P.J.'s.
I cried myself to sleep.
The next morning...
When I woke up I felt weird. I shook it off and got out of bed and into my clothes. I had slept well considering the circumstances. I walked over and saw that the door was unlocked but the chair was still in place. He must know how to unlock the door. I figured that he had come up in the night and tried to get in but the chair had stopped him. I got up and immediately went to the computer. I powered up the monitor and logged into the account I had set up. I opened the internet and went to Google. I hovered over the search box and typed my name. I hit "I'm feeling lucky", the article that popped up had pictures of my family (mostly of me and dad) and according to the article I had been kidnapped 5 weeks ago by my father after he had gotten into a fight with Mom.
The police had speculated that he had most likely taken me to get back at my mom. Some thought he had killed me, but since I had taken some of my things with me they doubted it. They were prepared to find a body, though. My body I thought as shock numbed my mind. The police thought I might be dead. My mom thought I might be dead. I read the rest of the article and found out that they had found my father's body. He had gotten drunk and drove the car off a cliff.
I should have been sad, but all I felt was a sick sense of satisfaction. He had probably ruined my life and I might never see the rest of my family ever again. 'He deserved it.' I thought and then instantly felt horrible. No one deserved to die like that, even if they were horrible. That didn't mean that I loved him or that I forgave him. Just that he didn't deserve to die. The room was really hot.
I heard David knock on the door. "Go away! You insert your favorite profanities here."
"Look," he said through the door, "You don't have to talk to me, you don't even have to look at me. I'm leaving some breakfast outside the door and then I'll go downstairs. I don't want you to starve." I heard retreating footsteps in the hall and I slowly walked over to the door. I stumbled and fell, but quickly got back up.
I gently pressed my ear to the door and, when I didn't hear anything for a minute, I moved the chair and opened the door. A plate heaped with bacon, eggs, and waffles sat on a tray on the floor. Next to it there was a cup of water and another cup full of orange juice. I picked it up and walked back into the room. I kicked the door shut behind me and set the tray on the desk, then ran back and replaced the chair under the knob. I took a small sip of the juice and continued to read through all the articles on me. Maybe I could send a message through the comments. No, I needed an account and for that I would need a credit card. I kept reading through the various articles.
By the time I was finished reading I no longer had an appetite. I stared at the food on my plate and felt sick. I ran to the door and threw the chair out of my way. I was halfway down the stairs when I threw up.
David's P.O.V.
I was beating my head against a wall. "Idiot" I muttered as I stopped and plopped face down on the couch.
I had probably just ruined her life. She would never talk to me again. I had brought up her breakfast a few minutes ago and I had been quite shocked at her colorful language. I had almost smiled last night when I had gone up and unlocked her door, only to be stopped by the chair. She had been clever enough to realize that I might have a key. I was proud to be her uncle.
I was annoyed at my brother. Sure, he was dead, but all I felt was annoyance and anger toward him. He had gone and kidnapped his daughter, who had done nothing to deserve it. Then, he abandoned her with me and said he would be coming back in a few weeks. Almost six weeks later he shows up dead and leaves me without a way to get her back to June without getting arrested.
I had grown quite fond of little Tawny during her stay. She was more alike to me than she was to her father. Now she hated me. To be honest I hated me too. She was stuck here for the rest of her life because I was too much of a coward to face jail time.
I groaned as I stood up and walked to the fridge. I had just pulled out a water bottle when I heard the upstairs door slam open, followed by the sound of someone running to the stairs. I ran toward the stair case and was greeted by the distinctive smell of vomit. I looked up and saw the carpeted stairs covered in puke and Tawny curled up on one of the steps.
I climbed the stairs, carefully avoiding the mess, and gently picked her up. She made a weak sound of protest and tried to fight me, but I just continued to climb up the stairs. I opened her door and laid her in bed. I pulled a blanket over her and ran back downstairs. I grabbed some Sprite, crackers, and a bucket and quickly went back upstairs. She was sitting up and looking miserable. When she noticed me she glared and uttered a few things I will not repeat.
"That's my girl." I said and smiled sadly as she glared. I set the crackers and sprite on the nightstand and set the bucket on the floor next to her bed. I walked over to the computer, intent on finding out why she was sick (I couldn't very well take her to a doctor). I shook the mouse and looked at the screen.
I winced when I read the headline of the article. 'Stupid, why did you let her go to the room with the computer?' I thought as I read through, 'No wonder she threw up. This is enough to make anyone sick. Not to mention the emotional stress of her father abandoning her and then dying. She probably doesn't know what to think.
I glanced at her and she glared at me. I wish I could do something to for her I thought and turned off the computer. I walked out of the room and locked the door behind me. I walked downstairs and continued to beat my head against the wall.
Tawny's P.O.V.
I got up and smirked. I had him completely fooled with the 'I'm so sick' thing. Of course, I had really been throwing up a few minutes ago, but I think that's acceptable considering everything. I had almost ruined it when he had left and I'd sat up.
I grabbed the chair and placed it under the knob. Then, I walked to the window and pulled it open, welcoming the rush of cold air that greeted me. I climbed out onto the roof and started upward. I had discovered this in the month I had been here. The window was sort of jutted out from the rest of the roof and there was a spot that was perfect for sitting and thinking right on top. It was the place I had decided would be my new 'spot'. My 'spot' at home had been a corner in my room that I would huddle in when I didn't want to be bugged.
I peered at the thick tree branch that passed near the edge of the roof and slowly slid down the roof to it. I reached a leg out and experimentally put some of my weight on it. It shook a little, but held as I put more weight on it. I slowly eased the rest of my weight on the branch and reached out my hand and clutched the branch. I scooted down the branch further and further from the roof until I reached the trunk of the tree. I slowly began my three-story descent, picking my way down, branch by branch.
I got to the last branch, about 7 feet off the ground. I thought for a second and then swung down so that I was hanging by my hands. I dropped onto the ground and landed clumsily. I glanced up and thought about how I would get back up, but quickly dismissed the thought. I turned and looked at the woods that were behind David's property.
At first I walked slowly, but then start to run until I couldn't see the house anymore. I wasn't running away 'cause I didn't even know where I was or how to get home. I got to a metal fence that marked the end of David's property. 'Wow.' I thought, "He must be rich or something.' I climbed over the fence and continued on my way. I wasn't scared of any wild animals or getting lost. I began to walk up a ridge, hoping to find a road or something. If I was going to run away I couldn't just walk down the mile-long driveway because he would easily catch up with me if he noticed. I needed to practice running and get to know the forest. If I was fast enough I could lose him in the trees.
Sadly, when I reached the crest of the ridge there was no road, but a large trench in the earth snaking through the forest. I walked down and peered over the edge. It was about 7 feet deep and there was a creek that ran down at the bottom of the trench. It was a little over a foot deep in the center and about 7 or 8 feet across. I climbed down slowly until I was perched on a small stepping stone that stuck out of the water. I saw another about 2 feet away and jumped. I landed clumsily and almost lost my balance on the slick stone. I went on like this till I reached the other side.
I was about to climb up the other side when I saw the sun had moved since I last looked. David might have noticed that I wasn't in my room by now. I quickly made my way back through the forest and leapt onto the fence quickly scrambling up and leaping down at top speed. I didn't slow down until the house was in sight. I reached the tree and found a few decent footholds to climb up. I quickly scaled the tree and up to my window.
I swung in to find my door had been broken down and there was frantic shouting coming from downstairs. "David!" I yelled, "Why did you break the door down?!" My yell was greeted by the sound of David pounding up the stairs and crushing the life out of me. "GET OFF ME!" I yelled and threw every curse I knew at him until he finally released me.
"Where were you?!" he yelled, "You scared me half to death."
"I was on the roof, ignoring you." I muttered and looked down at my feet, which were filthy and cut from my walk in the forest. I hadn't noticed until now because my feet were calloused and tough because Jack and I didn't usually wear shoes back in Jasper.
"You were where!?" he yelped, "You're sick you shouldn't be outside."
"I'm not sick!" I yelled in exasperation, "I was faking it so you wouldn't bug me. Now, because you broke my door down I have absolute zero privacy."
He looked really mad about pretending I was sick. He silently walked downstairs and when he came back up he had a new door. "Where were you keeping that?" I asked, but he didn't respond. He just kept installing the new door. I guessed that he had resolved not to talk to me. I grabbed a book and went into the closet with a flashlight. I sat there for a few hours until he was done with the door. I got out and walked to the door an d twisted the knob. It was locked from the outside. 'Figures' I thought. I grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper and began to draw out what I remembered of the woods.
Thanks for waiting people. This story is still on top of my poll. Review please.
UPDATED: 4/10/13
