Chapter 10: Walking the Line

It was pleasant waking to the sounds of cheerful chirping. Lisa pulled the sheet off the bird cage, giving a little whistle. The cockatiel hesitated then whistled in return.

"You're a friendly little bird," she said to it. The cockatiel scuttled to the cage door, waiting anxiously for it to open. "If I let you out, will you stay on my shoulder?" The cockatiel climbed up the bars to be face to face with Lisa. She stared at it feeling the bird's eyes innocently pleading with her. "I don't blame you for wanting out your cage. I want out of my cage too," she said forlorn. "I don't think Jackson would want either of us free."

"Good morning," Lisa greeted. Jackson looked up, mildly surprised by her light tone. He swallowed a sip of coffee. "Someone is chipper," he remarked, cocking his head to the side curiously though suspicion wasn't too far off.

A ghost of a smile crossed Lisa's lips. "I had a good night's sleep, better than I had in a really long time." Jackson nodded absently, watching her pour coffee into a mug then stir cream into it. "The bird, I think, helped." He smiled, satisfied by Lisa's taking to the pet.

"I thought you would."

Lisa sat down at the end of the table, a chair separating her and Jackson. She sipped the coffee then asked, "Do you know what it is? I'd like to give it a name."

"The breeder said it's a boy," Jackson answered. "I knew the bird would help you feel more at home."

Lisa straightened in her chair, the hair on the back of her neck bristling at his words. "Just because you give me a pet doesn't mean I feel at home here. This will never be my home."

"Never say never, Leese," Jackson replied, arrogantly. He sat back in his chair, holding his mug. "I like how things are going. You're doing so well."

"If I'm doing well then why can't I go outside?I'd like toget some fresh air." She tried her best to look as innocent as possible. She knew Jackson's trust in her was extremely fragile, and she had walked on glass far too many times with him.

Jackson stared at her, lazily, contemplating her plea. Lisa was about to burst when he said, "I'll take you outside."

"I'm not doing this."

Jackson stepped forward heavily, his patience waning at Lisa's resistance. "If you want to go outside so bad then you should cooperate."

Lisa eyed the handcuffs he was holding as panic welled up inside her. The only way to go outside, Jackson said, was to be handcuffed to him. It was one thing to dance with him, at least she could get away when she wanted to. But to bechained to him, trapped with no escape, made her skin crawl. She had to deal with it though. Being outside would help her learn the surroundings and maybe she'll catch a glimpse of the car Jackson had been using.

She stared warily at the handcuffs, willing herself to surrender. Lisa stuck out her wrist, and a smirk crossed Jackson lips as he clicked the cuff on her right wrist then clicked the other side to his left. He pulled her along to the door and they stepped out into the sunlight. Lisashaded her eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the bright light.

The back porch had a great view, but it was nothing like this. Pine trees spread as far as she could see making an elongated wall of brown and green. A narrow path led into the trees and disappeared to the left in the distance. Lisa thought they would take that path, which she figuredwas a driveway, but Jackson pulled her to the back of the house and down a winding trail that was just wide enough for both to walk abreast. Lisa peered around taking in details and locking them into her memory. She might have to use this path to some day soon.

They trekked along in silence, the only noise being birds squawking and the thumping of their shoed feet on the dirt ground. Lisa was thankful for one thing. Jackson had taken most of her clothes and shoes, so it gave her a small comfort to have her clothes - something familiar - on her back.

"You were one of those girls, weren't you?"

Lisa blinked, his smooth voice bringing her out of her thoughts.She turned to him confused."What?"

"One of those girls who was popular, had lots of friends, was a hero on the field hockey team, maybe even homecoming queen." Lisaaverted hereyes to the ground, but felt Jackson's burning gaze turnto her. "I knew a lot of girls like that in high school and college. They never gave me a second glance. Women like that are good for nothing. All they think about is themselves and how they can get ahead in the world. You were one of them once, weren't you?" When she didn't respond, Jackson sighed and continued, "but you're different now. You know better.It's good that you were raped, because if you hadn't been,you'd still be just good for nothing."

Lisa sucked in a hissing breath. "Don't say that."

"Why not, Leese?" Jackson replied in all seriousness. "You're better off now."

"You don't understand," she whispered achingly. "Do you know how much it hurt me? How much it still hurts me?"

A hand clamped around her neck, and Jackson's face was inches from her. Lisa gasped in horror at the sudden closeness. Jackson's blue eyes pierced her with intense fierceness. "You are better off now."

Lisa's eyes widened, and she jerked away from him. She stumbled over a stick, falling backwards into an oak tree with leafy vines winding around it.Shehit the tree, the bark poking sharply into her back, her free hand grabbing the vines. Jackson stumbled forward with her, but regained his footing before he could fall atop Lisa.

Lisa was breathing heavily, and she could feel the scratches on her arm and hand starting to sting. Jackson sighed dramatically. "Always the fighter, Leese." He grabbed her cuffed wrist and hauled her to her feet. "You okay?" he asked, examining her scraped arm.

"Yes," she replied hoarsely. She turned her head to look at the tree that made broken her fall and gasped. "Oh no." She pointed to the vine. "That's poison oak."

Jackson glanced at it and said casually,"Well, it is."

"No, Jackson." Her voice grew higher in worry."I'm highly allergic to poison oak!"

Jackson paused then glared at her in annoyance. "Damn, Leese," he muttered and was about to say something else demeaning when he caught sight of the fear in her eyes."Come on, we need to get back to the house."

A bigTHANK YOUto emptyvoices who gave me suggestions on what to do next in this story since I was having trouble with the transition to a later chapter.