Chapter 9 What to do now?
Sophie has gotten Shelby to fall asleep in Sophie's tent. Sophie then walks over to check on Peter. Taylor has fallen sleep in Peter's arms just out of pure exhaustion. Peter gives Sophie an drained look. Peter nods to the tent where Shelby is sleeping. Peter and Sophie pick Taylor up and move her to the tent. Taylor is so passed out from emotional exhaustion that she doesn't move or wake up when Peter and Sophie carry her. Peter holds Taylor as Sophie lays the sleeping bag out on the other side of Shelby, but with enough room for Sophie to lay her sleeping bag in the middle. Peter and Sophie lay Taylor on the sleeping bag. They then both emerge from the tent. The fire had gone to a small red glow. Peter puts more wood on it to get it restarted. Sophie is sitting on a bench near the fire. Tears are streaming from her face. Peter walks over and takes a seat on the bench right next to her. He then puts his arms around her. Sophie buries her face in his chest and sobs. Peter glances over at the two sleeping teenagers. Tears swell up in Peter's eyes as he keeps an eye on the two. After a few minutes, Sophie looks up at him. Her eyes are swelled and red from crying so hard.
"What are we going to do?"
"I don't know." Peter has such strain and frustration in his voice. He glances down at Sophie and then looks over at Shelby. "We'll have to get more details and find out what Shelby wants to do." He then turns his stare over to Taylor. "We'll also have to get more detail about this Grant character from Taylor. I have a feeling that both are going to clamp up. We'll have to find a way to get them to talk. If not with you and me, someone they trust."
"We can't let that bastard get away with it. I don't care if he's a Senator, no one has a right to do what he did."
"He won't Sophie. . .He won't. Do you think I should call Roger tomorrow and have him pick us up, or do you want to continue the hike?"
"I'd like to continue the hike with no restrictions."
"Ok, I'll have Roger bring up some food and let the girls sleep in."
Peter holds Sophie tight as the fire blazes ever so bright. A little while later, Peter and Sophie head off to their tents. Peter goes to the tent that Shelby set up for herself. Sophie goes to her tent where Shelby and Taylor are still asleep. Sophie sits down on the sleeping bag in the middle. She does not lie down right away, but sits with her knees against her chest. Tears begin to stream down her face again. She glances from Taylor to Shelby, back to Taylor. Taylor's shirt has slid up her back a little ways, revealing her mid back. The fire gives off just enough light for Sophie to notice something curious. Sophie finds her flashlight and then shines it on Taylor's back. Sophie gets out of the tent.
"Peter" she yells in a loud whisper.
"What?" Peter whispers back coming out of his tent.
"Come here!'" Sophie's urgency gets Peter to run.
"What's wrong?"
"Look"
Sophie pulls up Taylor's shirt to reveal multiple scars.
Sophie has gotten Shelby to fall asleep in Sophie's tent. Sophie then walks over to check on Peter. Taylor has fallen sleep in Peter's arms just out of pure exhaustion. Peter gives Sophie an drained look. Peter nods to the tent where Shelby is sleeping. Peter and Sophie pick Taylor up and move her to the tent. Taylor is so passed out from emotional exhaustion that she doesn't move or wake up when Peter and Sophie carry her. Peter holds Taylor as Sophie lays the sleeping bag out on the other side of Shelby, but with enough room for Sophie to lay her sleeping bag in the middle. Peter and Sophie lay Taylor on the sleeping bag. They then both emerge from the tent. The fire had gone to a small red glow. Peter puts more wood on it to get it restarted. Sophie is sitting on a bench near the fire. Tears are streaming from her face. Peter walks over and takes a seat on the bench right next to her. He then puts his arms around her. Sophie buries her face in his chest and sobs. Peter glances over at the two sleeping teenagers. Tears swell up in Peter's eyes as he keeps an eye on the two. After a few minutes, Sophie looks up at him. Her eyes are swelled and red from crying so hard.
"What are we going to do?"
"I don't know." Peter has such strain and frustration in his voice. He glances down at Sophie and then looks over at Shelby. "We'll have to get more details and find out what Shelby wants to do." He then turns his stare over to Taylor. "We'll also have to get more detail about this Grant character from Taylor. I have a feeling that both are going to clamp up. We'll have to find a way to get them to talk. If not with you and me, someone they trust."
"We can't let that bastard get away with it. I don't care if he's a Senator, no one has a right to do what he did."
"He won't Sophie. . .He won't. Do you think I should call Roger tomorrow and have him pick us up, or do you want to continue the hike?"
"I'd like to continue the hike with no restrictions."
"Ok, I'll have Roger bring up some food and let the girls sleep in."
Peter holds Sophie tight as the fire blazes ever so bright. A little while later, Peter and Sophie head off to their tents. Peter goes to the tent that Shelby set up for herself. Sophie goes to her tent where Shelby and Taylor are still asleep. Sophie sits down on the sleeping bag in the middle. She does not lie down right away, but sits with her knees against her chest. Tears begin to stream down her face again. She glances from Taylor to Shelby, back to Taylor. Taylor's shirt has slid up her back a little ways, revealing her mid back. The fire gives off just enough light for Sophie to notice something curious. Sophie finds her flashlight and then shines it on Taylor's back. Sophie gets out of the tent.
"Peter" she yells in a loud whisper.
"What?" Peter whispers back coming out of his tent.
"Come here!'" Sophie's urgency gets Peter to run.
"What's wrong?"
"Look"
Sophie pulls up Taylor's shirt to reveal multiple scars.