Chapter Six
The sun rose hours ago and illuminated the pine forest around us. Pine needles coated the ground and the smell of the forest wafted up to meet me. It was mixed with the smell of gasoline and burnt rubber from the nearby highway. The birds tweeted as the pine needles crunched under our feet. Cars honked and screeched. By now they knew we were gone. They would have sent the cops to look for us. To hunt us down. To lead us to our death. If we moved fast enough, though, they would never catch us. We would be ok.
"Where are we?" Juliet questioned, finally awake.
"By the highway. We've made good time sleepy head," I told her.
"What? Why?" she seemed generally surprised, maybe a little angry even. I'm sure the confusion could be read across my face. Why would she be angry? Or surprised? She knew this was coming.
"Um, because we are trying not to be unwound?"
"Well, put me down! I don't want to go with you!"
"What? Why!?" my heart felt like it was squeezed by a boa constrictor.
"Because I want to be unwound!" The world seemed to stop, I couldn't breathe. Did my sister really just say she wants to be unwound? She tried breaking out of my arms as I tightened my grip.
"Why in the world would you want that?" Prima probed. Her face showed just as much confusion as I felt.
"Because. I want mom and dad to love me," she responded. She struggled in my arms.
"What? That's crazy! Juliet, they will never love you!" I panicked. "They hate us!"
"I have to try, because that's all I want. Is their love. So, if being unwound is what it takes, then so be it." I never saw her so determined before. It terrified me that my baby sister wanted to be unwound for people that had shown her no love. I couldn't lose her.
"It will never work, Juliet. They won't suddenly start just because you decided to be unwound for them. Don't do this!" I tightened my grip possessively on Juliet. She stopped for a moment and stares me down.
"My mind is made up." Her face had a steel glare. It was so cold and angry. I had never been so hurt, but I wasn't giving up.
"So is mine. I'm not letting you do this." I tightened my grip as much as I could as she struggled in my arms. I couldn't let her go. I had to keep holding on. She'd understand in time her idea was foolish, that's what I told myself. I began to walk away with her securely in my arms.
"I'll make you. I'll give you no choice," Juliet said.
She let out a scream, one that would have drawn any search parties in the surrounding area directly to us. I covered her mouth as fast as I could and Prima and I took off as fast as we could. We heard shouts from somewhere in the distance. Dogs were barking like mad and Juliet was struggling as much as she could. When I wouldn't let go, she bit my hand hard enough to draw blood, forcing me to let go of her. She screamed again and the dogs came into sight. She took off for them and I went to pull her back to us but Prima pulled me with her as a cop grabbed Juliet, not giving me a chance to go get her. He began to pull her off as more came to chase us. I was being pulled so hard by Prima, I could barely keep up. I looked back and watched as my baby sister was carried away. I knew that was the last I would ever see of her.