Kidnapped Part 7 - Confusion

TWYLAS POV

I did not think, I did not feel. I just did. Once I realized Jack was dead, it was too late to escape, the others were already there. I had to get out. They would never let me stay after I killed one of their own. I threw another glowing hot stone at John as he blocked my way. I don’t think it killed him but it certainly injured him greatly. The totally heartbroken look on Marc’s face did not even make me flinch. I jumped over John as he writhed in pain, next to Jack’s body. I bolted through the tunnels, pushing anyone that was too close out of my way. There was only one thing on my mind. Escape. Get out, get out. Getoutgetoutgetout! I jumped out through the hole just as well as any of the guys could and ran for the trees, and the mountains. I had to get away from them. Away from them all. I ran for hours before finally tiring and collapsing against a tree.

Once I woke up again, I knew that I could not go home. Marc was right, I was too dangerous. I decided to go into the mountains and teach myself how to use my talents before returning to my friends and family. I did not want to go home just to end up accidentally killing everyone. I had been walking through the forest for at least a week when I started to notice that something weird was going on. I was getting paranoid. I decided after I looked over my shoulder for what had to have been the tenth time in the last five minutes. But I could have sworn that I heard someone behind me! It’s the isolation. I’m going crazy. I shook my head and continued on my way.

It was the end of my second week of hiking. I was at the base of one of the many large mountains. I made it. I grinned and giggled to myself. None of the guys thought I could have made it this far. They never said anything when I brought it up but I could see it in their eyes. I was the girl. I was weak. I could not make such a long and difficult hike. Well, they were wrong. I am strong and I made it. The sound of a branch cracking in half made me pause in my little celebration. I turned around and prepared myself for the worst.

"Caleb?!" My voice came out hoarse and quiet from the two weeks of not talking. I looked up and up (and up) at him as he stood between two small trees. His clothes were tattered and very dirty, just like mine. His usually tidy hair was let loose of its neat pony tail and was a complete mess. The only thing about him that looked the same was his eyes. Those dark, mysterious eyes. He had secrets. And lots of them. "What are you doing here?" I asked wearily, remembering that he was a traitor. "I followed you." His deep, musical voice was uncharacteristically rough (probably for the same reasons as mine). "Why?" I asked puzzled. I could not prevent my excitement from showing in my voice. If Caleb was truly one of the bad guys, he would have been happy that I left and just left it at that. But he did not. He followed me.

My question hung in the air for a full minute. "Because...I had to make sure you were safe. I also want you to know the truth." I glanced up at his sad face. "What are you talking about?" I asked wearily. My voice was still very scratchy but sounded better. "John, Jake, James, Ryan and Jack told you that I was a traitor." He said quietly. "I am not! They are the ones who have betrayed us." I was puzzled. "If you did not betray us then why have you been sneaking around lately? You have been so distant..."I was a little surprised at how sad I sounded when I said that.

"That is because I knew of their plot! I have been spying on them while they meet with the others back at the house. They caught me the day you left. That is why they said I was a traitor. So no one would trust me." I shook my head. "If they have so many on their side, why did they not attack us?" Caleb growled. Actually growled! "There may only be four of us but we are stronger than normal mages. Especially me. They want to separate us. They did attack. About two weeks ago. Right after you left. They have Marc and Tye locked up somewhere out of the way so they can carry out their plan."

The cold, dark uncaring feeling that had come over me when I escaped had long since worn off. Before the news would have had no affect on me at all. They were just two fewer people to stop me. But now? I was worried. "Are they okay?" I asked my voice was thick with worry. Caleb clenched his fists and looked down at me. "I do not know. I left during the attack, when I found out that you had left. Finding you is more important than Marc and Tye. They understand that." "What do you mean finding me is more important? I left; I am out of everyone’s way now! Go save them! I can survive fine out here; I have been doing it long enough!" Why would he leave the guys to that group of murderers? "You don’t understand! Twyla, there is something that you need to know. There is a reason I left for you. You are the last female mage. Girl mages are different from guy mages. Very different. Everyone is going to be looking for you now."

I froze. What?! "You’re kidding." I said in disbelief. He shook his head gravely. "I’m sorry, no. I am very serious about this." His deep brown eyes burrowed deep into mine as if he could look right into my soul. I don't know why but I stared back. Then something weird happened. I felt...I felt different. It was as if everything I had ever known thought or felt was...different.. I felt more aware...and more...more connected. To myself, to everything around me and even to Caleb. Especially to Caleb. But there was also a new feeling there that I could not identify... What just happened? I wondered. As I looked deeper into his eyes I saw that the exact same thing was happening to him and he seem just as bewildered as I was. But what exactly was this? Caleb was the first to break the silence.

"We have a lot to talk about but we should find shelter first." I nodded my agreement. I did not trust my voice. Even though we broke eye contact, I was still very aware of everything. We walked together in silence as we searched for something that would make a suitable shelter. We ended up making a small tent-like thing out of branches and leaves. It would not keep out any rain but it would protect us from a lot of the wind. I started a small fire right outside our make-shift shelter and we talked.

"You have been doing a good job of taking care of yourself out here." Caleb said as he put a few more pieces of wood into the fire. "I’m not as helpless and pathetic as you guys seem to think." I said quietly. Caleb shook his head. "Of course you are not. You are a mage. Many of us have forgotten what the female mages are like. I remember because my mother was one." I sat down beside me and put his arm around my shoulders. His warmth seeped through his dirty, tattered shirt and into my skin. I had gotten so used to the cold over the time that I was out here that I had nearly forgotten how nice it was to be warm. I snuggled in closer to get more of the heat that seemed to be radiating off of him. "Was? What happened to her?" "She died when I was eight." I felt sadness and some other emotion that I could not identify coming from him. Wait...What? Since when was I able to sense other people’s emotions? I pushed back the confusion for another time and concentrated on what was going on. "I’m sorry." I whispered. Caleb shook his head and the emotions that I had felt from him disappeared.

"Don’t be. She died to save me...and to keep something from the mages that were after her. My mother knew something. It was pretty big too...She would not tell me what it was; only that it would change the lives of every mage. Just before she died she told me that she could not tell me what it was...she said that I would find out when I was older. She said that it was up to me and the next female mage. She never got the chance to say what exactly it was we have to do..." I bit the inside of my cheeks. What had I gotten myself into? That question had been swirling around in my head since I was first kidnapped. Caleb trailed off and we both stared into the flickering flames of our small fire, both lost in our own thoughts.

I don’t really remember falling asleep but I must have nodded off at some point because I woke up to feel something warm and heavy wrapped around my waist. I panicked for a moment, not remembering what had happened the previous night. I turned, prepared to scorch whatever it was that had me but instantly calmed down when I saw it was just Caleb. He was still asleep and it was his muscular arm that was wrapped around my waist. He looked so peaceful when asleep. His face was smooth and free of the worries that consciousness often brings.

I found myself reaching up to run my fingers through his greasy, tangled hair. Neither of us looked very good after spending so long in the woods without and decent showers or clothing. I picked the small twigs and leaves out of his shoulder length, jet black hair. I froze when he stirred. What am I doing?! I pulled my hand back and tried to slip out from beneath Caleb’s arm. Sadly I could not get out. I struggled with the limp arm but eventually gave up. He was stronger than me even when he was asleep! For some reason that did not bother me.

When I woke up again Caleb was awake and cooking a rabbit over a fire. Seeing the food reminded me of how hungry I was. "Hungry?" Caleb asked with a laugh when he heard my stomach’s angry growls. I blushed. "Yeah." I ran my fingers through my very tangled, greasy and messy hair and straightened what remained of the green dress that Marc had given me before. The woods had made a total mess of me. I must look like a total wild woman I thought. Wait? Why do I care about that now? I did not care before... I shook my head at myself and turned to Caleb. "What?" He asked with a puzzled expression. I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to prevent a giggle from coming out at such a cute puzzled face. "What is it? Twy, your face is pink." I was also holding my breath. "I really don’t know anymore." I said with a sigh. Just as fast as it had came, the sudden giddy feeling left me. I really did not understand what was going on with me anymore.

Okay I'm sorry that I did not post in a long time I had really bad writers block but I know where I'm going now and I hope you all liked this chapter! I really appreciate all of your comments and support, keep it coming! I promise things will clear up in the next two chapters!