“You’re not being kidnapped. You’re being remanded,” Trey replies, but his eyes soften in the corners.
“Well then, the least you can do is entertain me before I get remanded..”
Trey holds up his finger and says, “I will show you one dance, if you promise to show me one that you know.”
“Deal,” I agree immediately.
He positions me to face him. Then, he asks, “Do you know any music with stringed instruments?”
“You mean, like orchestral music?” I wrinkle my nose.
Yes.”
“Um…‘Ode To Joy’…Beethoven,” I reply, unsure. “But, I only know the refrain…”
“How does it go?” he asks.
Humming the classical music as best I can, he smiles. “Yes, that’s good, keep humming. Now,” holding his hand toward me above our heads, he continues, “Touch your fingertips to mine…no, left hand to left hand. Doing as he instructs, he adds, “Make sure you keep eye contact with me. Now, we will turn so that you will be standing where I am and I will be in your position.”
“Half turn…got it,” I back around as he moves forward.
“Now, we switch hands and repeat the same movement.”
After we do, he says, “Now, we drop our hands and you curtsy and I bow to you.”
“Curtsy?” I falter, grinning. “How does one curtsy?” Jax, standing by us, demonstrates a curtsy, which I attempt to imitate.
Wayra chimes in, “Why are you so good at curtsying, Jax?”
Ignoring him, Trey says, “Then we both face the far wall. I will extend my hand up to you again and you will meet it with yours, just allowing our fingertips to touch again.”
“Then, what?” I feel the heat of his fingers on mine. A slight blush begins coloring my cheeks while I gaze in his eyes.
Trey’s expression is serious. “Then we drop our hands and look straight ahead, taking a step.” We do as he says. “Then, we turn our heads toward each other again, make eye contact and our hands touch again.”
“So, this is a weird kind of line dancing,” I say, continuing to follow his moves.
“Hmm?” he asks, raising his brow.
“Never mind,” I wave my hand.
“Those are the basics for that particular dance.”
“What’s it called?”
“The revel.”
“Well, no one will accuse you all of being b-boys,” I murmur, smiling at him. “I’m almost afraid to show you how we dance. You might have a heart attack.”
“Why? Is it dangerous?” he asks, looking confused.
“Uhh…you could say that. What can I show you that won’t totally freak you out?” I ask rhetorically, thinking. “OH! I know. I’ll teach you salsa! My roommate, Bridget—her real name is Brigida, she’s Cuban-American—she changed it to Bridget because she thinks it helps on job applications,” I explain. “She makes me dance with her all the time.”
Spinning around him, I show Trey how to turn and then to shift me in his arms so that I will spin away from him. “Once I’m out here, pull my hand to bring me back to you,” I instruct, feeling him pull me back. Winding inward on his arm, I end up pressed to his chest. Smiling and looking up at Trey, I say, “And that’s basically how…you…salsa…” I trail off, my fingers curling on his chest at his intense expression. He drops his chin down, his face coming close to mine.
“I’m next,” Wayra says behind me, coming closer.
“No way. I’m next,” Jax counters.
Trey freezes with his face very close to mine. “No one’s next. It’s time to go,” he says softly, letting go of me and turning away. “Pack up the gear and put out the fire, I’ll scout the area before we leave. We’ll move silently tonight. No talking once we exit the cave. Do you understand?” Trey asks in a tight tone, turning back to me. He looks angry, like I did something wrong. “We need to complete the mission so we can get back to our lives.”
Raising my chin a notch, I say, “Got it.”
Trey nods, leaving immediately for the mouth of the cave. I follow more slowly, mentally kicking myself for being so stupid. These guys aren’t my friends, not even close. They're being paid to do a job. They’re delivering me to some kind of scary institution where I’ll be subject to someone else’s whims. My heart twists inside my chest, because I can’t help feeling as if they’re betraying me. I’m stone…nothing touches me…nothing, I repeat in my head, while putting on my night-vision glasses and walking into the darkness.
CHAPTER 9
SPLIT THE WORLD IN TWO
Running through the night, I’m dodging between trees and over terrain that’s as magical as it is dangerous. I’m directly behind Trey; he’s blocking branches for me while maintaining an easier pace than before. We stop before a clearing that’s carpeted with wildflowers and singing insects and I accept the canteen from Jax.
Gazing around, everything is clear to me, almost as crisp as daylight. My night-vision glasses allow me to see the colors of the flowers: brilliant vermilion and fuchsia, with intoxicating fragrances. I lean down and bring my face close to the beautiful red bloom near me. Inhaling its scent, the petals brush against my cheek; it feels like the silk of a scarf my mother once owned. I pluck the bloom, tucking it behind my ear.
In seconds, Trey grasps my arm, tugging me to him and pulling the flower from my hair, throwing it on the ground. Grasping my chin painfully, he turns my head as his fingers sweep the place where the bloom had rested. “Are you trying to kill yourself?” Trey asks in a low, harsh tone. Turning my chin so that I’m forced to look at his face, his eyebrows shoot together as he scowls at me. He points his finger in my face. “What’s wrong with you?”
“What?” I ask feebly.
“Don’t you know what lives on those flowers—what kind of poisonous insect inhabits them?” I can’t read his eyes, because his glasses are blocking them, but his mouth is stretched in a grim line.
“Uhh—” I breathe, not able to think because he’s right in my face, looking furious enough to hit me. My heart jumps into my throat. I want to run, but I can’t because he’s still holding my chin. “I won’t—touch anything. I’m sorry—” I stutter in a low whisper, feeling all of the color leaving my face. I hate myself in this moment. I misjudged him. He’s more dangerous than I gave him credit for.
His tirade is far from over as he continues to question me. “Why would you put something like that in your hair, so close to your ear?” His grip tightens on my chin. I try not to flinch or pull it away from him.
“I…thought it was…pretty.”
His hand on my arm tightens, “You think a turbine worm, drilling in your ear would be pretty?” he asks me, like I’m the dumbest person he’s ever met.
“SIR!” Jax yells in an agitated tone behind Trey. “Can I speak with you?”
I hold my breath, hoping he’ll let me go. Slowly, Trey’s grip eases as he drops his hand from my chin. “Report,” Trey barks, still glaring at me.