“Porch?” I preferred being outside anytime I got. After being locked in basements and enclosed rooms for years on end, the daylight hours were my favorite. Even the cold didn’t bother me if I got to be outside.
He nodded, then turned and I followed. It wasn’t until we were both sitting in separate chairs that he pulled out a folder, and handed it over to me.
“I’ve already handed these over to trusted resources, but I thought you’d like to know what I’ve found. You can keep it, or...whatever.”
Slowly, afraid something was going to pop out and bite me, I opened the white three-ring binder. Papers with nine pictures were there, staring up at me.
“I once told you I’d let you know when I tracked down everyone from Donald’s place. It took longer than I expected, some of the boys were hard to find, and even then, I may not have found them all. It’s gone on for years.”
From the little bit of news that I had caught, and the one thing I tried never to hear, was that Donald was currently in jail, awaiting trial. There was more than enough evidence against him, that I’d never have to stand in front of him or strangers to tell my tale. The wake of bodies left with his evidence was more than enough to send him to a death sentence. If he lasted that long.
“I don’t know these ones.” I laid my hand over the first page. None of the faces were ones I had been with. I turned the page, stopping there.
My eyes filled with tears. I wasn’t sure what to expect, or want to know.
Will’s picture was at the top, one where he appeared to be happy. Underneath it, it read deceased. Erik’s was next to it, also deceased.
Had they suffered?
“I won’t tell you how they died.” It wouldn’t change anything.
Another picture down on the same page was of the boy who always cried. His eyes were sad, hair was a bit longer than I remembered.
Koda Swims – Witness Protection
“He’s...Koda?”
“Who?” Collin bent over enough to look at where I was pointing. “Yeah, he’s okay. Safe. Has a new name, which isn't written in here. Everyone goes off a different name than what you may have known. He’s living a great life.”
“No, he’s not.” I shut the folder, having enough. “Don’t lie to me, Collin.” He knew better.
“He’s safe. Healthy. That’s all I know. I’m assuming he’s living as well as you are.”
Then why did it hurt so much? Seeing his picture, I mean.
“He’s free, just like you. Not everyone can bounce back from what they’ve been through easily. He was ripped from his family and went back to a broken-up one. And before you ask, no you can’t go see him.”
“I wasn’t going to ask.” Right now, I wasn’t. In like a day, yeah, I probably would.
“All of the survivors are getting therapy, finding life, and finding feet to stand on. Just like you. And I won’t stop searching, nor will Allister or a bunch of others, to put the human trafficking to a stop. Not even when the world ends. We won’t stop.”
Chapter 13
Within three minutes, I regretted making that deal with Zee. I wouldn’t let him know that, but there were too many people, too many eyes on me.
My skin crawled, and no matter how much I tried to pull myself inward, nothing changed. I could only be so much stuffed into a corner, back against the wall as I tried to be invisible.
I was invisible, but yet I wasn’t. No one dared to talk to me. They all just looked and watched, waiting for me to freak out.
I didn’t do freakouts. I suffered in misery, alone, and quietly.
Of course, part of that was due to the fact that I was on some anti-depressants that really didn’t work. They only masked the feelings and half the time I didn’t take the meds anymore. If Scarlett knew, she hadn’t said anything about it.
“Welcome everyone,” the therapist, who of course had to be male of all people, greeted the room.
I turned my eyes away, not wanting to look at him. I knew of Mr. Smith and had kind of spoken to him a time or two when Scarlett was nearby. He wasn’t all that old, and most of the teenagers here liked him.
“As many of you know, I’m Mr. Smith. Anything said in this room isn’t to leave here unless it’s plans to do harm to yourself or another person. Today, we are going to do a buddy system. Find a partner or group of up to four. Today’s goal is to make a new friend.”
