“He’s brave. He steps up to any challenge that’s thrown his way. He doesn’t back down.”
“That’s a good thing, yeah?”
“Yeah. It means he’ll do great at protecting you. He’s a smart boy. I love him.”
“And you’ll still get to see him all the time. That has to be hard workin’ with them and then lettin’ them go.”
“It is. I miss them when they’re gone, but I’m happy they found a family,” she tells me.
“I bet they love you, too, Mylah.”
“I think they do. They are lovable animals,” she says. “Tide?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t leave me.”
“I’m not leavin’ you, Mylah. I’ll take my last fuckin’ breath protectin’ you.”
“If they do what they say they’re going to do, please find me.” I sigh. This is hard. I don’t know what the hell is going to happen. I don’t know who the fuck they’re going to auction her off to.
“I’ll find you. I’ll always find you.”
“I can’t lie to you and say I don’t have feelings for you, Tide. I won’t do it. Not now.”
“That’s good, baby, because I’m not lettin’ you go. No matter what, I’m gettin’ you back.”
“What if you can’t find me?”
“I will, Mylah. Don’t even think like that. I have my ways,” I tell her.
“What about you? He threatened you.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m strong, I can handle it.”
“I’m so scared,” she cries. I rest my chin on the top of her head as we lie here.
“I need to get up and see what I can figure out.”
“No. Please don’t leave me!” She screams.
“Okay. Okay, I’m not leavin’ you.” I keep myself pressed against her, my chin on her head as I think. There has to be a way out of here. I’m sure they’re guarding the doors, but there has to be some way out. I can’t do shit with my arms behind my back, and that’s a problem. I can’t reach my knife, but she may be able to.
“Mylah, I need your help.”
“What do you need?”
“I need you to scoot down and see if you can reach your hand into my boot. There’s a knife in there.”
“No.”
“What? What do you mean no?”
“I can’t do it, Tide. I’m so fucking scared,” she cries. I know she is. She’s scared, and she’s freezing, but I need her to do this.
“Come on, Mylah. This is our chance to get out of here. I need you to do it for me, baby. I need you to scoot down there and see if you can grab it. I can cut these ties if you can,” I tell her. She sniffles a few times before I feel her body start to scoot down mine. She tugs at my boot.
“I can’t feel anything,” she says softly.
