Elijah

I didn’t want to leave Dawn, but when my mother called in near panic, I didn’t have much choice. I figured she would be okay by herself for a few minutes and I would call my brother once I was in the car.

Once in the car and backing out of my spot, I called my brother. He owed me enough favors, so he certainly could do me one now.

“What’s up bro?” he answered on the fourth ring. He was always the happy person out of the two of us. I just went with the flow and got the job done, whatever it was.

“Really? Do you have to shout?” I asked. “Can you do me a huge favor?”

“Sure,” he answered. I could mentally see him shrug.

“Can you go check on Dawn? And take Emily with you. Mom called and said Joan showed up and wants some answers,” I said.

“Yep. I’ve been waiting to see little Dawn again,” he replied.

I knew he’d be disappointed, since the girl he remembered was not the same in any way—not after what she’d been through.

“Just be careful, please. She’s not like you remember,” I warned, hoping that he wouldn’t be hurt.

“Yeah, I gotcha, Elijah,” he said sadly.

I had been scared out of my mind a few weeks ago when I had left her with my mom and she told me Dawn was coughing, and could hardly move through the pain. I’d called my dad instantly. That week was the longest of my life. I was by her side as much as I possibly could be.

I grew up with a bright-eyed girl who wasn’t afraid of anything and always spoke her mind. We were close as we possibly could be for our ages—like cousins. Dawn was nine years younger than me, like a little sister who drove me nuts most of the time. She’d follow me everywhere, asking me question after question or just talking non-stop. My brother, who was five years older than me, constantly made fun of me because I had a shadow who thought I’d hung the moon.

The get-togethers grew farther apart as we grew older. Mom began to work more hours at the homeless shelters around town, and my brother and I began to get into sports and more involved in school.

When we heard about Quentin’s death, we dropped everything to help Dawn and Joan, even offering them the space above the garage at my parents’ home. Joan declined, even though my parents knew that where they lived wasn’t the best place.

I went off to college and entered the FBI program, following Zack a year later. Determination and the lack of family ties of a wife or children was the main reason we gained positions so quickly. After getting into the FBI, Zack was able to dig up the case on Dawn. At that time, they didn’t have much information, or the interview transcripts in the file. He found out they were ruling the case as a runaway.

I didn’t think it was the normal runaway: I had seen a fair share of them, but I couldn’t say anything, since we were not allowed to be on the case.

When my mother called, saying Joan knew Dawn had been found and wanted answers, I knew I would have to come up with something to tide her over. I wanted to know who told her.

Looking at the house with almost all the lights on downstairs, I took a deep breath before I made my way out of the car.

“Elijah,” my mother said, relieved. She pulled me into a tight hug as I closed the front door behind me. “I tried to get her to understand that I didn’t know anything,” she whispered near my ear.

“I’ll handle it,” I stated before my mom released me.

“Good to see you, Mrs. Ellis,” I greeted as I entered the living room. My voice was monotonous as I addressed the woman before me. The living room was laid out in a similar way as my own but in lighter colors. The walls were painted a dark blue color, making the oak and white furniture stand out more.

The woman sat on the white couch, clutching a tissue in her hands. Her dull green eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her face had more wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. As a teenager, I always thought Joan was in her twenties instead of late thirties. Her light blond hair had a few gray strands now as it was pulled into a sloppy ponytail. She looked old—and that was putting it nicely.

She was a drug addict, and looked as though she still used drugs. My best guess was meth and black market pills.

“So, is it true? Has my baby has been found?” she cried. Her eyes pleaded for me to give her the information she wanted so desperately.

“I’m not at liberty to say,” I said, stuffing my hands in my pockets and leaning against the door frame between the living room and entryway. “You know I’m not on that case for personal reasons. Who told you, anyhow?”

“Morgan knows a guy who told him,” she answered. I knew it was going to be that deadbeat. “You dug up information once before. You can do it again. I need to know where my daughter is. Please,” she begged, leaning forward, still clutching the white tissue.

I could understand her need for answers, but with it still being an open investigation, and Dawn being eighteen, Joan was not meant to know anything. She still wasn't ruled out as a suspect in the case.

“I’m not on the case, so I don’t have any information. My guess is she’s been put into witness protection because her kidnappers have not been identified.”

“Can’t you get Zack to ask around and get some information? Or have him hack into the system to find out where she is?”

“No, I can’t. He nearly lost his badge the last time; he won’t risk it again.”

“But I want to see my daughter!” she wailed. “I’ll do anything to just see her.”

“I know you do, and I'm sure you will. You just have to be patient,” my father said calmly as he walked into the room, patting me on my shoulder on his way past me. He was still in his blue work scrubs, a clear sign he hadn’t taken the time to shower before leaving the hospital after his shift.

“I won’t stop until I see her,” Joan said, her voice turning cold.

“You are just going to have to wait,” I said. There was nothing I’d do right now. Not willinging anyhow.

My phone began to ring, and I excused myself to answer it in another room. I was relieved to get away from the grieving woman. Why hadn’t my mother called Zack instead?

“Yeah?” I answered, seeing it was my brother calling.

“Yo, Eli man,” he greeted me.

“I’m busy, Zack,” I sighed, rubbing at my eyes with my free hand.

“What were you thinking, leaving her alone? It was only fifteen minutes, but she was totally lost in her mind,” he nearly shouted.

“I thought she’d be okay. I expected her to just go to bed,” I stated, rubbing a hand down my face.

“Well, she didn’t. She was kneeling by the door on her knees waiting for you to return. She was obviously in full-out panic mode. You should have called me before you left the house,” he said, lowering his voice as anger dissolved from his voice. “You’re lucky Emily came with me, Elijah. I have no idea how to handle women; she was bad enough.”

“Yeah,” I replied, at a loss for words. “Did she say anything?”

“No,” he laughed sadly. “She panicked even more when I tried to get near her. Took my Emily a good ten minutes to get her to calm down enough to move off the floor.

“Tell her thank you for me,” I said. I wanted to punch myself for being so stupid, but what was done was done. There was nothing I could do about it now.

“You can tell her yourself,” he replied. “And are you sure this girl is our Dawn? She’s so . . . sad…”

“Yeah, it is. The DNA test results are a match,” I answered quietly, so I wouldn’t have to worry about being overheard. “I hope to be back once I can get Joan calmed down.”

“Alright bro, bye.” Zack ended the call.

Walking back to the living room, I found my parents sitting on the loveseat and Joan sitting in the same spot she was before. She held her hands in her lap and kept sniffling. She looked up when I re-entered the room.

“So, can you find some info on my baby? Please, Elijah?” she begged with sad eyes. I was good at reading people, and this woman here was certainly putting on a good act.

“I’ll see what I can do. I won’t be able to find her location, but I can hopefully get something on how she is doing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my guest,” I said, hoping to pacify her for the time being.

I bid my parents goodbye and dad walked out with me. The sun had long sat on the horizon, casting long, dark shadows around the yard.

“Thank you, son,” he stated once we were outside. “Joslyn couldn’t figure out a way to get her to calm down, and there was an emergency at the hospital so I couldn’t leave.

“Thank you, Dad,” I said, before I made my way to the car. I shot Zack a text, letting him know I was on my way home.

I tried to be quiet so I wouldn’t wake Dawn if she was asleep by chance when I got back. I may have even exceeded the speed limit to get there faster because I was so worried about her.

Reaching the living room of my house, the scene made my heart break once again. Dawn was the only girl who could ever cause me this type of weakness. My girl was lying on the couch with her head in Emily’s lap. She had an afghan covering her as she lay there. Occasionally, I could see tremors go through her body. She looked worse than when I’d left her.

What had I done?

Zack sat in the chair closest to the door. He was looking at the TV but I could tell from his face that he was worried. So was I. I had no idea what to do to make Dawn happy and healthy again. She wasn't a simple fun-loving girl anymore.

I patted him on his upper arm, drawing his attention away from wherever his mind was. I walked to the couch, crouching down next to Dawn right as her green eyes slowly opened into a dazed look. They were filled with nothing, almost completely blank. It was as if she had no reason to live—nothing to fight for any longer.

“Hey there,” I said to her, letting my southern drawl break through. “You ready to go to bed so we can let Zack and Emily go home?” I wanted her to hear my accent.

Over the past five years, I had train myself to speak in a region neutral accent. However, Dawn would only remember me with that southern twang from when I was younger. Whether she did or not, I hoped the accent would comfort her.

Instead of answering me, she only blinked. I yearned to see the young, bright-eyed girl reappear.

“I’m sorry for putting you in a position where you were left alone and afraid. I didn’t think clearly,” I said, keeping my hands to myself, even though I wanted to pull her into a tight hug and never let her go.

“She’ll be okay,” Emily whispered. “Give her some time and show her you’re not mad.”

“Oh, I can’t be mad; it was my fault,” I said, running the back of my hand down the side of her face. She closed her eyes at the contact and cradled her face in my hand, seeming to want to soak up any affection she could from me. “Now let’s get you to bed, Dawn.”

I knew without a doubt that Zak’s Emily was the Emily in the cages with my girl for a short time. Surely she wouldn’t have taken so easily to anyone she didn’t know?

Once I had her in my arms, she buried her head into my shoulder and neck as her small hands clenched my shirt like her life depended on it.

I vaguely heard my brother and soon to be sister-in-law make their way out of the house. I carried Dawn up to my bedroom, knowing she wasn't going to want to be in her own bed by herself. Plus, I wanted to hold her until she felt safe. I attempted to lay her on my bed, but she clung to me tighter, if that were possible.

“I won’t leave you. I’m just laying you down on the bed,” I said gently.

“Stay?” she cried, glancing up through her long eyelashes, spiked with tears. More tears were gathering in her eyes as she looked at me.

“Of course,” I answered, smiling tenderly at her.

She slowly released her hold on me so I could lay her down. I watched her as she began to stiffen with wide eyes as she watched me. I took my shoes off and sat my phone and keys on the side table. My bedroom was set up similarly to hers. The only difference was instead of the light brown colors, my room was bathed in grays, blacks and whites, and I had a king size bed.

Once I was in bed, laying on my back with only the glow of a small lamp to fend off the darkness, I pulled the frightened girl closer to me, where she instantly curled into my side. I had shed my shirt, so her soft warmth soaked into me even more.