Isolation

I walked out of that courtroom scared to death. I had just finished testifying against my father and the gang he was a part of. I was 2 weeks shy of my sixteenth birthday with no idea where I was headed. Two people who were part of my bodyguard unit quickly ushered me into the back seat of a black car with tinted windows.

I tried asking where we were going but was quickly shushed and the doors closed. I sighed and pulled out my cell phone to play a couple games. It had no service and the location wasn’t on, to likely someone would track me. I ignored the person who slid into the back seat with me concentrating on beating the puzzle I was working on. As the car started moving the person next to me took my phone.

“Hey, what did you do that for?” I asked angrily.

“We need to talk,” he replied.

“You could have just said that,” I say as I try getting my phone back.

“For one I did and for two put your seatbelt on, it's gonna be a long drive,” he says as he tucks my phone into his pocket.

Grumbling, I did as I was told and clicked my seat belt into place.

“Where are we headed?” I asked, staring out the window.

“Olavar. I know it’s far but it’s best if we get you as far away as possible,” he says as he looks out the tinted window.

“What about my mom and sister?” I asked.

“Your sister is 18 she is free to make her own choices and your mom signed custody over to us,” he says.

“What? Why would she do that?” I asked angrily and louder than I meant to.

“Because we are a private bodyguard business. No one knows about us and your last name will be different so no one can find you,” he answered unfazed by my loud voice.

“Not even Evelyn?” I asked, tears forming in my eyes.

“No, not even your sister,” he answered, trying to give a comforting smile.

I sat in silence ignoring him and going into my world. It is a world I created inside my head to try to lessen the weight I had to carry. I used to be shared among my father’s coworkers if they could even be called that. They paid the money and I had no say in it.

Father used to try to comfort me by telling me that it was for the greater good but I never saw it that way. It wasn’t till ninth grade that people started noticing how withdrawn and distant I was. Then one day a kid noticed the scars on my thighs while I was changing for P.E.

After that it was therapists and counselors. Along with those came the threats that if I ever told I would be killed. I finally broke down during one of the sessions and told everything. My family was put in protective custody and my father and his gang got arrested. Now after 2 years the trial was over and I had a different last name and I was being moved a few realms away from my home in Eyorah.

I felt a tapping on my arm but ignored it. I stared out the window trying to memorize the buildings and trees. I didn’t know when or even if I was ever coming back. The tapping was becoming persistent and it was pissing me off.

“What?” I snapped glaring at him angrily.

“Woah calm down. I was just trying to tell you we were gonna be picking up my brother in about ten minutes. You are not allowed to leave the car or even look out the window. You will need to keep your head down and hood up. It’s a bad part of town and I don’t want to risk anyone seeing you,” he say.

“Fine Ryker,” I say, still pissed.

He sighed and climbed into the front seat of the car. I put my headphones on and then flipped my hood up. It was a wider hood so it covered a lot of my face. I snuck my phone out of Ryker’s pocket glad he was in front of me so I could do that. I turned on my music and turned it up so I couldn’t hear anything. I closed my eyes most of the way and slowed my breathing so it seemed like I was sleeping.

I paid attention to what was happening around me as the car slowed to a stop. I knew this area it’s where my father used to trade me off to his buddies. A small figure emerged out of the shadows and quickly slid into the car. He spoke in hushed tones quiet enough I had to turn my volume down to hear him.

“Does she know?” the new guy asked as the car started going.

“No,” Ryker say in just as hushed tones.

“Good. She doesn’t need more to worry about,” he says.

“Ezra we must keep this quiet. If she finds out she might run,” Ryker say with a sense of urgency in his voice.

I decided at this time I didn’t want to know. If it was enough I might run it probably would be best not to know. Jumping out of a moving vehicle is always a terrible idea and that would be the only way to run. I stretched and yawned like I was waking up. They quickly stopped talking.

“Can I take my hood off?” I asked, making it sound like I just woke up as I slide my headphones off.

“Yeah we got him,” Ryker answered.

I flipped the hood back and got a good look at the person sitting next to me. He looked to be no more then 5’6” and couldn't have weighed more than 100 pounds. He had mousy brown hair just like his brother but unlike his brother’s blue eyes his were more emerald green. I turned bright red as he raised his eyebrows at me.

“I’m Ezra,” he say as he held out his hand.

I flinched back unconsciously as he raised his hand up from his lap.

“I’m Rae,” I say as I stared at his hand.

“Are you okay?” Ezra asked as he quickly lowered his hand.

“Yeah. Why?” I asked confused.

“You flinched,” he say.

“It’s nothing,” I say shrugging.

“How old is she?” he asks Ryker.

“15 and you can ask her,” Ryker replies.

“I’m almost 16,” I grumble.

“I'm 17, almost 18,” Ezra says as he looks at me.

“Good for you,” I say, still annoyed that he didn't ask me his age.

He goes to say something else but Ryker shushes him. Ryker reaches into his pocket to give me my phone back but soon realizes it’s not there. He turns to me and I hold it up. He sighs and looks like he wants to say something but doesn’t. He turns back around and stares out the front window.

A few hours tick by slowly. The games on my phone slowly become boring as the roads go from building to nothing but fields for miles. I sigh and shove my phone into my pocket as the driver slows down and takes an exit for an airport. The driver stops a few blocks from the airport and nods at Ryker.

“Everyone out we are gonna be walking to the airport from here,” Ryker says.

I grumble but grab my backpack. It holds everything I own and I won’t leave it behind. I flip my hood up and put my sunglasses on before getting out. By now I was used to the protocol for walking around in public. Ezra and Ryker take up guard on either side of me as the car speeds away. We walk like that until we get to the airport gathering more than a few groups of people asking for pictures. Most people think I’m a celebrity and that’s what we want. It hasn’t been the first time a group of people come up asking me for pictures thinking I’m famous.

Ryker and Ezra quickly shoo each group away before any pictures could be taken. We go into the airport and they change positions. Ryker walks in front of me and Ezra stands next to me as I flip my hood down and put my glasses in my pocket. I stare ahead trying to keep my thoughts away from the thought of having to take a plane. I sigh as Ryker gets our tickets sorted and we go through security. I slow down my breathing trying to keep myself calm not liking how big the crowds are.

“We’ll be landing a realm away from Olavar. It will then be another 2 hour drive to Olavar and then half hour drive to where we will be staying,” Ryker says as he leads us to our gate.

I roll my eyes and clutch my backpack to my chest trying to make it seem like I’m way calmer than I am. We finally find our gate and sit down waiting to be called for boarding. My mind suddenly transports me back to a time when my father took me on a plane. I was 9 and we were going to meet a potential business partner. That trip was the first time I lost my virginity and it was not a good meeting.

I could feel my heart beating faster as this flashback took me deeper into memories I wished I could suppress. I fumbled for the medicine at the bottom of my bag trying not to freak out. I could feel a bottle of water being pressed into my hand but my mind was too focused on the memories to really care. I found the bottle of pills and quickly popped two in my mouth. I swallowed them down trying to get my heart to slow. I was so used to taking the pills it was all done using muscle memory for the most part.

I didn’t know how long it took me to come back but when I did the first thing I noticed was the bottle of water in my hand. I quickly drank it down my mouth dry from breathing so hard. I then noticed Ezra and Ryker looking at me concerned and worried.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled as I slowly stood up.

I ignored them as I stumbled to the restroom and went into a stall. I sat down on the toilet and put my face in my hands. I hadn’t had a flashback that bad in years. I wish the portals weren’t so heavily monitored or else we would have taken one of those. I slowed my breathing down and walked out of the stall and to the sink.

I splashed my face with ice cold water trying to make sure I was okay before heading out to face the boys. I dried my face off and threw the paper towel in the trash. For the first time I noticed I wasn’t alone in the bathroom. The man who just came out of the stall at the end stared at me with a predator's smile. I sighed not wanting to do this now. In my stupor I walked into the wrong fucking bathroom.

I left the bathroom ignoring the guy who was in there and walked back to my bodyguards. Both of them had a worried look on their face. I sat on the seat between them and quickly pulled my hood up. The guy came out of the bathroom looking for me. Ryker noticed him first and put his arm on the back of my seat watching him.

“Hey pretty lady,” the guy say as he came over.

“I would keep walking if I were you,” Ryker say.

He thought about it for a second as he looked between me and Ryker. He finally shrugged and walked away.

“Are you sure you’re fine?”Ryker asks.

“Not at all but I’m gonna pretend I am,” I say as I flipped my hood back down.

“You were out for 20 minutes,” Ezra says.

“Did we miss our flight?” I ask.

“No. They called for boarding right before you came out of the bathroom,” Ryker answered.

“Good let’s board,” I say as I grabbed my backpack and headed towards the boarding gate.

Ryker and Ezra both shrug then follow me to the gate. We soon settle into our seats and I fall asleep as the plane takes off. Next thing I know I’m waking up in a car. I panic as I search for my backpack.

“It’s right here,” Ezra says as he hands it to me.

“Thank you,” I say as I hug it to my chest.

“We’re about 10 minutes from where we’ll be staying,” Ryker says as he looks back at me.

“How did I get in the car?” I ask.

“I carried you,” Ryker answers.

I look at him surprised but stay silent. The minutes pass quickly as we pull up to the trade center where I’ll be staying for who knows how long.