Madison's stomach was growling but she said nothing. They had gone through three towns since Brice's waring to keep quiet without so much as slowing down. Madison had resigned herself to the fact that she probably wouldn't eat for the next day or so. She figured Brice's plan was to get both of them weak with hunger so they couldn't fight him and he could do whatever he pleased with her. The thought made her shudder. If only she could get to a phone! Aaron would have called her parents, they would be frantic right about now. The car's clock glowed digital numbers that read 10:48pm. She turned her head and stared out the window, ignoring Isaac and Brice's conversation in the front. Brice was back to talking normally and Madison realised this was much more frightening than when he was yelling, neither her or Isaac knew when he was going to go off next. Suddenly remembering the roll of lifesavers she had in her bag, Madison perked up a bit. She sat up straight and felt around on the seat next to her for her bag. Picking it up, she rummaged around and finally found what she was looking for. As quietly as she could, she ripped the paper and took hold of one of the small round candies. She shoved that in her mouth, took another two and also promptly ate them.
"You're being awful quiet back there Maddie" Brice said.
"I've got nothing to say to you"
"That's harsh... you'll change your tune soon enough".
"Oh, you think so do you?" Madison asked.
"I know so baby. Just you wait.". Madison rolled her eyes. She didn't say anymore.
"Brice... we really have to stop somewhere..." Isaac spoke up.
"We don't have to do anything... we don't stop till I say so.. understand?"
"Whatever man... you're gonna have to stop sooner or later, you can't drive all night"
"Say's who?"
"Say's me, you'll either kill us or someone else by falling asleep at the wheel"
"You see, I don't think that'll happen.... but, we will stop for the night... when I find a suitable place" Brice said. They drove for another hour before Brice slowed down and pulled into a resting spot for travellers.
"What are you doing?" Isaac asked.
"Stoping, you're right. I do need a little shuteye" Brice said. He shut off the engine and everything went dark. Madison looked out the window and saw nothing but darkness and the outlines of trees. There were no other cars in sight. She looked at Isaac and saw he was watching her. "Goodnight guys!. Remember.. I have the gun with me. You try anything, anything at all, and I'll shoot you both dead. Okay?" Brice asked cheerfully. He got no response. Madison couldn't sleep. She had to figure out a way of getting out of the car. Soon, Brice was snoring, loudly. Isaac appeared to be asleep to. Madison tried the door handles on both sides in the back seat but both doors had the child lock on them. She couldn't get out. She was looking out of the back window when she heard movement behind her. Whirling around, she saw Isaac facing her, his arm stretched out towards the car's interior light. He switched it over to the left and then turned around again. He opened his door. "Hey man, what you doin?" Brice asked sleepily from the drivers seat. Isaac froze half way out.
"Goin to take a leak, that okay with you?"
"Sure... knock yourself out" Brice said before starting to snore again. Isaac relaxed somewhat and glanced back at Madison. She was ready to go. Her handbag was clutched in her hands and she was sitting by the passenger side back door, ready to leap out the minute Isaac opened it. He got out and shut his door. He reached out and quitely opened Madison's door. She sprang out and Isaac hissed
"Run. Now". She started to sprint towards the trees and looked back when she heard footsteps behind her. It was Isaac. Her heart was pounding as she blindly ran though the thick forest. Tree branches whipped her face and bear arms and legs, reaching out as if to try and stop her from going any further. Madison triped once, but she got right back up, scared that any second she wasn't runing was a second closer Brice would get to her, if he knew what was happening. She was almost certain he would be after her and Isaac by now. Madison felt as if she had been runing for hours. She stopped by a large tree, bending at the waist, her hands resting on her knees, she tried to catch her breath. Her heart was racing and waves of dizzyness flooded over her.
"Madison!" A voice whispered. She froze, not able to tell if it was Brice or Isaac. "Madison, where are you?" Slience. Madison held her breath, afraid that if it was Brice, he would hear her breathing. "Madison! It's Ike...-" Madison let out a small cry, relieved it wasn't Brice.
"Isaac? I'm over here.." She quietly called to him. Within minutes Isaac was by her side. He stood next to her, sucking in deep breaths of air. "Are you okay?" He asked once he was able to talk. In the darkness, he saw her nod. Madison could only just make out Isaacs body shape. The thick trees didn't allow much moonlight to fliter though.
"Did he follow?" Madison whispered, refering to Brice.
"I don't think so... we should keep moving though"
"I don't think I can"
"Madison, you have to. We have to get to the highway and flag down a car to take us back home" Isaac said, starting to walk cautiously through the trees. He heard Madison's footsteps crunch the dry leaves and twigs on the forest floor behind him. He also heard her quiet sobs and gasps of pain. "Here, let me help you" He said, turning around and walking back to her. He gently wrapped one arm around her waist and took hold of her hand with his free one. She sniffed and they started to walk slowly. Isaac noticed she was limping. "What happened?"
"I fell over when we were running" She said quietly, sounding very childlike.
"Are you okay?"
"I guess so... I have to be right? To get away from here... from him" Madison said. They were both still talking very quietly, neither of them knew if Brice was in fact close to them or not.
"I'm sorry" Isaac suddenly said. Madison looked up at him but couldnt see his face.
"What for?" She asked, surprised.
"For Brice... I don't know what got into him... god... I asked to put my bag in the trunk and he refused.. I should have insisted. Then I would have seen you and we wouldn't have even left Tulsa. If he'd waited any longer to tell me about you, you could have died in there" Isaac said. Madison could hear that he was near breaking point, which surprised her even more as she was certain that he hated her. She was a 'rich bitch'.
"It's not your fault Ike... really... you've done so much for me already. If Brice hadn't have gone to your house first.... who knows what he would have done to me by now... I certainly wouldn't be here at the moment... we're getting away and it's because of you." Madison said quietly. She stopped walking and faced Isaac.
"I could have stoped him from leaving Tulsa in the first place though" Isaac said. "Look at what he did to you on the side of the road! I could have stoped that but I just let it happen... he beat you.. and I watched him do it."
"What are you talking about? You pulled him off of me! He probably would have killed me right there and then, he was so angry." Madison tried to comfort Isaac's guilty concience. Then she did something that surprised them both. She drew her arms up around his neck and hugged him tightly, even though it hurt emensly to do so. Isaac brought his arms around her waist and hugged her back. They broke apart and resumed walking, an awkward silence between them. Both of them hadn't forgotten that Isaac had dated Madison's sister. They walked in silence for a long time. Madison began to get worried. "Shouldn't we have reached the highway by now?" She asked.
"Yeah... I don't know-" He stopped himself as they suddenly walked into a clearing. The same clearing that Brice had taken them. Madison felt her heart start to beat rapidly as she scanned the clearing.
"What are we doing here? You've been taking us in a huge circle!" She said, her voice shrill. She looked at Isaac with wide, horrified eyes as she started to back away from him shaking her head. Isaac looked confused for a minute then realised what was going through Madison's head.
"No.. Madison, are you crazy? I wouldn't do that to you!" He said, walking towards her.
"Don't come near me!" She shreiked, not caring if Brice heard.
"Madison listen to me! I'm trying to help you! We took a wrong turn somewhere and I'm sorry! We'll get out of here" Isaac cried, praying that Madison wouldn't turn and run. He looked around the clearing and then noticed somethin odd. "He's gone"
"What?" Madison stopped backing away and stared at Isaac.
"Brice... the car... he's gone" Isaac said, walking into the middle of the clearing. He turned back to look at Madison and saw the terror streak across her pretty features. She started to take deep, ragged breaths as her legs folded under her and she collapsed to the ground. Isaac was by her side in a matter of seconds. He bent down and helped her up. She clung to the front of his shirt as tears streamed down her face.
"Oh god, oh god... no... this can't be happening.. oh god.. he know's we escaped... we're stuck here... he'll be on the highway waiting for us... god Isaac... we're trapped" Madison panicked, her voice rising with every gasped word.
"Shhhh, no Madison, it'll be okay... we'll get out of this... he'll be driving back towards Tulsa looking for us... we just have to go the other way, to the next town and then call the police from there." Isaac tried to comfort the near hysterical girl. His words fell on deaf ears as Madison continued to ramble. "MADISON! CALM DOWN!" Isaac shouted. It worked. Madison went silent but her uncontrollable shaking didn't stop. He started walking them both in the direction that he hoped the highway was in.
