Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

Rainbow

Footsteps came from outside along with the sound of someone crying. Terrified, Shiloh slid from the sofa and backed into the corner of the room staring at the doorknob as the lock turned and the door creaked open. Evan filled the doorframe, but a cold breeze still leaked in from around his body. The smell of mountain air and pine trees filled the room with an icy chill. She stared at him too afraid to speak and peered at the girl he was holding by the neck.

"This is Callie Davidson. She'll be sharing your room for a time." Evan grinned at her. "Doc has brought along another box of clothes for y'all." He pushed the girl into the bedroom. "I've explained how to use the washer and dryer down here, I want to see clean sheets on the bed. If you walk around in dirty clothes with your hair filthy, you will be punished. Do you understand, Shiloh?"

Nodding, Shiloh dropped her gaze to the floor. Speaking and following directions was part of the rules if she planned on eating and drinking. She raised her chin and looked at him. "I understand. Thank you for the clothes. I'll change the sheets on the bed right away."

"Don't forget to take a shower and make sure Callie takes one too." Evan gave Callie a push toward her. "Explain the rules. Callie is having a hard time understanding what we expect from her. Doc has left, so she'll be here until he gets back. Luna has gone, and a new girl, called Bonnie, will be bringing your supper tonight. Don't talk to her. I'm going to work but I'll be by to check on you when I get home." He looked from one to the other and nodded slowly and then went to the front door and collected a cardboard carton. He dropped it inside the door with clothes spilling from the top. "See you later."

A key turned in the lock and Shiloh let out a long breath. "I'm Shiloh. Where have you come from?"

"Foster care, a long way away." Callie rubbed at her eyes and looked around. "This is better than the place I was living in before, but I had no idea what was going to happen when I arrived. That man they called Doc took me to a motel on the way here and told me to call him Daddy. I tried to run away but he carried me inside. I started to cry and he dug me with a needle." Callie, sniffled. "I woke in the truck just before we arrived here yesterday and I hurt all over. What's happening here? It isn't a foster home, is it?"

Keeping her voice low, Shiloh explained. "I escaped but there's nothing but trees out there. The dirt road goes for miles. They put me into a cage when they caught me. If we want to eat, we must do as they say. They hate it when we cry, but if we smile, they give us candy." She pointed to the pulsing red dot in the ceiling. "Luna said they are cameras. Everything we say or do Evan knows about."

"That's horrible but I know that was happening to one of the girls in the foster home too. I told the foster mom and she said it was to be expected. I was hoping Doc was adopting me and he had a wife at home, but he doesn't." She walked around picking up things and putting them down. "Do we ever leave this place?" Callie stared at the door. "I hate being inside all the time."

Shaking her head, Shiloh touched her arm. "Not so far but I've only been here a few days."

"Is Bonnie free?" Callie wiped away tears on her sleeve.

Taking a box of tissues from beside the sofa, Shiloh handed them to her. "I'm not sure how free she is. If she's the same as Luna, maybe. I didn't see her often. Food is delivered through that small hole in the wall over there." She went to the door and pointed to a hole above a small shelf. "I guess Bonnie will access it by a sliding panel from the outside. If we can't talk to her, we won't know what's happening outside."

"It's boring here." Callie dropped down on the bed and sighed. "Do you figure if we do as they say, they'll give us a TV?"

Unable to believe her ears, Shiloh shook her head. "I don't know. There are plenty of things to do before Evan gets back. If you're bored, help me change the sheets. We can check out the box of clothes and then we'll take a shower." She thought for a beat. "Then I'll show you how to use the washer and dryer."

"I have an idea." Callie moved close to her and cupped her mouth against Shiloh's ear. "How about we make secret plans to escape? I know how to pick a lock." She moved away. "How long will Evan be away?"

Shiloh shrugged. "I don't know. He hasn't left before now."

"Time enough, I hope." Callie winked at her. "For us to get all this work done, I mean."

Excited by the idea of escaping but terrified of being alone in the forest overnight in the freezing temperatures, Shiloh shook her head. She moved closer and cupped her mouth. "We'd freeze to death."

"If he's working nights, he has to sleep sometime." Callie's voice was just above a whisper as she dragged sheets from the bed and bundled them in her arms. "Show me the washer."

It seemed that Callie was older than her years. Shiloh guessed that being in foster care for as long as she could remember did that to a person. They dumped the linen into the washer and were heading for the sitting room when Callie beckoned her into the bathroom. She followed. "I'm not taking a shower with you."

"I don't want you to." Callie ran the shower and closed the door behind them. "When we wanted to talk at my last place we went to the bathroom. In here the steam fogs up the cameras and the noise of the water covers our voices. We can speak in here without them knowing." Callie grinned at her.

Nodding, Shiloh stared at her. "So what are your plans?"

"We'll know by tonight how long he's going to be away. I know he works security at one of the mines, so he'll be doing the same shift each day. When we're ready, we'll wait for him to come home. When he heads for bed, we'll wait for half an hour and then we'll put on as many clothes as we can. We'll go to the house and raid the kitchen for supplies and then we escape. He'll be asleep for hours and so will Bonnie. They won't discover we're missing until breakfast." She grinned at her. "I'll take a shower now. We'll act like good little girls for the next couple of days and he'll believe he has nothing to worry about and sleep like the dead."

Shiloh frowned. "When is the doctor coming back for you?"

"Not for ages. He has workers at his house." Callie smiled. "Maybe as long as a week. I heard him talking to Evan. We have time to make plans and escape. They'll never find us. I know the forest. We just find the river and follow it. They always lead to a town. Then we'll be safe."

A shiver raised goosebumps on Shiloh's flesh. "I hope you're right and we get away, because if they find us, we might not survive the punishment. I near froze to death in that cage and that was just the beginning. They're monsters."

"Well then, we must make sure we're not caught. We'll need to start making plans and collecting things we'll need. Trust me, if you figure he'll kill us, our chances are better in the forest." Callie stared into space thinking. "Have you been inside the house?"

Shiloh nodded. "Yeah, only once. Why?"

"I helped Bonnie make supper last night. I know where everything in the kitchen is. We'll take knives and anything else we need." Callie frowned. "Maybe we'll be lucky and find a flashlight."

In spite of her misgivings, Shiloh nodded. "I'll go and find you some clothes."

She left the bathroom and dragged the box of clothes from a charity store to the sofa and peered inside. The thought of running again and what would happen if Evan caught her again frightened her. She chewed on her bottom lip. What have I gotten myself into this time?