Just Keep Running

Chapter 17 The Roof

After about an hour we start to walk farther and farther away from the city as the sounds of sirens and cars are now starting to fade away, and the lights are no longer as bright. I look back at the city for a moment and see the lights look like a bunch of little stars shining in the night sky. I turned back around and jogged a bit to catch back up to Luke who seemed to know where we were going. We got to the top of a hill and to the right of me was a wooden bench. Luke stopped walking for a moment then walked in front of me across the dirt trail we have been walking on and sat over on the bench. He looked at me for a moment and then patted the spot next to him on the bench. "Come here." He said. Then I walked over on the bench and sat next to him. We sat in silence for a moment just looking at the city. "Maddie." Luke started as he then looked at me. I turned away from looking out at the city and looked back at him. "I know that you don't want to hear this right now but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for dragging you into all of this, I'm sorry for letting Daniel, John and the others hurt you, I'm sorry for letting them take your Mom, I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you when you needed me most, I'm sorry for not telling you about my family, and I'm sorry for everything, all the pain I have caused you and all of the things that have happened, the things that you've seen, and the things that they made you do. I'm also sorry for not telling you about my old job and what it really was, but I want you to know this, starting now I will always be there for you no matter what okay? And I promise you we are going to get your Mom back." He finished. My eyes started to well up with tears as I thought about Luke's words. "Thank you Luke, also it's not your fault that any of this happened it probably would've still happened even if I didn't know you, because while I hate to admit it Daniel is still technically one of my legal guardians even if I'm not really related to him. But who knows he probably still would've done the same thing even if you weren't there. I think that because you have been there you made it better, just by being there, you made me feel a sense of calm in all that was happening, and you saved me from them multiple times. I don't want you apologizing for doing your best Luke. Also I know that we are going to get my Mom back because I trust you. You got me back, so why not get her back too!" I say the ending with a small chuckle. Luke laughs slightly then puts his arms around me and pulls me into a hug. I hugged him back. "Thank you for having faith in me Maddie." He says.

  Daniel dragged Annie into a black pickup truck that idled ominously outside our complex. The cold metal of the truck's door pressed against Annie's back as she struggled against Daniel's grip. "Daniel, let go of me!" she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "Annie, I'm only gonna tell you this once, so you better listen." Daniel's tone was harsh. "You're not going anywhere. I want to take you somewhere, then I want Luke and Maddie to come and see you die." He said finishing his statement as he then instructed John to start driving. "Where are we going!?" Annie asked, still struggling to get free of Daniel's grip. "I can't tell you that but I can tell you it's somewhere you know very well." He replied ominously. "Why are you doing all of this!" She pleaded. Daniel laughed at her question. "Because Annie, you and Maddie have been a pain in my ass ever since she was little." he said with an angry tone in his voice. "And Luke has just been a pebble in my shoe since he quit causing all of us to lose our Jobs. Now I may still have money but that doesn't mean I'm one to share what I have because I'm not." He said finishing his statement. "You wanted to adopt her with me!" She exclaimed. "Do you know why I wanted to adopt a child, Annie?" he asked. She shakes her head no. "Because I wanted a child to carry on my legacy in the gang, also I know that you can't have children." He replied being honest. Annie looked at him in shock. "I would never let Maddie join you in your job Daniel!" She said harshly. The car stops. Daniel gets out of the car and walks over to Annie's side and opens the door and grabs her arm and pulls her out of the car. "Why are we at the hospital?" She asks as Daniel drags her inside. He doesn't answer her and continues to pull her through the hospital and drag her to the stairs that lead to the roof of the building. When they get to the roof of the hospital Annie jerks her arm away from Daniel as John makes it up the stairs. "What the hell are you doing Daniel!" She exclaims earning an eye roll from Daniel. "I told you Annie I'm gonna wait until Maddie and Luke get here and then I'm gonna kill you and make them watch, then I'll kill Luke just for fun and Maddie will have to watch all of it." He replies with a smirk on his face. "You're a sick man Daniel. Maddie is 14! She doesn't need to see those things! She's already seen enough." She says, crossing her arms over her chest. He smiles. "I know I am Annie and I'm not gonna change anytime soon plus I think it would be a good learning experience for her." He says his smile growing. Annie scoffs and walks away from him. John clears his throat and turns to Daniel. "They got away" he says. "What do you mean they got away?" Daniel replies, his smile fading. "Luke and Maddie, they got away, we can't find them they left somewhere probably." John informs him. Daniel sighs and turns back to John. "Well, find them!" He yelled. John nods and leaves the roof back down the stairs and locks it from the inside. Daniel kicks a stone that was on the roof as Annie watches and mutters "Thank you Luke." Under her breath. Daniel didn't hear her thankfully. Daniel started kicking and punching the air in anger. Annie sighs and sits down on the ground hoping that Luke is keeping Maddie safe. Daniel stops kicking and punching the air and goes and makes sure that the door is locked so Annie can't leave. 

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