Caged In Read Free

No
Cage, it ’ s your bed. I am
just happy to have a safe place to sleep. ”
    “ Safe? ” I
questioned. “ What is wrong with
your house? ”
    She
shook her head almost as if she did not realize what she just told me. “ Nothing.
I ’ m just tired, ya
know. ”
    “ Ok
Charlie, whatever you say. ” I
tossed a pillow at her as I climbed into bed and she laid down.
    “ Cage. ”
    “ Yeah
Charlie? ”
    “ Thanks
for being my best friend. ” She
paused like there was more. I leaned over the bed so I could see her. “ I
love you, ” she whispered before
rolling over so she faced away from me.
    I
had no idea what to say back so I acted as if it did not happen. “ Good
night Charlie. ”
      “ I
love you, Cage. ” Those fucking words.
That fucking voice. I just needed my brain to switch off for ten fucking
minutes so I could get a break. I moved back and forth as tremors rocked my
body. A chill quickly followed as sweat dripped from every pore. The pain of
withdrawal was unbearable, driving me borderline insane.
    “ And
these fuckers won ’ t give me shit for them, ” I
screamed into the emptiness. Rehab during the day was tolerable, but at night,
as the darkness crept across the floor so did my memories until they found me
huddled in the corner of my room. Anxiety and depression warred with my
exhaustion as everything I snorted to forget came back ten-fold.
    It
was her thirteenth birthday and my mom made Charlie her favorite dessert, lemon
meringue pie. She was so happy as she opened her two presents from my family. A
new dress my mom picked out for her and a heart necklace I bought her.
    “Thank
you so much Mr. and Mrs. Matthews for everything. I had a great time. ” Charlie
said as she was leaving.
    I
followed her out the front door onto the porch like I always did. I reached out
to touch her. Something I found myself doing more and more since the start of
eighth grade. “You can stay longer if you want. There ’ s no rush. ” She shook her
head in response.
    “My
mom promised that she would be home tonight for my birthday. She got a new job
and everything. ” Her voice trailed off as if that explained everything,
but her big green eyes stayed on me, begging me for something I did not quite
understand.
    “Ok
Charlie, ” I finally said as I took a step closer to her. “Come
back over if you need to, ” I murmured, “or if you want to. The
window is unlocked. ”
    “ Thanks Cage . . . for everything. I love you. ” My gut
clenched like it always did when she said it and I didn ’t. But I never
got tired of hearing it.
    “Yeah,
yeah. ” I laughed , trying to be cool, as I
turned back into the house. My body craving hers with every extra second I
spent with her alone.
    I
stayed up well after my parents waiting for her to come through the window. Promising
God that when she did I would say those three words back to her. Then at
midnight and still no Charlie I went to sleep, feeling both sad and happy that
she was not on the top bunk that my parents bought me for my eleventh birthday.
My last thought before I fell asleep was that they had to know it was for
Charlie. Mom never locked the window when she cleaned my room.
    I
woke to the sound of a sob as Charlie was crawling into bed with me.
    “Charlie,
what ’ s wrong? ” She never got in with me.
    “Nothing,
just go back to sleep. ” Her voice cracked bringing me fully awake. She
was trembling and her left hand was grasping the front of her shirt together so
tight her knuckles were white.
    “ Damn it Charlie, just tell me. ” I sat up and reached for
the light when she pulled me back.
    “Please
don ’ t. I don ’ t want anyone to know where I go, ” she spoke so softly.
Too softly. “Please leave the light off. He ’ ll
know. ”
    “Who
will know? ” I did not understand what was going on, but I felt like I
had to take on the world to keep her safe. “Charlie, what is going on? ”
My voice got lower as rage started to set in. This