One Good Reason (9 page)

“Listen
to me, Jamie,” Paul said seriously, “you have everything you need here. You
have a family that loves you. Don’t make the same mistake I made. Family is
worth so much more. Don’t end up like me… I found out months later that
Lilian
had died. I loved that woman, and I left her to
travel the world writing stories that would mean something to people when I’d
forgotten about what was important to me, important to my family. Ava hates me,
and we haven’t talked in years. I found out on T.V that my own daughter had
been kidnapped. I’m her father! I’m meant to know these things. I’m meant to
protect her. Instead, I’ve put her in this mess. She’ll never forgive me. After
everything I’ve done, and now this… But it doesn’t matter if she forgives me or
not. I have to get her home safely. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Jamie
put his hand on Paul’s knee. “She’ll be okay. She’s going to come home,” he
reassured him.

Paul
hoped Jamie was right.

He
turned his attention back to the T.V., anxiously waiting news on Ava. Time was
against them right now, he didn’t know how much longer they both had before it
was too late.

***

At
first, Ava thought she must be dreaming, hallucinating of some kind, but then
she knew the moment her feet stepped into the water it was real. A waterfall.

She’d
heard the sound as she walked closer and closer to it, but didn’t want to
believe it was the sound of a waterfall until she saw it for herself. So
instead, she began singing to herself. It was strange the disconnection she
felt singing songs that she’d heard on the radio or watch the video clips on
the T.V. only weeks ago.

Singing
songs about pain and love seemed a ridiculous concept now. The pop stars singing
them had probably never had to experience pain like Ava had. The physical pain
that you feel like your life is slipping away. The emotional pain that makes
you believe you are going to die.

But
singing now seemed to be the only way she made herself feel anything, even if
it was disconnection she was feeling. Feeling something was better than feeling
nothing.

When
the trees cleared to show the most beautiful waterfall she’d ever seen, she
nearly passed out. It was perfect. She couldn’t have been sure that the
waterfall would mean she was on high ground and would be able to hopefully see
a village, town, or city, but it gave her hope.

She
turned away from the water’s edge, saddened that she would have to leave it. If
it had been under any other circumstances, it would have been the most magical
experience to swim near the waterfall, but she had to keep moving just in case
she was being followed.

She
stayed close to the stream, climbing the side of the rock to the top of the
waterfall. It was harder than she thought it would be, the rock was slippery
and uneven, making it hard for her to climb.

She
held stepped onto each rock with force, determined to reach the top, and after
several long minutes, she finally did and it was worth every bit of pain she’d
endured during her time in the forest. For when she reached the top and looked
down the forest hillside, she saw not too far away, a small village of houses.

One
single tear fell down her face as she felt the familiar feeling of safety burn
within her. She was so close now she could almost see herself in her friend’s
arms. She would find someone in the village to help her back to Phuket, where
hopefully, she would fly back to Australia.

She
ignored her body’s fight to stop her and go slowly as she raced down the
hillside toward the village. She’d thought all her energy had gone, but now,
seeing the village only a short distance away, made her forget everything.
Forget the excruciating pain her body was in, or the fact that she hadn’t eaten
in days. Her mind was set on reaching that village. Nothing, not even her own
body would stop her from getting there.  She would rest when she was safe
from harm, and rest she craved. For the past two weeks, she lived in fear. Fear
of the unknown. Today, she was one-step closer to reaching her freedom.

8 SO CLOSE

Ava watched the old lady finish hanging out the rags on the old clothes
line. Ava was tempted to run straight up to the woman and beg her for help, but
what if someone, the people that lived here, were connected to the Thai men
back at the house. So she watched the lady from the bushes, tossing up whether
to go to her, or another house.

The
first house she came across, she’d seen only a man, so she’d decided quickly
against it just in case. He could have been a gentleman for all she knew, but
she couldn’t take the chance. She needed help from someone who could give her
shelter, but not put her in anymore harm. The old lady was small and fragile,
Ava could overpower her if she needed to. She just prayed the lady lived alone.

She
waited for the lady to go inside before she crept out of the bush, but then
paused abruptly. She looked at the rifle in her hands. She didn’t want to scare
the lady and potentially be turned away. But it was her only form of protecting
herself. What if...

No,
she convinced herself.
They
can’t find you now. It’s been days.

She
stepped back into the bush and placed it on the ground, covering it with the
loose shrub to hide it, and then she stepped back out of the bush, careful to
look for anyone noticing her. Happy that she had not been seen, she ran across
the grass and to the back of the old house.

When
she reached the door, she was about to knock when it suddenly opened. The old
lady was standing there looking up at her like she’d known she was out there
all along.

Ava
went to speak, to plead for the woman’s help, when instead, the woman grabbed
her wrist and pulled her inside, shutting the door quickly behind her. The
motioned scared Ava. She quickly pulled her arm back from the lady, frightened.

The
lady frowned at her and then walked towards the chair in the kitchen. She
patted it.

Ava
hesitated, and then followed the woman’s direction and sat on the wooden chair.
The woman then turned and grabbed a banana and handed it to Ava.

Ava’s
stomach growled loudly at the food presented to her, and then suddenly all the
pain she felt in her body came rushing back. She held the banana tightly in her
hand to control herself, but it was too late. She dropped the banana on the
table and fell to her knees in front of the old lady, clutching her legs as she
wept into the colourful skirt.

She’d
found safety. Found help. Finally, not everything in the world seemed so
terrible. Her life didn’t seem destined for pain.

The
old lady patted Ava’s hair, whispering something soothing in Thai. Ava didn’t
understand it, she didn’t need to. The way she was speaking it, she knew the
lady was reassuring her. Telling her it was all going to be okay.

“They
took me,” Ava cried, “I’ve been gone for so long. I-I- I thought I was going to
die.”

The
lady hushed her, and then placed her hand under Ava’s chin, lifting her to look
at her. Then she grabbed the banana and handed it back to Ava. Ava took it and
began peeling it quickly. She bit down into it, not even caring she’d never
liked banana’s before. The lady watched her in silence, as Ava ate the whole banana
quickly, then she turned, grabbed another one and handed it to her. Ava didn’t
refuse the offering, but this time she got up from the ground and sat at the
table to eat it.

“Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you,” Ava said to the woman. “You saved my life.”

The
lady smiled.

“Do
you speak English?”

The
lady shook her head and replied something in Thai that Ava didn’t understand
either, and then she turned and began cooking.

Ava
sat in silence as she watched the lady cook. She took in the small house. It wasn’t
much, but it looked like a home. It looked loved. There was minimal furniture,
a table and two chairs, one of which Ava was sitting at. A small lounge with no
television. Then off the lounge room, was bedroom with a single bed and
wardrobe. There were flowers scattered around the house, and pictures of her
family.

Although
the house was old, it wasn’t as old as some of the others in the village. This
house had a door and windows, unlike some of the other’s, which were open. It
also sat on ground level, whereas, the others sat off the ground needing stairs
to reach the house.

 Ava
smelt the aromas of the tea and noodles the lady was preparing and almost cried
in anticipation. When the lady was finished, she handed the bowl and mug to
Ava. Ava quickly used the chopsticks to dig into the meal. It tasted amazing.
Possibly the best dish she had ever tasted. She savoured every bite and when
she finished, the lady gave her more and more until Ava couldn’t bear to take
another bite.

When
Ava finished, she sat there in silence not knowing what to do. The lady had
begun making something else in the kitchen. Ava didn’t know what, and she hoped
no more food at the present, because she couldn’t stomach any more, but then
the lady came to Ava and motioned her to the bedroom.

Ava
felt strange following the lady into her bedroom, and even more so when the
lady wanted Ava to lie on the bed. Ava didn’t dare refuse though, so she laid
down and when she hit the surprisingly soft mattress, she let out a deep breath
and closed her eyes.

“Heaven,”
Ava murmured to herself.

She
was beginning to relax when she felt the sting of something sticky on the soles
of her feet. She lurched up from the bed and looked down at the old lady who
ignored her.

The
lady had a bowl in one hand and was brushing the mixture inside over the cuts
and grazes on Ava’s feet and legs. Ava watched her closely as the sting on each
cut wore off and left a cooling feeling to the skin. The lady then wrapped her
feet and legs with leaves and bits of cloth.

When
her legs were wrapped in bandages, the lady left her in the room alone. Ava
laid back down and closed her eyes. The smell of the herbs covering her legs
making her feel sleepy, and the fact she’d just trekked through half the
Thailand forest to get here, she decided to rest her eyes.

It
wasn’t long before sleep consumed her, sending her off into dreamland where she
was home and with her Mum and Olivia again.

***

Hayden
stood at the top of the waterfall next to the tracker.

“So
she found a village,” Hayden commented to himself.

He
peered down at the village. The tracker had tracked Ava to the top of the
waterfall only moments ago. He knew she’d be able to see the village from here,
it wasn’t that far away. It was a bigger village than most, with over thirty
dwellings.

He’d
underestimated Ava by a long shot. She’d stayed strong when she’d been his
captive. Even in the moments she’d broken down in tears, she was still
determined to survive it all, never backing down. She’d been smart and escaped
when Hayden wasn’t there, using
Aun’s
weakness for
women to her advantage. Now she’d managed to trek through the dangerous forest
and find safety.

She
was different from any other woman he’d met, or any other person for that
matter. She had something deep inside her that made her a fighter. She wouldn’t
give up, and he hoped she never would. If she was to survive this, he needed
her to fight for it. Stevenson wanted her for a reason. Why? He still hadn’t
figured it out. But she was important for who she was, or what she knew. He
didn’t believe she was a threat to him, but somehow, she was a threat to
Stevenson.

What
would a small town girl have to do with someone like Stevenson?
The thought played out in his mind
day and night, haunting him like a bad dream.

He
needed to bring Ava to safety and then he could figure out who she was and what
Stevenson wanted with her. He had no phone reception, so he had no idea how the
other men were going with their search. He’d guessed most had given up and gone
back to the house, but he couldn’t be sure.
Aun
, on
the other hand, wanted Ava’s head on a platter. He wouldn’t stop until he had
her. He’d use all his resources to get her too, and Hayden couldn’t let that
happen. He didn’t know exactly what he was going to do after he found Ava, but
there was no point in planning until he found Ava.

He
set off down the hillside, letting the tracker follow him. He knew she would
have gone this way, so he didn’t need the tracker to tell him, but if she had
gone a different course, the tracker would let him know regardless.

Once
at the village the tracker should be able to track her easily. He also would be
able to speak to the local’s to see if anyone matching Ava’s description had
stopped here, or was currently staying at someone’s house.

They
were one-step closer to finding her.

***

Ava
ran through the dark forest, terrified for her life. She could hear the men
after her but with the darkness surrounding her, she didn’t know how close they
were. She had no rifle and no clothes on. She couldn’t remember how she got
here, why she was no longer in the old lady’s house. All she knew was that
Aun
and the Thai men were after her. She couldn’t stop
running. She wouldn’t stop running.

She
weaved in and out of the tree’s, hitting the raw ground with her feet. She
could hear the screams of the men around her, beckoning her to come to them.
She lost footing for a split second and fell to the ground. She screamed out in
pain as she saw the blood pouring out of her leg. She attempted to stand but
the pain was unbearable. She could hear the men getting closer. She had to act
now.

Ava
spotted the bushy plant nearby and crawled towards it. She quickly curled up
inside, covering the leaves around her body. In the light, you may have been
able to see her easily, but with the darkness, she would be hidden easily.

She
watched through the opening in the leaves as dark figures came into sight. They
moved through the trees with their rifles held tightly against them. Ava’s body
began to shake in fear as they edged closer to her hiding spot.

“Come
out, come out wherever you are,” one of the Thai men yelled out into the
darkness. “We are not going to hurt you…much.”

The
Thai men laughed in unison.

“We
are not like the men you are used to. We are built bigger and will fuck you for
hours. You’ll scream our names out and beg us never to stop.”

Some
of the men howled in agreement, yelling out all the ways they planned to take
Ava.

Ava
clasped her hands around her naked body, tears rolling down her cheeks. But all
was not lost, as the men continued past her, not noticing her in the bushes.

She
almost breathed a sigh of relief that the men had not found her, but she was
sorely mistaken.

“Found
you,”
Aun
said, quickly bending down and peeking through
the gap in the leaves.

Ava
screamed and scrambled backwards, but it was too late.
Aun
grabbed her by the arms and forced her out of the bush and into his body.

“Time
to finish what we started,”
Aun
whispered into Ava’s
ear.

Ava
screamed louder as
Aun
thrust Ava hard against tree,
her belly hitting the bark like sand paper to her skin.

Ava
screamed loudly for help but nobody came.

“Scream
all you like. No one will hear you out here,”
Aun
said, gripping her hips with his fingernails so hard she bled.

She
closed her eyes and let out one last terrified scream.

Ava
gasped for air as she flung herself upwards. The old lady’s room came back into
focus as she realised it had only been a dream. She wasn’t in the forest.
Aun
hadn’t found her.

She
breathed deeply as her nerves settled. She then looked down at her body,
realising she was naked again. This time her whole body was covered in large
leaves like the ones that the old woman had placed on her legs earlier.

She
had no idea how long she’d been sleeping for, or how on earth the woman had
managed to get her naked and cover her with the herb mixture and leaves without
Ava waking.

She
must have put some kind of relaxant in the tea, because it was not long after
she consumed it, she had fallen asleep. She normally was a light sleeper, but
not in this case.

The
curtain on the small bedroom window was still closed, but she could see the
daylight streaming through.

She
sat up on the bed and looked down at her legs. Her body didn’t seem to hurt as
much as before and when she started to peel back the leaves, the deep scratches
and cuts were almost non-existent. She peeled back more of the leaves and to
her surprise, the herbal mixture and leaves had somehow healed her.