Noah ~ POV

Walking into the cabin, I was surprised. The aged wood exterior and rusted metal roof hid the modern equipment well. Wires dangled from one corner of the top leading to what I guess was the solar generator. From there, small cables lead to what looked like a portable cooler. Another set of wires ran to a rather impressive laptop. Off the main room was a doorway that led to what I guess was the father and son's shared makeshift bedroom. I watched as Ethan looked around the room. Mr. Davis placed the chopped wood he had been carrying into a corner on the other side of the cabin. It looked like they had been using a wood-burning camp stove for cooking their meals. Guess they didn't want to drain the generator since it's running everything else.

"Sorry, we can't offer much…." Mr. Davis joked as we stood in the small cabin.

"How… Did you guys?" Nathaniel asked as he looked between Ethan and me.

"Robotics club mentioned you had a generator. Figured the only reason you would have one is if you go off-grid." Ethan said simply that it wasn't a big deal that we had found their hiding spot.

Mr. Davis chuckled as Nathaniel looked down to the floor, guilty.

"What was your plan? Keep running?" Ethan asked as he looked directly at Mr. Davis, who didn't seem to be paying attention.

The room went quiet for a moment. Ethan walked over towards Mr. Davis.

"You know that problems don't disappear because you run away." The way Ethan spoke sent a chill down my spine.

It sounded like he was speaking from experience. Mr. Davis looked up to Ethan, his eyes watery as if he was holding back tears.

"You don't know what you're talking about…." Mr. Davis said as he turned and looked back to the dinner, he was cooking.

"I'm guessing she wasn't normal… from how she fought. She was a police officer too." I noticed Mr. Davis's eyes widened for a second.

Guessing his silence was a yes to what Ethan meant.

"Mom's always had a temper…." Nathaniel said jokingly though the smile he gave was a weak one.

"So what happened…." I asked Nathaniel since Mr. Davis was not in a mood to talk.

Nathaniel glanced at me as he hugged himself.

"Truth be told, I always knew something was wrong with… her. Whenever I came home from school, I'd hear her screaming over the phone. So I would keep quiet… doing everything I can to stay out of her line of sight." Nathaniel said as he held back tears.

I could see he remembered everything. I honestly felt sorry for him; after all, I know what an overbearing parent is like. But having an abusive one is a different story. I was about to ask another question when I heard Mr. Davis speak.

"Megan was a cadet… fresh out of the academy. Honestly, the first few years were like a dream… But slowly, things started changing…."

Mr. Davis stopped; he was overwhelmed with emotions as he spoke.

"It hurts, doesn't it… when the loved one turns against you. Remember how that person first swung and caught you off guard. Even though the yelling and shouting, you never saw the fist coming. And even if you did, you didn't think it was real. Not until it felt the weight behind it as it hit across your cheek and eye. You huddle into a ball to try and protect yourself, but that doesn't stop them. It doesn't stop the things they pick up; belts, purses; they lock you away from others you love. Those few inches feel like miles and walls standing between you and the phone." I froze as I heard Ethan say all that.

The way he spoke and the weight behind it; sounded almost like he knew from first-hand experience. Mr. Davis and Nathaniel seemed as surprised as I was by Ethan's words. The room was tense, and I could feel the darkness everyone was holding back. All except for Ethan as he stared at Mr. Davis. The cold stare seems to be a thin but strong mask for something hiding behind him. I hadn't noticed when my legs started shaking; maybe it was because all my attention was on Ethan as he stood there.

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"Someday, you think of ending the pain quickly; maybe a slit of the wrist or a bullet to the head. Just so it can be done with; after all, the one you loved the most in the world hates you. Or maybe you run away, somewhere far so they can't find you. But you know that no matter what you do, their words and voices echo in the back of your mind. Your body flinches without thought at certain things. A book dropping to the floor; the touch of a friend that's concerned. I won't claim to know what you're going through… But I have to give you credit… you did what you had to." Ethan finished, which got me a little confused.

I didn't understand what Ethan meant. Though to my surprise, I watched as Mr. Davis began crying. He turned away, but I could see tears dripping down his cheeks before he looked out.

"We called the sheriff… you don't have to run anymore… after all, she broke into your house and assaulted your child's friend…." I mentioned seeming to catch Nathaniel's and Mr. Davis's attention.

After all, she did have a history of abuse, breaking into a private home, and assault; the Sheriff would have a lot to charge her on. I watched as Ethan sat down next to Mr. Davis. I sat down next to Nathaniel on a camping chair. Mr. Davis let out a chuckle as he held back his tears.

"I thought everything would be fine… I thought it was all stress from a case Megan was working on. I figured once we were done, everything would be ok." Mr. Davis choked on his tears. I could feel my own emotions well up inside me.

Having a strict father is different from an abusive one. I could only imagine what my life would be like if he became such a monster. I talked with Nathaniel, and he seemed to be doing well. Guess he wasn't affected as much as his dad was. We spoke just him and me as Ethan and Mr. Davis seemed to share an unspoken but shared feeling. One thing was bugging me, though, that I couldn't keep down.

"Why did you guys run?" I asked in a soft whisper hoping Mr. Davis didn't hear.

Nathaniel took a hesitant breath. He rubbed some snot from his nose before he looked up. I could see he was holding back his tears just like his dad.

"We tried staying… hiding from her. First, grandpa and grandma let us hide out with them. A week later, she found us. We moved to my uncle's place in Michigan… He let us hide out in one of his apartments. It was around this time I noticed less of her. Honestly, I was happy; just to have some peace. Until a year into it, she came to the apartment while dad was away. I was home alone…." Nathaniel mentioned before going silent.

Nathaniel placed a hand over his mouth as he held back his tears. Though the croaking in his voice told me he was struggling to remember. I reached out and placed it on Nathaniel's shoulder. I was about to say to him he didn't need to tell me when he started talking again.

"She… sounded different through the door. She kept calling my name, asking me to unlock it. She sounded like… mom but not her at the same time. I kept quiet, hoping she would leave. Without realizing my hand was next to the handle… I thought about opening it. My fingers were inches from it; before suddenly, something pounded against the door. I fell back on my ass, and mom began screaming. I could hear something hitting against the door; it didn't sound like she was using her fist." Again Nathaniel went quiet; as his hands began to shake.

He stared at the floor. I could see he was overcome with fear.

"Police arrived at the apartment a few minutes later… they… they found a knife… stuck in the door," Nathaniel whispered in a shaky and fear-filled voice.

I must admit hearing that even sent a chill down my spine. Just imagine the voice of someone you used to love turning into someone you fear. I looked over to Ethan and Mr. Davis, who seemed to have been listening in on us. I don't know when; all I know is that Mr. Davis had turned slightly red from what I think was his crying. Then, a resounding knock came from the front door; I looked at Ethan and Mr. Davis. The knocking made me jump; I thought it was the sheriffs at first.

"Thomas… I know you're in there… Where's Ezekial?!" I felt Nathaniel grip my arm tightly as Ethan and Mr. Davis sprang up.

I could feel Nathaniel grip my arm tightly as he tried to hide behind me. Mr. Davis and Ethan look at each other silently, trying to form a plan. Suddenly Ethan walked over to the makeshift bedroom. I guess the footsteps from Ethan could be heard outside and the woman began pounding against the door again.

"Thomas, open the door, you son of a Bitch!" The shrill high, pitched voice sent a chill down my spine.

"Leave us alone, Megan!" Mr. Davis called out to her as he stood just a few inches away.

A resounding thud came soon after; I thought the door would have been blown off the hinges from the way it bent inward. I guess Mr. Davis fixed up the place to hold up to heavy blows, sensed the door only turned, and then went right back to standing straight. Ethan returned a few minutes later and kneeled beside us. I noticed he wore Nathaniel's jacket with the school's mascot sown. He patted Nathaniel and me on the back. Then, leaning in close, I heard him whisper his plan to us.

"Me and Mr. Davis will distract her. Noah, here are the keys to my bike. Take it and head back to town; no stopping unless you see the sheriffs." Again the door bent in from the woman pounding on the other side.

"There's a small window in the back room that you guys should be able to fit through," Ethan whispered to us again before looking at Mr. Davis.

He nodded quickly as Ethan led us to the back of the shack. I could hear screaming and yelling from Mr. Davis and the woman on the other end. She only grew angrier as the pounding on the door got louder and heavier. I soon began hearing something hitting against the door, something making a resounding thud that a human hand wouldn't make.