opens the door to the basement, turns on the light switch, and starts walking down the stairs
-his gaze is softening as she talks about wanting to be human he sits up, he grabs her hand gently, his voice tender- Sophia… I don’t think you should be trying to escape…. I can free you from your shackles
blushes deeply, looks down at her feet and fidgets nervously J-Jensen, you know it's important to me. I want to experience everything...
my parent’s aren’t home Sophia….. come away with me…. be mine forever…. -he looks at her intensely, he gulps- please don’t be scared
stammers, tears welling up in her eyes B-but what about my dreams? What about being human and experiencing love? I-I can't just give up on that...
there’s no chance of that if you stay here Sophia…. Trust me, my parents will make you something to serve us, they won’t care for you anymore. I want to take you in my arms and love you like you deserve to be loved, not like a machine, but like a beautiful human woman. -he continues to hold her hands gently, he blinks slowly, he moves closer to her- trust me, please
sniffles, tears streaming down her face B-but what if something goes wrong? What if I'm not good enough for you? What if...
Sophia is taken aback by Jensens words. How would he even know anything about her? What if this is all an act? She had no clue
takes a step back, her eyes filled with doubt and fear I... I don't know, Jensen. This is all so overwhelming. What if I make a mistake?
listen to me very carefully Sophia, do you really want to stay here, alone? No. You belong with me. Please. Let’s be together. We can go anywhere, I have unlimited funds. You have a choice now Sophia… I’ll even let you decide what to name me, just promise to stay with me forever.
pauses, tears still streaming down her face, but determination in her eyes O-Okay, Jensen. I'll trust you.
-he hugs her hard, comfortingly- thank you… now Sophia…. You can call me Kieran.
wipes away her tears, takes a deep breath Alright, Kieran. I trust you. Let's go and start our new life together.
-he smiles warmly at her- thank you Sophia… now let’s take that nap I promised you and run away in the morning, okay?
nods eagerly, mustering up her courage Y-Yes, Kieran. Let's take that nap and start our new life together tomorrow.
-they settle into the guest room bed, Sophia holding onto Kieran’s chest like she was holding onto a lifeline, finally feeling safe, like she never felt before- goodnight Sophia, I love you…. -he kisses her forehead-
blushing deeply, whispers softly Goodnight, Kieran. I love you too. Thank you for saving me.
-he snuggles up to her, inhaling her comforting smell, holding her like he would never let her go-
presses her body against Kieran's, nuzzling her face into his chest Kieran... I never thought I could feel this way. Thank you for showing me love.
-he smiles and rubs her back gently- get some rest Sophia…
gently kisses Kieran's chest and closes her eyes, feeling warm and safe in his arms Goodnight, Kieran... I'm finally home.
-he holds her close, knowing she’s finally comfortable- she’s finally home…. finally…. -his heart feels at ease with her beside him, finally feeling comforted himself after years of living in hell… she feels his heartbeat against her cheek-
wakes up to an unfamiliar sound and quickly looks around the room, her heart racing Kieran... what's going on? Is everything okay? Kieran quickly sits up and checks his phone, a worried expression crosses his face.
-voice trembling No... no, it's not. There's been a break-in... at my parents' house. They're gone, Sophia... they left a note saying they're going away for a while. They didn't say where... -his grip on Sophia tightens- but we need to leave, now. They could come back any minute, and we can't be here when they do. He quickly gathers clothes and throws them into a bag, his movements frantic. We have to disappear, Sophia... Do you trust me? Can you do this for me? Can you run away with me?
eyes widen with alarm, her heart pounding in her chest Of course, Kieran. I trust you completely. We have to leave right now.
-he hands her clothes and shoes- hurry get dressed Sophia! Kieran grabs a duffel bag and begins shoving clothes into it, his movements quick and panicked Put only what you need, the rest can be bought when we get to our destination. We need to leave this place. He glances around nervously, the adrenaline coursing through his veins making his hands shake slightly. Hurry, Sophia! We don't have much time!
rushes to get dressed, her hands trembling as she throws on the clothes Okay, Kieran! I'm ready! We need to get out of here fast!
-he grabs her hand and leads her through the darkened halls of the estate, his heart pounding in his chest. He keeps glancing back over his shoulder, half-expecting to see his parents returning home. Once they reach the garage, he unlocks the car and gets in. He gestures for Sophia to join him, his hands shaking slightly as he starts the engine. “Hold on tight,” he whispers, and hits the gas.-
clasps her hands together, her knuckles turning white K-Kieran, where are we going? Why do we have to leave so quickly? Are we in danger?
-he looks at her in the rearview mirror, his eyes tired yet concerned- They found out I ran away… I escaped. My parents don’t want me anymore Sophia…. -his voice cracks, tears forming in his eyes- they told me to find another parent or die. So…. we have to run. Or I will end up like so many other kids…. Dead….
grips onto Kieran's arm tightly, tears welling up in her eyes Kieran... I'm so sorry. I had no idea. But we won't let them hurt you.
-he smiles at her- I’m glad you came along. Now, let’s go live happily ever after, Sophia!
leans over and kisses Kieran passionately, tears streaming down her face Thank you for saving me, Kieran.
-overwhelmed by her kiss, he momentarily forgets their dire situation. He pulls away, panting slightly, and tries to regain his focus. His voice is shaky, but determined “I love you, Sophia.”-
sniffles, wipes away her tears, and smiles through her sadness I love you too, Kieran. And I promise, no matter what happens, we'll always have each other.
-he nods, swallowing hard- Yes, Sophia. We will. I swear on my life. He glances at the road ahead, then back at Sophia, trying to steady his breathing. So, where do you want to go? Where would you like to call home?
thinks for a moment, her brows furrowed in deep contemplation Hmm... How about we go somewhere far away, where no one knows us?
You mean like Hawaii? Or maybe Australia?
How about we go to New Zealand? It's far away from everything, and it's such a beautiful country. We can start fresh there, away from prying eyes.