24- Odette

I'm doing this weird pacing-like thing... Well, ok I'm just walking around the permitter of the hut... Thinking...

Ayana is sitting in Chris' lap and each time I get to a place where I can see their faces, Ayana has this funny, almost mischievous smile on her face that reminds me of my sisters... It completely melts my heart.

Meanwhile Chris gives me his look with one eyebrow up and the rest of his face scrunches together making me outwardly laugh... Every single time I go around.

I let out another snort coming around and unexpectedly, Chris blows.

"What're you doing??" he demands.

I go a few more steps forward then backtrack the same way before spinning on my heels and walking towards Chris and Ayana. Popping down into a cris-cross-applesauce position I say, "Thinking."

"Well, stop. You're freaking me out."

"Why?" I laugh.

Chris purses his lips. "In case you haven't noticed. We're not in Disneyland. So I suggest you wipe that cheeky grin off your face before those men come and beat you just because you look like you're having fun."

I blink rapidly in surprise and Chris gets his wish- a deep frown takes over my face. "Chris, are you ok? You don't seem like yourself-"

"No dip, Sherlock," he snaps.

I take a deep breath to keep from blowing up. Heaven knows what Ayana thinks is happening right now. I drop my gaze a couple inches to look at her and she takes the opportunity to try and sign something to me, but I don't understand.

"Chris, what's wrong?" I sigh, hitting my thighs.

"Please answer that for yourself, Sherlock."

I buzz my lips. "Look," I say, which gets Chris to finally look me straight in the eye. "When we get home I'm gonna-"

"When!" Chris says, jolting up a little and shocking Ayana in the process. She crawls out of his lap as he continues to rage. "When, when, when! Ya know, optimism is a great characteristic, Odette, but sometimes, you need to face reality."

"What are you talking about?" I demand still shocked at how he's acting.

"We're DONE for, Odette! Get your head out of the clouds!"

"Chris, for once my head is out of the clouds," I say firmly, trying to keep my voice level. "No one is going to come and rescue us. So I'm pulling my head out of the clouds and getting to work myself. I get that it might not be a fairytale ending, I get that it will be hard, gosh darn it, I get. That we may not ever make it."

I pause as I find myself only inches away from his face, both of us breathing hard. My eyes flick over to Ayana who'd backed against the wall. The poor thing, why'd we have to go and fight when she can't even understand what's going on?

I relock my eyes with Chris' and repeat, "My head is out of the clouds." I look back at Ayana. With a look of apology on my face, I crawl over to her and gather her in my arms.

"You never think, Odette, at how you're going about this, you'll never make it out alive," Chris says quietly.

"You mentioned that," I sneer, my voice rich in sarcasm.

He sends a look my way and I sigh.

"But ya know what?" I continue. "Sometimes your heart thinks louder than your head."

Chris stares at the ground and clasps his hands in frustration.

"Yeah, well than listen to your head," he grunts.

"Chris, I'm going to get you and Ayana out of here! It's going to be o-"

"Yeah when you tried to get us out of here, you almost got yourself killed in the process," he whispers, his anger  melting into despair out of nowhere.

I let out a short breath when I finally realize why he's worked up. "Chris-" I sigh.

"No, stop," he commands.

Gently, I place Ayana back on the ground. She looks at me with fearful eyes so I flash her a smile for good measure. I walk up to Chris and take his hands, pulling him to his feet.

"Chris-" I start again.

"No, Odette," he says again, letting out a sad laugh this time as he squeezes my hands. "Stop. Don't tell me how you'd... Die for me because I don't want to hear it. I'd die for you Odette and-"

I try to interrupt out he puts a finger to my lips before I can start. He stares at the ground as he continues. "... And don't think I'm some hero for saying that... I'm gonna sound cheesy now but..." He chuckles again and lifts his eyes to meet mine. "Gosh darn it Odette. Losing you is a pain worse than death."

It's like I can hear my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. I let out a shaky breath and realize that our faces are only inches away again. Only... It's so different this time. An overwhelming wave of emotion hits me and I can feel my cheeks flush. Embarrassed, I let go of his hands and turn around.

My eyes dart around at the ceiling of sticks and rub the rather rough surface of my arm.

What just happened?

I take in another shaky breath and let it out with, "Then let's neither of us die, shall we?"

I can practically feel Chris smile behind me.

<><><><><><>

You know how, usually when a girl is... Depressed, ecstatic, confused, or otherwise emotionally overwhelmed she can run to her room and let it all out there via crying, jumping for joy, talking to herself or otherwise... Letting it out?

Yeah, um, I don't have that luxury.

I'm Lord knows how many miles away from my room, in the middle of Uganda in a slave hut that's about the size of your average walk in closet, with thoughts so loud I'm afraid Chris can hear them.

Is every girl who's best friends with a guy destined to end up feeling something more towards him?

Did I feel something more towards him just now?

Oh gosh, we had a perfectly good thing going, this could ruin it.

Calm the heck down Odette. You just got caught up in the emotions of the moment.

Yeah let's go with that.

Why the flapjacks are you even thinking about that right now??? Have you forgotten??? Escape plan???

"Odette!!!"

"Huh?" I reply stupidly, snapping out of my raging thoughts.

Chris chuckles. "Did you hear a word I just said?"

"No, sorry," I mumble.

He cocks his head, reminding me oddly of a curious puppy.

"You feeling ok? If you want you can get some sleep. God only knows when the jerks will come back for us to make us work."

I lift up one corner of my mouth for a half smile and twist a piece of my crusted hair. "The jerks themselves probably know too," I scoff sarcastically.

Chris rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "We don't have time for your comments from the peanut gallery," he teases.

Unable to resist, I press on. "But I like peanuts," I say in a mock whiny voice.

"Oh for the love of pickles," Chris sighs throwing his head back.

"Those are good too," I comment.

I look at Ayana for a brief moment, silently watching us, her own smile dancing on her lips. How good it is to see her smile. She probably never got the chance to be a kid.

Something suddenly hits me like a ton of bricks.

"Oh, Chris!" I exclaim.

He turns his head and gives me a questioning look.

"I think I may have found Ayana's mom."

"Oh!" he says, something lighting up inside him too. "Yeah, you mean the lady that was with us when we first got captured?"

"Yeah!" I exclaim excitedly and then, "Wait. How the heck did you know that?"

"Ayana told me," he replies simply.

"Wait, so she can talk?"

Chris furrows his eyebrows. "What? No. Or at least she hasn't shown that she can. She just... She got the message across ok? That's the point."

I shrug, accepting that answer for now.

"Ok... So how do we get everyone out?" Chris asks rather bluntly.

"I know where Ayana's mom is. She's not in the best health but we can still get her out."

Chris licks his lips. "I like the determination... But again I ask.. How?"

I groan and roll my eyes. "Working on iiiiit," I chant.

Chris holds up his hands and says, "Sorry. Just askin'"

I roll my eyes again and move to the back of the hut.

"The structure of this isn't as convenient as..." I mumble.

"Whhhaaaat?" Chris scoffs.

I study how this hut is built. It's a weird combination of a lot of things. Small rocks, mud, a few sticks... Mostly... Mud.

"Maybe... Just maybe..."

"Does the wall give you inspiration?" Chris asks sarcastically.

"Yes," I reply without looking away.

Maybe there's a safe way to just straight up, dig a hole out of one of the muddy sections of the wall... Near the bottom so we can crawl out...

"Ok!" I say with a snap of my fingers. "This could work."

"What could???" Chris asks desperately.

"Hush, hush my child. Let's sleep," I say mysteriously.

"You're a weirdo, you know that?" he informs me.

"Oh I'm well aware, trust me," I reassure him.

Truth is, sneaking out of this hut is just the beginning of it. We need to find out how to find our way back to our mission site without starving or dehydrating. And we need to pick up a couple extra people on the way.

I bite my lip. This is going to be tough.

God, I need a miracle.

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