“Max? Max? Max, sweetie, are you okay?”205Please respect copyright.PENANASlrYPsgyZr
No… no I’m not okay. Who would ask me such a dumbass question? Don’t they know where I’ve been? Don’t they know what I’ve gone through?205Please respect copyright.PENANAA2uRCcQMb3
“Why isn’t he responding?”205Please respect copyright.PENANAnJJ0l7MQMw
“I’m not really sure, ma’am. He’s probably still in shock. It might take him a good nap and a warm bed to get him back to semi-normal. I’ll please allow us to take him.”205Please respect copyright.PENANAWvI0SFe9hB
I felt myself being transferred to someone else’s arms and I panicked. The arms holding me were arms I knew. They were comfort, they were home. Whoever this other person was was not going to get me to go anywhere!205Please respect copyright.PENANAlZIUrU31Dl
“Mr. Taylor…”205Please respect copyright.PENANAAdLMknzzAd
“I’m not trying to make this difficult, I swear. He’s got a grip on me and won’t let go.”205Please respect copyright.PENANAVBoPMpS1Gs
Nope. I’m never letting this go.205Please respect copyright.PENANALWZaNYKBYL
“Max, sweetheart, you have to let go of our father.”205Please respect copyright.PENANAQFP91Cm18B
Mom? Why would she suggest such a thing? Whose side is she on?!205Please respect copyright.PENANAHSnGW9LeMf
I felt the hands of the lady again but I hung on for dear life. If nothing else, I gained arm strength from where I was and eventually, they always gave up. If I wasn’t going to leave then they would have to sedate me to do it, which I learned to avoid that too.205Please respect copyright.PENANAul7qk5XWeu
“Mr. Taylor, please help us get your son off of you.”205Please respect copyright.PENANAy9B0ZlOVoo
“Maybe I should just take him where you want to take him. He’s not going to let go, Nurse.”205Please respect copyright.PENANAXceUCOtuze
Nurse? Where was I?205Please respect copyright.PENANA3RJftfrjXz
There was silence and then I felt us walking and I loosened my grip as Dad’s got a little tighter.205Please respect copyright.PENANAbXDKuM9Rvo
“Max, when we get to where we’re going, you’re going to have to let go of me. We can’t get a good look at you if you’re clung to me. I’ll be right there with you and so will your mother.”205Please respect copyright.PENANA2kbU8E2c1L
“We’re here for you, honey. We’re with you every step of the way.”205Please respect copyright.PENANALXOuC8vAFx
I felt my body relax and for once since I had been abducted, I trusted something. It was my parents… my real parents; not some horrible shoddy version of them like they used to do… no… these arms were my father’s, the lilting soft voice was my mother’s… I was home… I was finally home… 205Please respect copyright.PENANAW9NeEvarIP