Fire

Deer in the Headlights

Revulsion filled every part of me, and my stomach turned violently. After what seems like an age I whirled around in the doorway, putting my back to the two of them. For a moment I struggled with myself, wanting to turn back and shout at both of them. Tears stung my eyes, making the hallway blur around me as I lurched forward.

I have to get out of here. I can’t stay in this place.

A door banged behind me, and footsteps thumped down the hallway, “Jessica! Jess, wait!”

It was Trent’s voice behind me, and I put on a burst of speed, heading for the front door. I didn’t want to see his face and think about him and my mother…

I have to get out!

I threw the front door open with a crash that echoed in the front hall, and suddenly Kari’s voice screeched out from the back room, “stop her! Don’t let her go!”

“Jess, please!”

Trent grabbed my elbow, and I whirled on him, yanking myself out of his grip, “don’t touch me!” my voice was a high pitched shriek, and several of the fire jotun rebels appeared in the doorway of the dining room to stare into the hall at us. I caught sight of Louis, his usual bored look absent, and Maria’s wide dark eyes. At this point I didn’t even care if they all wanted to come watch. I wasn’t sticking around anyways.

Enjoy the show, bitches. I hope I never see any of you again.

“Jess, please…”

I glared at Trent, “don’t call me Jess. In fact, don’t call me anything. I can’t believe…I mean…you’re disgusting!”

“It isn’t like that!” Trent grabbed for my arm again, and I dodged backwards out of his grip, stumbling outside onto the porch. The sun was sinking just beyond the forest in an orange ball of fire. It was getting dark, but I was too angry to stop to think about this. I wanted to get out. I had to get away from these people.

“You people are all sick,” I shot at the others standing in the doorway, “you disgust me.”

Trent stepped onto the deck in front of me, hands turned upwards in desperation, expression tormented, “please, you don’t understand.” He dropped his voice, glancing back over his shoulder, “I don’t actually like her. Not like you…”

“don’t even try,” I whirled around and marched down the steps, past the parked cars, heading for the steep driveway, “I’m leaving.”

“There’s nothing out there, only forest. You know that,” Trent ran after me and grabbed my shoulder, and this time when I tried to tug myself out of his grip he didn’t let go, “you can’t leave.”

“let me go,” I ground out between my teeth, “let go of me.”

“No, I’m sorry. You can’t leave.”

Trent grabbed my other arm suddenly, and began to drag me backwards towards the house. I shrieked in outrage, struggling against him, “you can’t do this!”

“I’m sorry. I don’t have a choice…” Trent grunted in my ear.

I lashed out with both fists, making contact with his stomach, and Trent doubled over with a gasp. Adrenaline was rushing through, giving me the strength to rip myself out of his grip and bolt down the driveway. Gravel crunched under my sneakers, the cool wind whipping my hair back, my heart beating loudly in my ears. There was shouting behind me, and a great thundering crash. Gravel crunching, faint in the background told me that they were pursing me. Panic shot through me, allowing a burst of speed. But when I looked back over my shoulder I could see three figures running after me, their silhouettes made tall and eerily stretched against the lights of the house.