Cursed

❀Chapter Twenty-Six❀

Aurora

Run. Run. Run.

My mind is consumed with only one thing. The need to survive. I don't even want to look back to see if he's following me. I have to get as far away as possible. I need to escape Hades, if that's even what his name actually is. All I know is that he's a monster and I'm living in a nightmare. He's made it clear that he wants me for whatever sick twisted reason. I have to figure out why.

I'm going to have to find someone who can protect me while I sort all of this out. Someone who can keep me safe. My mind flashes with an image of Zach's face smiling sweetly. Even amidst my confusion, seeing Zach gives me some semblance of comfort. Then I remember the cryptic text he sent me. Does he know something about all of this? I have to find him.

I practically slam my body into the side of my car from running so fast, blinded by fear. Now that I've got the minimal safety that my car provides I sit in the driver's seat and take some deep breaths. Returning the air I lost in my hysterical escape for my life. I look around cautiously to see if he's following me. There's no sign of Hades but I know he will recover from his wound and come after me. I'm sure he's angry that I managed to get away from him.

I dial Zach's number as I speed out of town. I remember him talking about how he lives in a farmhouse out in the country with his parents, but I don't know where or which roads to take. I guess I'll just have to start driving. The phone rings for what feels like an eternity then goes straight to voicemail.

"Zach, it's Rory. Please call me. It's an emergency!"

How can I explain all of this to him? Will he even believe me or think I'm insane? I just have to keep driving around until he calls. Panic permeates every limb of my body. My heart feels like it's about to burst in my chest. I barely notice the cornfields as I zoom by them going 80 mph on the highway. My head feels heavy as I dig my fingers into the steering wheel to keep from passing out. My vision starts to blur and my eyelids begin to droop closed. What is happening to me?

All of a sudden my tires are skidding off the road I'm zooming into a ditch. I close my eyes and manage to hit the breaks but it's too late. My car surges forward into the field, kicking up mud and cornstalks on its way. After a few feet it stops sliding. I slowly open my eyes. I'm ok. I'm alive. My ears are ringing as I hold my head and cry. I can barely process what just happened before I hear Hades' voice in my head.

"No matter where you go I will find you."

I know I have to keep moving no matter what. I open my car door and push some of the corn stalks down to get out. I try to assess the damage of my car when I notice smoke coming out from under the hood. There's no way I can get it back to the road.

"Damn it!"

I check my phone to see if Zach has called me back but I have no service. If what Hades said is true then maybe I have some sort of magical abilities that can help me. I sit down cross-legged on the ground where my car flattened a good chunk of the field. My body wants to give into all of my exhaustion. A small voice in my head is telling me to lean over and collapse into the earth but I know that if I lay down I won't get back up.

I close my eyes, forcing all of the energy I have left into one single thought. Zach, where are you? No answer. Tears of defeat swell behind my lids. When I open my eyes I'm surprised to find an orb of pink light glowing in front of me. It hovers before my face, then flies off into the seemingly endless fields. I don't know why but I know I have to follow it and I take off running behind the pink orb.

I can't think about what just happened because every ounce of strength I have is going into making my legs run faster than I've ever run in my entire life. The orb isn't taking it any easier on me. It glides easily through the fields as I stumble and trip on the tough stalks in my way. My legs are bruised and bleeding but I don't take notice. All I can do is keep my eyes on the pink glow as it races a few feet in front of me.

By now the sun has receded down into the horizon. I can feel a sharp pain spreading throughout my body as my muscles are beginning to seize up and cramp. I can't do this anymore, I can't keep running from him! As if the orb hears my internal cry of desperation, it vanishes in thin air. Just as I was starting to believe I possessed some magical capabilities or strange powers, it was gone. All my hope disappears in the blink of an eye.

"No! Come back! Please help me!"

Is this really how I die? At the hands of some creepy psychopath who isn't even human? A strong part of me is starting to acknowledge that I don't stand a chance, it's time to give up. I collapse on the ground, my body goes limp among the cornstalks. I close my eyes and let the darkness take over me.