Hunting You, Hunting Me (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter One

A/N: This is my first story and I am very excited to share it with you. I apologize for the short chapters in advance and promise that they get longer as I start to get accustomed to writing. And, there is a lot of cursing and bad language and I will edit that out once I am finished with the story. There will also be a re-write of the story once I am done with this version. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading!

 All rights reserved, © 2012

Chapter One

My name is Estela and I've just realized that this is where my story will probably end. Not at this exact minute, but most likely in the next few days.

Let me start at the beginning. You see, I have been living in this God-forsaken town for as long as I can remember, which in case you were curious, is almost sixteen years. Don't get me wrong, the town is nice. In fact, I will even go as far as to say it's beautiful. Thick forests, green hills, gorgeous lakes...just like a postcard. It's the people I don't like. Why? Because they don't like me.

My parents on the other hand, are the most amazing parents a girl can ask for. However, they are also two of the most clueless people on the planet.  Their job is to keep me safe, but I don’t feel safe. Everywhere I go, people are watching me with blatant disgust.

School takes the cake, though.  The trophy case, the stolen handbag.…? I didn’t do any of those things, and those are only a couple of examples. I always happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Or at the right place at the right time, if you look at it from their perspective. 

Why, you ask? I have been having that conversation with myself for many years now and still have not come up with a suitable reason.

So anyway, I thought things were going to get better when a new girl moved into town. She sat next to me in class and we started talking. She seemed really friendly, you know, those typical bubbly blonds? Yes, she was one of them and she was kind and funny and most important, she talked to me. She even invited herself over to my house after school. That was a first for me. That evening, and every evening after were spent sharing stories, listening to music and doing our homework. I was over the moon! Nobody ever came to my house. Nobody ever talked to me, until Abby. Soon, we became the best of friends. 

At least that is what I thought. 

Looking back, I suspect that she had started out with the intention of being my friend but was talked out of it by them. I know now, which, if you ask me is a little too late seeing that I am hiding from a group of men who are trying to hunt and kill me.

You see, Abby had convinced me to go to this party at “one of her friends” houses. She said it would be different as there wouldn’t be anyone from school to bother me.  So we went. I even bought a new dress for this joyous occasion. Yes, I am rolling my eyes. And as usual, we had gotten dressed together. We did each others hair and make-up and made all these grand plans for my first night out. How could I have been so stupid?

My parents waved us off excitedly as Abby backed up from my house. They shouldn't have let me go, they should have said no. But there they were, their arms around each other, smiling widely at us. I watched my parents growing smaller as the distance between us lengthened. If I had known that this would probably be the last time I saw them, I would have hugged and kissed them goodbye. I would have told them how much I loved them. In hindsight, I would never have left.

Abby and I drove to the party in silence, which was not unusual as the stereo was blaring. The moment we got to the party, she introduced me to a guy and then ditched me to go off with another guy. I could tell she had a crush on him and at the time, I thought that this was the reason why we were here.

I was wrong. So wrong...

I was offered some “virgin” punch, which wasn’t “virgin” at all. The slight bitter taste should have set the warning bells ringing. But, I was so intent on having a good time tonight that I just shrugged it off. Half an hour later, I was feeling light headed and drowsy and I could not for the life of me, find Abby anywhere.

My dancing partner suggested we go look for Abby outside and I nodded my head in agreement. He took my hand in his and led me across the makeshift dance floor. A few couples were enjoying the music while others were enjoying the music a little too much, if you get my meaning. We walked into the kitchen and through the backdoor before stepping out into the backyard. This place was huge! In the far corner of the backyard stood a grand, white gazebo. It was filled with a group of rowdy boys throwing insults at each other. In the distance, the backyard merged with the forest, the nicely manicured lawns changing into wild weeds, thorny bushes and giant trees. The contrast was interesting in a creepy kind of way. My eyes scanned the backyard looking for Abby, wondering where she went off to.

All of a sudden I heard several footsteps coming toward me. I turned around to see a group of four guys holding hunting rifles.  “Who are you?” the blond guy in the front asked.

“Estela,” I answered getting a little nervous.

Why are they holding guns? What is this: the Republican Convention? I turned around to look for my dancing partner, but he was gone. So were the kids from the gazebo.

“ You go to Saxon High?” another one asked.

“ Yes,” I replied softly.

“Well, Estela from Saxon High, you probably should've picked better friends, because that girl Abby--you know, your friend? She sold you out, you instead of her...but don't worry. This'll be easy," a lanky guy with an acne scarred face said.

"Fun too," added the fourth guy.

"You are much hotter than the last bitch we killed," the blond guy said as his friends began to snicker.

What the hell, I thought to myself, fear seeping into my blood stream.

The blond guy pulled out his cell phone and glanced at it. He then turned his attention back to me and said, "Look, 'Estela from Saxon High.' I like you, so I'm gonna let you have a ten minute head start, but, after that, don't expect any favors. You're all just a bunch of sluts after all."

Say what? Slut? I have not even kissed a boy before! I started to open my mouth to protest and question but the sound of the rifles cocking made me stop.

“Your ten minutes started about eight seconds ago. Guess you'd better run then,” he said, a sinister smile making its way onto his face.

I turned around and ran for my life.

A/N: I would love to know what you think. I know it's short...I will try to write longer chapters. Please comment or Vote!! : )