Hunt and Hunted

Chapter 8: The Truth

"Stop it! Stop Gage! Stop!" I screamed between laughs. I was on the floor of me and Gage's room with Gage tickling me. I was trying to push him off but he was to strong. I had tears streaming down my face because of how hard I was laughing.

"Nope. I'm not going to stop," he proclaimed and continued to tickle me. I gathered all of my strength, and shoved him off of me. From the other side of the room he looked at me with wide eyes.

"Don't under estimate my power," I told him while dusting off my hands and flipping my hair. I walked over to my bed and sat down.

"I didn't know you had that in you," Gage told me as he walked towards my bed. I put my hands up like I was about to push him, he put his hands up in surrender. I gave him a weary look and then let him sit beside me. He wrapped on arm around my waist and planted a kiss on my temple.

"What was that for?" I asked him.

"Because I like you."

"No I mean the tickling."

"Because I thought it'd be funny."

"Well haha," I said sarcastically. That made him laugh. I smiled, "I like you too." He stopped laughing and looked at me.

"You do?"

"Yeah. Why else would I let you kiss me, or hug me. I like you Gage." I saw him blush and smile. I guess he didn't have anything to say. I didn't either. We let the silence talk for us. I soon found myself falling asleep in his arms. My head lay on his chest. I let rythmic beat of his heart put me to a peaceful sleep.

   I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was Gage's dark gray t-shirt. I heard the strong, steady beat of his heart and smiled.

"Morning," he said and caressed with my hair.

"Good morning. How long have you been awake?" I asked him without looking at him. I just lay there.

"A little while. I was just watching you sleep."

"Oh." The thought of him watching me sleep gave me a nice feeling and a weird feeling.

"You want to go get breakfast?" He asked me. He tilted my chin up so I had to look at him.

"I'm good I'm not hungry."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"OK, I'll stay with you."

"No. You go get breakfast. And then you can come back and lay with me when you eat," I instructed him.

"Yes ma'am." He sat up, forcing me to sit up too. He gave me a passionate kiss on my cheek and walked out. It was then that I realized he entwined my fingers with his. I looked down at my hand that he was holding and blushed. I guess the truth was that I liked him more than I thought. I laid back down on the bed and pulled the blanket up to my chin. I wasn't cold. I just missed the warm feeling I had when Gage was with me. I let a sigh escape my lips and rolled over.

"Avalon!" I heard Gage's deep voice call my name. He wasn't in my room yet, but he was close.

"Huh?" I rolled over and saw the door open and Gage rush in.

"Come downstairs."

"No." I rolled back over and closed my eyes. I felt cold and realized he ripped the blanket off of me and picked me up bridal style and  started to carried me downstairs. He was trying to run but carrying me wasn't exactly helping. "C'mon Gage! I was trying to sleep-" I cut my self off when I saw what was downstairs.

   I wasn't prepared for the shock that awaited me. It wasn't right. Something went wrong. Something happened. Something that would scar me permanently. I knew I could find out what happened I just couldn't speak right now. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. The tears immediately began to fall when I saw my mother's lifeless body laying right at my feet. And a spear through my sisters stomach.