Song: Hate Me by Eurielle
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One month later
The Hunted can't run forever, Alexa.
The phrase sticks in my head on repeat, over and over again.
But what does it mean?
Tears drip down my cheeks and I hastily wipe them away, trying to convince myself that it's just the harsh wind making me cry. But in reality, I know it's so much more than that.
My mother is gone. The woman who raised me, loved me like no other, and always supported me is gone forever. I would give anything to just hear her say my name one more time, or to have one more hug.
And now, I have no one to turn to.
As exhaustion begins to settle in, I force myself to keep pedaling. I have to go somewhere, after all. I can't just keep pedaling forever. But I most certainly can't let those CIA creeps catch up to me, either. Everything is just so overwhelming; it doesn't even seem real anymore. It's so surreal that it's like a dream to me.
This is the craziest, most unexpected scenario that I could possibly imagine. I mean, honestly - what are the chances? And why me?
I eventually decide on heading to my best friend Nadia's house. As I pull into her driveway, I realize I'll need to keep my bike out of sight in case anyone comes looking for me. I hop off of my bike, pulling it over to the side of her pale blue house where I secure it behind a large, square shrub.
Practically skipping up the steps to the front door, I frantically knock three times. The porch still looks like new, although I know for a fact that the house can't be less than twenty years old. Everything about Nadia's house is always in tip-top shape, greatly boasting the extreme wealth of her family.
The white door swings inward, and Nadia's face appears. She stares at me strangely, her eyes wide and her mouth ajar. Without hesitating, I push my way inside, shutting the front door behind me.
"Hi," I pant, brushing my hair out of my face. "It's kinda a long story, but to make things short, I need a place to stay for a while," I say, my voice quivering as my eyes gloss over once more. I cross my fingers in hopes that my face isn't too pink.
Nadia shakes her head, as though she's in awe. She doesn't say anything, and just continues to stare at me. It's strange behavior from her, but I suppose that I too am acting rather strange at the moment. So, I decide to elaborate further.
"Okay, look," I continue, rolling up the sleeves of my shirt and beginning to pace. "I came home from school today and there were a bunch of cop cars surrounding my house. I went up to see what had happened and a cop said my mom's been killed," I say, and my voice cracks. No crying, not now. Save your tears for later. I sniffle, wipe my eyes, and continue. "Then these men in suits who were supposedly CIA tried to take me with them and they were going about it very strangely, so I ran." I stop and take a deep breath, choosing to leave out the bit regarding the phrase screamed at me as I was leaving. My eyes begin to water again, but I quickly wipe them away with my wrist.
Nadia's eyes widen impossibly further, and she fidgets with her curly hair. "Oh my God, Ally, I-"
"And if they come looking for me, I know it's not gonna be pretty. I have no where to go, and I really just need a place to stay. Please," I beg her, desperate at this point. A tear slips down my cheek and neck, and this time I don't bother to wipe it away.
