Hide and Seek

Chapter 22

Twenty minutes into walking I realise that I have no clue where I am, the directions from the pack house to school that Beau gave me are in the car. I don't recognise the surrounding shrub, the houses having given way to them a while back.

I run a hand through my soaked hair, before checking my phone for the umpteenth time, peeling my saturated pocket open and yanking my phone out.

However, this time I'm not so lucky and the electronics have finally succumbed to the onslaught of the rain, not surprising since it's practically sitting in a puddle inside my pocket, but frustrating nonetheless.

I shove it back into my pocket, suppressing a shiver as the wind sweeps over my drenched figure.

I continue to stomp onwards, my face a mask of frustration as it gets pummeled by layer upon layer of rain. I blink the water out of my eyes as I take a hesitant glance back the way I came. If i'd have just sucked up my pride and swallowed my dignity I would be in a warm car right now.

Then my thoughts flick to Beau's smug face, his hard eyes. No scratch that, it's his damn fault i'm in this mess in the first place. I push away the feeling that i'm being unfair, relaying the short time i've known the asshole and how many times he could have been far nicer to me. Geez, it even seemed as if he was making an effort to be cruel.

I jump as a beam of yellow light washes over me, highlighting each individual drop of rain and throwing my shadow out onto the road. I keep my head down as I wait for the car to go past and the headlights to disappear, continuing my soggy pursuit.

After several moments I hear the vehicles telltale engine, quiet over the rain. But the sound doesn't come any closer and I steal a glance over my shoulder, pulling my hand in front of my eyes to block the glare of its lights.

I stop as I realise it's following me at a crawl, matching my pace. I squint harder as I try to see into the driver side but give up before moving towards the window. I step onto the ashphalt with a particulary loud squelch of my shoes and pull myself right in front of the window, still finding my eyes unable to adjust to the figure in the shadows.

"Uhhh, may I help you?" I ask into the darkness, becoming uneasy at the silence that replies "Beau, I swear if it's you in-"

I let out a sharp yell as a hand grabs a handful of my hoodie, fisting the material at my chest "Do you want a ride beautiful?" A rough male voice drawls, pulling me further forwards until my whole body is pressed against the side of the car, my head inside the open window, close enough to catch the scent of alcohol on the strangers breath.

I gasp in pain as sharp points dig into my skin "No, i'm okay thanks" I reply weakly, yanking my hands to the one gripping my hoodie in attempt to pull away from the car "L-let me go" I demand, out of breath as he refuses to release me. I begin to thrash, trying to push away from the car with my legs.

"Not so fast Missy-"

Suddenly there's a hard pressure againt my neck, a sharp gleam of metal accompanying it. A knife, he is hold a knife to my neck. I draw in a quick, careful breath before releasing it in one word "Please-" I choke "Don't do this" I plead, feeling the knife edge scraping my throat as I speak.

He ignores me, breathing loudly as he prises the door open in front of me, forcing me to move back "Now, I'm going to ask one more time" I sense a smile in his tone "Do you want a ride?" With each word he presses the knife further into my skin, breaking it.

I shudder as I feel a bead of blood swell and slide down my neck, disappearing into the neck of hoodie. I know I don't have a choice and move around the door with heavy legs, ignoring the knife tracking, guiding my movements as I lower myself into the passenger seat.

The man pulls the door closed behind me. I suppress another shudder as my eyes adjust to darkness, focusing on the man's face.

A cruel smile greets me, hard eyes and a heavy set mouth turned towards me as the man keeps the knife positioned at my neck. He seems to be in his fifties, his face wrinkled with age. But even sitting down I can see that he's built. If I tried to fight he'd just overpower me, especially when he has a knife. Even shifting would be dangerous at knife point.

I let out a slow breath "What are you going to do to me?" I ask weakly, cursing my shaking voice. I'm going to end up just like my parents, dead. Flashes of my past attacking my mind as I fight to stay rational, to keep my panic from completely controlling me.

The man smiles at my question "I, my little pretty, am going to-"

I never find out.

A hand reaches through the man's open window quicker than I can comprehend, grabbing a fistful of his grey hair and slamming his face into the steering wheel, setting off the horn for a split second before his head is lifting up and slamned back down in the same manner. Blood sprays from his nose when he comes up again, splattering across my face.

I retch in revulsion before scramblng back, away from the mans unconcious form, his knife on the ground, no longer at my neck. My heart beats erratically as I snatch the knife into my hand, my breathing laboured with panic as I grapple for the door handle, tumbling out of the car and onto the road when my fingers finally catch on it.

I sob noisily as I blindly get up, moving away from the car as my throat burns with the cold, my face pelted once again with the rain.

I stumble one, twice before I fall, sprawling onto the muddy grass. I try desperately to get back to my feet, to gain enough composure to shift. But hands latch onto my arms and do it for me.

I scream, my actions now fuelled by panic as I bring the knife up in front of me, slashing it blindly.

"Aria! What the-"

I'm sent crashing to the ground again before the knife is ripped from my hands and my shoulders gripped harshly.

"Beau?" I ask through my tears, trying to see the face of the figure crouched infront of me.

"The one and only" I hear him say sarcastically, relief floods me and I dissolve into a sobbing mess, too emotionally drained to be ashamed.

"C'mon, get up" I hear him demand, his voice back to being hard, emotionless. He tugs on my arm, sighing when I don't respond and drop back onto the ground.

I gasp in surprise when strong arms snake up under me, lifting me upwards smoothly before i'm placed against a hard chest, incoherent grumbles vibrating against my side as Beau carries me.

~~~~~~
A/N:

Another extremely late update! I'm so sorry, i've been so busy! But I hope this chapter makes up for it! Please give me your feedback on it and enlighten me with any thoughts on it! Again, i'm very sorry but i'll try to make it up to you by updating again this week!