Before the Darkest Storm

Chapter 21

I watched the sky turn orange and purple as the sun began to set. I didn't know how I was going to face Seb. It was bad enough that I had to see him after that slap, but now seeing him after realizing how I felt for him seemed impossible. I felt my heart flutter in fear, what if I did or said anything stupid that made him realize how I felt, even worse what if he already knew what I felt? Oh dear god, I prayed silently, please don't let him know. Seb was one of the smartest people I knew, and I had no doubt that if he put his mind to it he would figure it out, but I hoped that he had way too many other things to do that didn't involve focusing on my feelings. So far he hadn't given me any indication of knowing. Groaning loudly at myself and at the situation I dropped my head back and closed my eyes, feeling the air move around me.

When I opened my eyes everything around me was pitch black. I turned to look at what woke me and saw Loretta nudging the side of my head. I rose to my feet in confusion and gasped. I had fallen asleep! Suddenly I felt fear creep through me. I had fallen asleep out in a field close to a house that had been broken into twice. I could barely see Loretta who was just a few feet away from me let alone anything farther out.

Swallowing a large lump in my throat I slowly climbed on Loretta's back, hoping that her eyesight was better than mine. I pointed her to where I thought the stables were from memory and got her to head there slowly. Within minutes the familiar sight of stables came into view and I let out a loud sigh of relief. I felt the tremors that I had going through my whole body subside slightly. I walked Loretta into the stable and brushed her down in the bright lights before opening up some feed for her. Once I was sure I gave Loretta everything she needed after a ride I hesitantly walked out of the stable and locked the door behind me. The trail that always seemed so short suddenly seemed extra-long. There was no lights anywhere, probably because no was actually living in the house now except for the security men that visit every once in a while. I was barely a few feet up the trail when I heard something behind me. I felt my heart race and I quickly picked up the pace, even as my head told me that I was being paranoid. The sprinklers chose that moment to turn on sending a jolt through me. I took a small misstep and landed on my hands and knees. I could feel the cool mud spread on my hands and the dampness on my jeans. I felt a stinging pain on my knee and knew without a doubt that I had cut my skin open.

"Damn it!" I mumbled to myself as I got up on my feet. I took two more steps before I heard that noise again. It sounded like a loose pebble falling, but it came from farther down the trail and I felt that fear again. Why would a pebble just come loose by itself?

Hurriedly I ran up the trail, which was hard to do with my painful knee. I was almost to my car when I hear them, footsteps, close and heavy footsteps. I didn't turn around. I continued to run up to my car and only clicked it open once my hand on was the handle. I hopped into the driver seat and hit the lock button three times, before pushing the start button on the car. The car purred to life and my head lights came on. Finally I found some courage and looked to where the footsteps sounded earlier but I didn't see anyone. I scowled at that and made myself taller in my seat to look and gasped. There were clear muddy footsteps that had come off the trail, and they were definitely not mine. Without hesitation I put the car in drive and speeded down the long driveway. My heart was still beating rapidly, and even through the mud, I could feel the sweatiness of my palms. Once I was on the highway I reached for my cell phone that was sitting on my passenger seat and pressed the home button, but nothing happened.

"Oh great!" I cried as I remembered that I hadn't charged it the night before and it was now completely out of battery. Then I remembered something else, our sprinklers were always set to turn on in the middle on the night, which meant.... I looked at the small digital clock in my car and gasped. It was one thirty in the morning. I had slept halfway into the night! How was that even possible? 'You didn't sleep the night before.' A voice sneered inside my head.