BORROWED [Watty Awards Finalist/NEWLY EDITED!]

Chapter Fourteen

"Irissa," he says, finally looking down at me. "Tell me right now that you won't blame yourself for anything that concerns me."

Anger is in his eyes. But why?

"I – I – won't blame myself," I stumble over my words, trying to make myself believe what I'm saying out loud. "I promise."

Finn's face relaxes, his eyebrows rise as his lips curl upward into a smile. "Good. Let's get out of here." He grabs my hand and starts pulling me along behind him, unaware that I'm trying to move in the opposite direction.

"Finn, what are you doing?" I shout at the top of my lungs.

"What's it look like? Running!" he says.

A vehicle turns sharply at the intersection up ahead, skidding tires as it pulls up next to us. Finn lowers the duffel bag to the ground, rubbing at his shoulder. I examine the bag, wondering what could be so heavy, and then look toward the car at multiple faces staring our way.

"Get in, quick! Borrowers are coming," says one of the guys in the back seat. He swings open the door, holding his hands out as Finn tosses him the bag. "Good work, bro."

"Thanks," breathes Finn, looking directly at me now, holding out his hand. "Come with me, Iris." His widening eyes flicker at something behind me, and this time he shakes his hand through the air. "Take my hand! Hurry!"

I look over my shoulder, knowing it was inevitable that Kyler and the other Borrowers would track me down.

Oh no...Kyler.

"Finn..." I start to say as I notice Kyler pushing past a couple Borrowers moving our way. "I don't know. This is too fast!" I shake my head, looking over my shoulder at Finn.

Kyler's hand waves viciously through the air. His mouth forms an "O". He's shouting, but still too far for me to make any sense of what he's trying to communicate.

"You don't want to go back there! Do you?" Finn says, urgency in his voice coaxing me to move toward him, to grab onto his hand and leave. "Take a chance. Please get into the car."

My trembling hand inches closer to his, but I stop, pulling back. "But my friend at PURE...I can't leave her, Finn." The stomping boots of the Borrowers continue to grow louder...closer.

Finn lunges forward, grabbing onto my hand. "Trust me when I say this, we will get your friend. We have to go, Iris. Now!" He pulls me toward the car. I hold my ground, pressing against the door-frame. Finn continues to hold onto my hand as I stand outside the open door.

"Irissa, don't get into that car!"

My heart thuds against my rib cage. It has never felt so under pressure. I've never felt so alive.

Kyler stands in the distance, holding out his arms to keep the other Borrowers back. His hair is drenched in sweat from running. Finn's hand loosens from mine. I look down at him, wondering why he has suddenly giving up, but then I see it in his eyes.

 He wants me to make a choice.

"Irissa..." Kyler says my name again. I look over at him and shake my head. Confusion spreads over his face as he looks between me and the car.

I'm sorry, I mouth silently to him, and duck to slide into the seat next to Finn.

The car pulls away from the curb, leaving behind shouting Borrowers in the cloud of smoke from the tires. I sneak one last glance out the back window. Kyler stands just outside the crowd of his comrades. His arms relaxed loosely at his sides, no emotion whatsoever. He isn't shouting like the rest, or even attempting to run toward the car in pursuit.