Those blue eyes

Chapter 12

Olivia

I tried desperately to regain my confidence, but after my sudden breakdown Toby seemed increasingly uncomfortable. He knew something was wrong, he knew I had a secret - and I had almost told him what is was.

'Where are we even going?' He smiled, weakly.

'My home.' I muttered. 'My family shouldn't be home. I'm just going to grab some stuff.'

'Wont that make it obvious we've left?'

'I won't take much. Besides, it's just me, my younger sister and my older brother.' I said.

Toby didn't reply to that. There was a curious gleam in his eye but he knew the tone I had used was meant to finish the conversation, so he remained silent.

A few minutes later, we stopped trudging through the muddy field and walked for another ten minutes along an empty, winding country road. We turned the corner, into a dead end. It was lined with three houses on either side, that were quite apart. It was clear from the high, protective fences the neighbours wanted nothing to do with each other. Some were even lined with barbed wire. I kept my head down as I hurried along the pavement, dodging puddles from the rain that had begun to spit at us. I looked up when I reached the gate of my house. As I pushed through it, I was suddenly conscious of the messiness of the front garden. Stinking rubbish was strewn about the place, tangled up in the dead grass. The bushes were hugely overgrown and branches stabbed into the empty air, blocking the path. I looked round at Toby, but his look wasn't judgemental; he didn't seem even a little bit out of place.

I opened the front door and stepped into the hallway, which was lined with a murky brown carpet and had envelopes and leaflets littered over the floor. As I closed the door, I heard voices. I was about to speak out - until I heard what was being said. One voice was my brother, the other I didn't know.

'Here.' The voice was gruff. 'Take it and deliver it to these addresses.'

'I changed my mind. I could get arrested. I can't leave my sisters. I'm sorry.' My brother, said in a pleading tone.

'Too late. You do it.' The man said, forcefully.

'No -'

'You know too much. Take them, and deliver them, or your family and you might find yourself in a sticky situation with me and my lot.'

'I - I was never sure. Please -' my brother stuttered, but he was cut off suddenly and I heard a painfully loud noise. I ran out of the hallway and into the sitting room, where my brother was collapsed on the floor, breathing too quickly. I knelt by him and helped him sit up.

'What are you doing here, Oli?' He choked out. 'Get away.'

'I'm not leaving you.'

I heard a chuckling sound, and looked up. The man I saw was tall, his muscles bulging from underneath his jacket. He had a shaved heard and oddly cut stubble. There was a single gold hoop in his ear, but otherwise he was dressed completely in black.

'Who's this then?' He grinned, his teeth gleaming white, and suddenly Toby was by my side.

'Leave my brother and me alone.' I said, my teeth chattering with nerves.

'Your brother can't be trusted anymore you see. And neither can you. I don't know how much you heard. So, the thing is, I can't.' He shrugged, and took a step forward, so I crashed backwards into a cupboard. As he chuckled evilly I stared at him with loathing.

'Toby.' I whispered. 'What do we do?'

'I don't know, okay?' He yelled, suddenly.

The room went silent, the laughter from the man just an echo. Toby jerked his head around the room as if surveying it. He was shivering.

Toby, I thought. Don't leave me now. Come back to me Toby.

Toby

I didn't like the stares. Everyone was staring at me. Eyes, watching me.

Olivia was scared. I could feel it. Her brother was scared. The man, he was amused. He was a murderer. Like me.

'Stop staring.' I muttered, and stood up, turning to leave. All common sense had been demolished somehow, but a sharp burst of it hit me hard as the man appeared in front of me clutching a gun.

'Now, buddy, go sit next to your girlfriend again.' He spoke in a mocking tone.

I stepped backwards, almost tripping over Olivia, and sat down hesitantly. As I looked at the man, his eyes seemed to change. They would morph into red eyes, blood tears dripping onto his tongue.

Demon eyes. Predator eyes.