The Red

Chapter 30

On Thursday, Caylen and I make the hazardous decision to test my ankle on a run to the orphanage. It's been a month since I saw Jill and Preston. Shauna grants us permission to go, but only if we don't stop the whole time. I'm a little surprised she's letting us, considering all of the bad things hat have been happening to us. But I suppose as long as we don't stop, we'll be fine.

So Caylen and I run. We run really quickly. I can hear Caylen breathing very heavily, but he doesn't complain.

As soon as we reach the orphanage door, we knock enthusiastically until Cathy opens the door.

Cathy.... Maybe I should tell her about our discoveries.

Cathy turns and calls Jill, who comes running in.

"Hey!" she exclaims.

"Hello," I say. "Sorry, but I need I talk to Cathy for a minute. Caylen, keep Jill company."

Caylen looks at me with pleading eyes, but he sits down on a sofa with Jill while Cathy and I walk to her office.

Walking into the office brings the memories flooding back to me. The memories of when Cathy told me that I was going to be adopted, and I ran out crying. I considered it a bad day back then, but looking at what it's become, I don't mind it so much.

I sit in a chair and begin talking. "So you're probably wondering why we ran the whole way here...."

"Yes, kind of."

"Well, The Red may or may not be showing up everywhere we go. Remember that kid who was murdered a few weeks ago?"

"Goodness, Natalie!"

I explain how I was there, and tell her about everything that's happened to me. Every experience, from the motor boat to the criver to the furniture store and beyond.

"Natalie, I think you're getting close! That's why they want to kill you!"

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, I should be out with Jill. I just wanted to tell you about our discoveries."

"Yes, you'd better go talk to her. And you'd also better leave in time to get home before dark."

"Definitely."

I stand and say, "See you, Cathy." I exit the office and find Jill and Caylen talking together on the couch.

"It jumped out of her desk, and she screamed! I was hoping it would get on her face, but it didn't."

Caylen must be telling the story of when he put a frog in that girl's desk.

Jill sighs. "That would have been so awesome to see! But it probably was not funny to the girl."

"Nope, but who cares!"

Jill giggles.

"Hey guys," I say.

"Hello, Natalie! Caylen was telling me about some of his pranks!"

"Nice!" I sit with them, and we have a little conversation together. I feel terrible as a thought crosses my mind.

I've definitely grown up since I left the orphanage. Jill seems far away, and I feel so much more mature. ...Maybe Kian really is my best friend now. It makes me a little sad to see my old life right here, but to be absorbed in another. Each life feels so distant when I'm in the other. Right now Kian seems far away, but the orphanage is here. When I'm at home with my Family, the orphanage is just a distant memory.

"Where's Preston?" I finally ask.

"Oh," Jill says. "We got a new kid a few wells ago, and Preston became friends with him."

"That's great," I say. I'm really happy for Preston. I stand up. "Sadly, we have to go."

"Bye, Nat," Jill says. "Come again! You, too, Caylen."

Calyen and I step outside, and I say, "I think she likes you better now."

"Yeah," he replies.

I don't say anything else, because we've started running.

So far we've been okay. It's halfway home that things go wrong.

There's a group of young men - a gang - blocking our path.

Caylen and I slow down. We're in trouble.

"Stop," the man in front says. He's wearing a white tee shirt and several necklaces. His hat is on backwards and he has a scraggly goatee on his chin. There are five more behind him, all dressed in a similar fashion. Not exactly the same, but similar.

I know we've hit trouble for sure when the man in front pulls out a switchblade. My breath catches in my throat. He's going to kill us.

Is it possible that this is The Red, come to finish us off? I can't be sure, but I don't know why else this man would pull a knife on me.

"What do you want?" I ask boldly, although my voice slightly quivers.

"I want to kill you," the man says.

"Oh yeah? And why is that?"

"Because you're standing right here, that's why." He has one of those gangster accents.

I stand there, contemplating what I should do. I don't get to think for very long, because the man reaches out and grips my arm tightly. I hear Caylen yelp behind me.

"Let me go," I demand.

"No. Where should I start? My knife is awful sharp."

Suddenly Caylen throws his body onto the man who's holding me captive. But it was to no avail, because one of the other gang members takes him by the arm, gripping him firmly.

The man holding my arm is cutting off my blood circulation, making my hand go numb. He lifts his knife.

"Maybe I should start by reopening this scar right here." He sticks his knife into my scar from that day in the river, and slowly cuts down, leaving me clenching my teeth in pain.

"There," he says. "Where should I cut next?"

"You're insane!" I yell.

"Okay, the face it is."

I scream as loud as I can, but no one's around. So, I turn as best as I can, and kick my captor in the groin. He's momentarily shocked, so I escape his grasp. He reaches out with his knife as I make my way to Caylen, and slices my cheekbone. I ignore it, and then free Caylen the same way I freed myself.

"Run!" I whisper, and we sprint in the direction of our house, not slowing down at all. My lungs burn and my legs feel like jello, but I don't want any of those guys catching up to us.

We even take several detours as we run, so they won't be able to trace us back to where we live.

Once were at the house, we open the door and slam it shut.

"What in the-?" Shauna walks in from the kitchen. "Natalie! Why are you covered in blood?"

Caylen and I relay the story to her, but it just confuses me. Are these men part of The Red? If they are, than we may have discovered them once and for all.

__________________________

Author's Note:

I'm sorry; I know this chapter was pretty bad. XD But! I'm sure you'll like the next one!