The Hurt

Chapter 10

Melissa was already standing up when I threw her backpack at her. I left mine on the porch, knowing that this was our chance to get away once again. She threw open the door and grabbed my backpack as well. I jumped over my crippled uncle and reached for the handle but never made it. His hands wrapped around my ankle making me lose my balance and fall face first.

I didn’t give him a chance to get on top of me; I turned around and let my foot connect with his face. Blood immediately started running from his nose and he released my ankle to caress it. I jumped to me feet and ran out the door. I’ll be paying the price for that later, but I couldn’t think about that now, I needed to focus of getting us away from him first.

Melissa was at the end of the driveway with both our backpacks. She was bruised and had a cut above her eyebrow, but other than that it didn’t seem like she had any major injuries. She was still crying, and I felt so bad for letting this happen to her. I was her sister, I needed to protect her, whatever the cost and I’d failed.

I shook the thoughts out of my head, focusing back on my plan. Melissa and I start running down the street and once we turn the corner, we stopped.

“Get my phone out of my bag, but keep running. We need to get as far away as we can.” She chucks it to me and starts to run down the street. Once we were far enough down the street I pull up my texts and messaged the only person I knew, Aaron.

‘Help, meet me at the clearing ASAP!!!!!’ I didn’t know if he would come or not, but he was the only person I trusted.

I finally caught up to Melissa and took the lead. I would have normally stopped to examine her condition but we needed to be safe first. “Jess-Jess, where are we going?” I don’t turn around when I respond.

“Somewhere where we’ll choose what our next plan of action is.” I heard her sigh. I know I didn’t answer her question, but Uncle George was going to be catching up to us any minute and there wasn’t time to explain anything.

Once we entered the woods, my phone buzzed twice. I smiled; Aaron must have gotten my text. I pull out my phone and stop, eyes wide at the message on my screen.

Unknown Number

I’ll find you bitch, and when I do. YOU ARE DEAD

I shook my head; he wasn’t going to find us, not this time. I unlock my phone to read the second text, which was from Aaron.

You ok? Hang tight, I’ll be there soon.

*     *     *    *

We reach the clearing and I could see Aaron standing to the far right, near the shed of his artwork. I start to run, but Melissa grabs my hand. I look back at her, she didn’t know who the figure was and by the look on her face, she must have thought it was Uncle George.

“Mel, it’s okay. He’s a friend.” I gave her a reassuring smile before I took her hand started running to Aaron.

When we were only a few feet away from him, I let of Melissa’s hand and ran into his arms.

“Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” He pulled my face out of his shoulder so that he could see me. I could see him look over my shoulder at Melissa, who was standing quietly, still shaking from being attacked.

I stepped back and pulled Melissa towards me. His eyes went wide when he seen the bruises on her face. “Aaron, we need your help.” I pull Melissa close to me and wait for his response.

“Yeah, of course. Anything” I looked at him with sad eyes, then down at Melissa. She had dried blood down the left side of her face, and her right eye started to swell. You could see the marks on her face from crying.  I whipped under both her eyes before I look up at back up at Aaron.