The Real Ram

Chapter 34

"Trespassing?"

"Yeah, they seem to think he isn't here for positive reasons."

Beast tenses, "Did Nix say who's parent it was?"

I shake my head, "No, just that it was one of ours."

I don't know if it's just me, but I think Beast starts to speed up a bit. 

"Beast, you are walking too fast," I say wincing from my ankle. I would have fallen if Beast wasn't so stable.

"Zoe, you could have told me this before we started walking."

I look up to Beast and see worry on his face. "What's wrong?"

He inhales and looks around, "Let me make this clear for you. You know about the Visiting day, yes?"

"Yeah, Trish told me about it."

"Well sometimes parents or visitors come a bit early if they live farther away from the compound."

"Okay and?"

"Well in our group, there's four fathers. Shawn's dad, who's loved amongst the compound. He's never been seen as a threat, and he come the day of Visiting Day with Shawn's mother. There's Trish's dad, who is incredibly boring and only comes because her mother wants to see how much Trish has improved. Then that leaves us."

"My father doesn't really show his face," I reply. Unless it's for some random reason and then drops off the face of the earth again.

"Yes. And neither does mine, but see, I don't think you have to be a blood relative to be considered a father."

"What's that mean?" I ask, then it hits me. "They would call you a stepfather." I feel a chill go down my spine, and Beast picks up on my tension. 

"I would say so, yes."

"Are you saying John's the guy that's broken in?"

"I don't know, but my father wouldn't ever come here. The day he does will be the day he accepts having a freak son, and that's never going to happen."

I take in a deep breath and look around. Suddenly I feel like there's a dozen sets of eyes watching us from the deepest cracks of the silver metallic walls. 

"He came in checking in as your visitor?"

"Yeah but whoever Nix was talking to didn't really believe him. Mr. X would especially know that John has no place visiting me."

There's a huge bang in a few hallways behind us. Dread rises in Beast, "Let's get you to the infirmary and out of these halls."

I nod and we keep walking. I feel like someone is following us, but I try to ignore it. We turn a few corners and continue to get closer to the infirmary. 

Finally we hear foot steps behind us. We look back but there's no one there. "Zoe?"

"Yeah?"

"Keep walking," he says softly. We continue our interlock rhythm as Beast helps me limp away. We hear another scuff and finally someone appears behind us. I look back but all I see is a a hood pulled over the face. 

"Beast," I say in a whisper.

Before I know it, someone is already separating us and slamming Beast into the wall. The guy that was following us grabs me but I struggle away from them. I try to run, but once my foot hits the ground my ankle gives off a sharp pain that causes me to cry out. I almost fall, but the person catches me. I start to push his hands away.