Beyond Midnight

|12|

I can't let Elodie get in trouble too. It wouldn't be right. We would both have to pay for our actions, and it would be all my fault.

My best friend's freckled face scrunches up in protest.

"But you can't go alone, and I want to come too." She insists, and I clench my jaw. I may love her to death, but she's stubborn sometimes. It might be the death of me.

"No, you can't come, okay? The idiots here already give you a hard time, I won't give them another reason to hate you, Elodie." I demand, anger fresh in my tone. I'm too protective of her to let her do this to herself.

Elodie's face falls, and I whirl around before her puppy dog eyes can convince me to change my mind.

"Don't follow me." I insist over my shoulder, walking away quickly to find the one way out of here that no one else knows about. The place I've snuck out since I was a kid.

I haven't used it in years, up until a few days ago. I haven't had the need to sneak around in order to get outside. It became less strict around here, and I used to be able to go whenever I wanted to.

That is until the robust alien men showed up. Now everything is under complete lockdown.

I slide under the fence, my hips getting stuck a little on the way out of the hole. I'm shocked that I can still fit through the tear in the wire fencing, I've grown some major curves throughout the years. I can't help the rush of endorphins that flood my system at all the memories of my childhood mischief. I got so much joy out of escaping this prison.

It's as if I forgot how good it feels to be bad.

I don't see any aliens around, its not like last time I came out here. When I came to see Fray after Paul's attack, we were surrounded by several other enormous guys that I later discovered were aliens. Now, the valley is barren. I raise my eyebrows in question, but quickly recover when I remember my mission. I'm here to find Fray. I can't just stand around, I need to start looking for him.

Rushing into the woods, I almost trip over the tangled foliage, but I push onward. Through the humidity and the heat, even through the fading light of the day, I keep going. I know I'm running out of daylight, and time. If I don't hurry, I wont be able to find my way home.

Home. I scoff. Some home that is.

I force myself to remember the direction that the spaceship is in. I think I'm going the right way, but I reckon that I'll find out soon.

I'm forced to stop when a heart stopping scream splits the air. My feet freeze where they are. My head whips around as terror sparks.

Elodie. That was Elodie. I just know it.

The shout of fear came from behind, and not too far away either. Dammit, she followed me. She should have listened to me, I should have known that she wouldn't. I curse myself before delving back the way I came with my heart hammering in my throat. My legs burn as I sprint.

I'm not in great shape, but I have to pretend like I am to save my best friend.

My blood pressure rises, my breath wheezing out of my throat. I can't go fast enough as another scream launches, completely haunting me. It has to be Elodie. What's happening to her?

The sight that I encounter is shocking. It's another enormous alien man that towers over me like a tree. He has Elodie slung over his giant shoulder easily, his hand encompassing half her butt, keeping her firmly in place, even though I can hear her crying softly as she struggles against him.