Chapter Two - Someone New
I kept pressuring myself to run breathlessly, I felt like I had run cross country 10 times over. I had my head to the ground, the narrow cement pathway the only thing in sight. I started to feel woozy as my legs began to weaken and ache. My head was beginning to feel light and I felt like I was going to vomit. That’s when I knew I couldn't hold myself anymore; my legs gave in from support and I collapsed.
I woke up a little confused and clueless as to where I was, why there were cars passing right in front of my eyes. I moved my hands along my bed, to feel a rough concrete ground, who put me here why was I on a pathway?
"She woke up!" Someone yelled shocked.
I pulled myself on all fours until pain strained on my right knee and left forearm.
"Ahh" I squealed hurt.
I forced myself to stay up. My ribs were sore and aching, probably from sleeping on the rough concrete for so long, seemed so anyways, there was dim sun light. I checked what was causing the pain on my forearm and spotted a slight cut about 2 inches long, crossing diagonally on the inside of my forearm towards the middle, with the black-red dry blood stained under the cut reaching all the way to my hand, I couldn't see if it had got any further. I noticed a blood hand faintly printed, wrapping around my forearm.
I then remembered the image of last night, memories flashing through my mind...That wasn't just a nightmare. I dropped my vision down to the ground and gasped for breath, my heart was hammering against my chest causing the whole top half of my body to beat in the rhythm. I struggled myself up but I couldn't keep my stance. I glanced to my right and there were three strangers looking at me with wide eyes, shooting me with questions all pounding on my dizzy head.
I have to continue running away, they might get to me! I sprinted off without any second thought, but I could barely run anymore, I was limping too much and I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was go back to my bed and fall asleep forever.
After about flat out of approximately 15 minutes of half running, I reached a street market, there were all different kind of stores including clothes, jewellery, utilities, etc. This place didn't look familiar at all, how long had I been running for ever since last night?
Everyone was giving me weird looks, probably because I was half naked, or maybe the cuts on me. I continued to stroll through the street sheepishly; I kind of felt more safe being around a crowd.
Suddenly a tall boy stood in front of me he was about 6 Foot, he had dark brown straight hair, and seemed toned. I took a few steps back astonished, what'd he want from me?
"Hi" he said nervously.
"Hi..." I replied but the sound barely came out, almost mouthing it.
"Hi" he repeated, slightly grinning.
"Hi?" I questioned but the sound coming out this time.
"Hi” he chirped.
"Are you just going to say hi? Or is there anything else you wanted to add?" I asked a little confused as to why he kept repeating 'Hi'
"Hi- Oh umm...” He said sounding a little sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck.
I looked at him curiously, and shook my head expectantly. He started looking me down and I felt embarrassed and revealed.
"I like your clothes" He said smiling. Was that a British accent?
"Yeah I think I look amazing in my pjs and covered in cuts too" I said sarcastically rolling my eyes.
"Perfect costume for Halloween!" He said raising one eye brow jokingly. Yep that's definitely British.
"Honestly, I don't have the time..." I said trying to push him out of the way but he stood sternly and crossed his arms. "What?" I cried sighing.
"Where you off to?" He questioned curiously.
"I don't know..." I whispered quietly under my breath hoping he wouldn't hear "Why does it matter?" I exclaimed fixing my sentence.
"You don't know? Yet you don't have the time...Maybe I can help?" he asked suggestively smiling.
"Are you even from here?" I asked judging on his accent.
"Ayo, you're taking that from my accent aren't ya?" He asked knowingly
I nodded with my hands behind my back on top of each other standing like a good school girl, with my hurt leg crossing the other.
"I mean I’m British yea, but I been 'ere long enough to know this place" He explained sounding proud.
"Where's Kingsgrove?" I asked looking straight into his eyes.
He seemed to be thinking for a bit before he stated raising one eyebrow "In which country? Because I’d say about 28 hours anywhere else min" He trailed off smiling
I rolled my eyes annoyed, he's such a smartass! Just as I walked past him he turned around and pleaded hesitating “Hey, Give me a second chance? I didn't mean to...I mean who else is gonna help ya they'll probably be scared as, I mean bloody hell you look like you just finished shooting from a horror movie."
I couldn't help but feel defeated, he was right. Everyone was giving me weird looks and seemed scared like I was walking hell. I wouldn't blame them with the way I looked, Hell if someone else looked like this I'd probably get out of the area, just in case.
I turned around and caught him looking straight at my ass. I felt embarrassed again and probably turned red. He snapped his head back to my face and looked straight into my eyes pleadingly. His eyes were a light green and so beautiful, just like an emerald.
I crossed my arms and looked away from him expectantly.
"Kingsgrove...'bout 45 minute drive, 'bout 3 hours and 45 minute walk" He answered.
Wow, what the hell, I had been running for almost 3 hours?! How did I even manage that?! I looked to the floor a little disappointed as to how I was going to get back; I probably ran that long without caution just wanting to get as far away as possible.
"You want to go dere?" He asked suggestively, grinning
"That's where I live...You know how to get there?" I asked curiously. I trailed my head slowly up; when I reached his hand he hid it behind his back and put something in the back pocket of his low-cut denim blue jeans. I wonder what that was; it was definitely small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.
"How'd you get here?" He asked confused.
"I ran" I said sounding a little sheepish
"You...What?! You ran? You training for the Olympics or somethin'?" His jaw dropped and he looked at me with wide eyes. "Did you fall down? Is dat how you got those cuts?"
I nodded “something like that..." I said lying quietly. The pictures of me nearly not being able to run away came into my head.
"Ayo, I'm 'ere" He said waving his hand in front of my eyes catching me from my doze off. I snapped my eyes back from the blurriness. "You wanna go there?" he said repeating himself from before.
I nodded, I had to go back and find some answers, I need to find my family, and who ever captured them, has to know the answers to this locket. Maybe I'll go back and everything will be normal, but I was just lying to myself.
"Want me to take you?" he asked suggestively.
"What, why would you do that?" I asked checking for signs if he's joking, nope he seemed legit.
"You're hurt, you seem like a nice girl and I’m a sucker for brown eyes. They remind me of chocolate, and I like chocolate." He stated grinning
I tried to put on a fake smile but not sure if I pulled it off. This boy was amazing; he seemed to have two sides to his personality, the cocky, over-confident side and the cute soft side. I just remembered if we're going back to my house we should take weapons. My face dropped and went back to straight "Do you have any guns?" I asked hopefully.
"Sure I do, two for a fact." He said lifting both his arms and flexing his biceps, grinning slyly.
I slapped his chest "I'm serious" I said sternly glaring at him.
"What would you need those for?" He asked sounding uncomfortable
"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me, either way you're gonna think I’m crazy" I said grimacing
He opened his mouth like he was about to say something but ran his fingers through his hair for a second before saying casually “Well lets go then."
Is this boy serious? I look like I came out of a horror movie, he said it himself. I ask if he has any guns, yet he still wants to take me. He beckoned me instructing me to walk. I was trying to walk as properly as normal but it was difficult and hard to concentrate while I was still getting weird looks as we were walking.
"Am I really that handsome, or is your Halloween costume that amazing?" He said jokingly smiling.
I rolled my eyes and didn't answer as he'd most likely continue making smartass and unnecessary comments. If only he knew what was really happening, would he still help me or run miles? I guess I’ll know the answer when we get to my house.
We reached his car that was parallel parked in the middle of a red and white car, in a 2 hour parking zone. He owned a gloss black Carrera S4 Porsche convertible. My jaw dropped at the sight of it, he owned a dream car of many.
"Yeah that's most people's reaction, but more to me not the car," he said cockily smiling. "Come on hop in the car Cheetah." He said waving his hand at the car laughing.
It's funny because I literally just might have to 'hop' in the car with this knee, wait...Why did he just call me Cheetah? "Cheetah?" I asked curiously.
"Well I don't exactly know your name so your nicknames gonna be Cheetah" He stated while taking the driver’s seat in the car.
I opened the door and bent down just so I could see him " You're not gonna -" I said grimacing before he cut me off and finished "No I'm not, I don't get near a girl when her periods coming out of the wrong ends." He said raising one eyebrow attempting to keep a straight face.
This boy really is arrogant, but he's my only hope and help right now so I’m gonna have to take what I can have. Not that anything else could possibly go any worse, so whatever he could or would do, just didn't matter. I sat in the car relieved from the pain caused by the strain on my knee. He put two hands on the top of the stirring wheel then started the car, driving off a few seconds after.
"Why cheetah?" I asked curiously, it seemed completely random and I couldn't quite work it out.
"'Cause you ran all the way here, I don't think that's physically possible to any human so you must be part cheetah." he said shrugging, only half joking.
I was even amazed how I could manage that, there were really strange things happening with no explanations, hopefully I could find some at the house.
"Antonia" I said introducing myself, I'd rather him not call me Cheetah.
"Ayo, I'm a guy, not a girl, my names Christian" He said looking a little worried. Before I could explain he asked grimacing “I don't look like a girl do I?" Even though he did have a beautiful face like an angel his cuteness was somewhat manly rather than gender confused cute.
I burst out laughing "Actually now that you mention it -" He looked at me with wide eyes grimacing. I laughed even harder getting "I'm Antonia" out in between.
He sighed a sigh of relief, "How old are you Antonia?" He asked turning his head to look at me before looking back at the road.
"Eighteen, you?" I asked, knowing he was in his early twenties, he looked it anyways.
"Twenty-One." He replied casually. He ran his fingers through his hair before looking me over for ten seconds. I wondered what he was looking at, or was he just checking me out. Then again who would check out a Halloween cheetah? I thought to myself. "What's your mum gonna say when you reach home, and see's you like this?" He asked dropping one corner of his mouth slightly down.
The vision of the two replicas replayed in my head, as they were eyeing me out when I glanced back, while running to my escape. Shivers went down my spine at the image of it. "I don't wanna see her." I stated mumbling quiet enough so he wouldn't hear.
"Huh?" he whimpered confused. I just shook my head dismissively. Most of the trip we were talking and getting to know each other, I didn't really check him out until in the car, he was really a good looking guy and his personality really did have two sides, kind of like two different hearts. I had an instinct that for some reason I could trust him.
When the atmosphere started to look familiar, I looked down at my hand trying to hide it from Christian, to check if it was shaking. I could barely keep it still, my breathing started to heavy, and heat overtook my body.
"This is Kingsgrove, but course you'd know, what street?" He asked looking at me. I couldn't answer, my voice died on me from fear, I was trying to speak but nothing was coming out. "Ayo, you okay?" he asked sounding worried. I nodded quickly, looking out the window next to me.
"Man-Manchester R-road, Fifteen Manchester Road" I said buckling. I checked the time on the analogue clock in the car; it was almost half past eleven.
As he drove into Manchester Road, my hands sub-consciously gripped onto the red leather car seats, and made a screeching noise as my hands kept gripping tighter, my fist clinching in more.
He stopped in front of my house, looking out the window with a confused look on his face. My eyes left him and I turned to look at why he had that expression on his face, my jaw dropped and my eyes twitched, as I rubbed them to check I wasn't imagining things.
What...What happened here...
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