Evan pulls me further out side. I turn back to the group and catch Sawyers worried eyes.
"Don't worry, won't keep you long." Evan says as he catches me looking back at the group. "I'm sure you have a gist of what's going on..." he looks at me and I nod. And then I make a confused face and shake my head no.
He quietly laughs and clears his throat, "I'm sure they told you my parents aren't the best people including your uncle. I recently came across information I acquired through a spy, that your uncle intends to put you in danger. They have been planning this for years, all our parents..." He trails of quietly, his lips turning into a frown.
"And I'm supposed to believe this?" I question.
Evan stands there, his state studying my face, he shrugs before he starts talking. "I would. You should be grateful you're still alive." He tersely says before he walks off back into the house.
I stand there dumbfounded. I'm not sure if I upset him or he's just like that. He got his point across. I don't know these people and yet here they are risking their life to protect each other including me. It seems too much.
I walk back inside and they're all huddled together talking. I walk closer and catch them talking about shopping.
I perk up, the thought of doing something normal and getting out of this scary place makes me happy.
"If we get far away from here, where it's safe enough I can use my card." Daniel says. "I mean my account may be frozen, but it's worth a shot." He shrugs. "Besides we need the money."
"Money isn't an issue. We have that covered." Sawyer cuts him off.
"I have a card too, it's for emergencies but we can try mine." I cut in.
They all ignore me and continue talking.
"Okay. I mean if he tries what's the harm in me trying. Unless you don't think it's safe."
"You're not going out, Opal. They are, you aren't." Sawyer snaps.
"Don't worry you'll be safe. We don't want you breaking a finger," Avery gasps, "or worse, a nail while trying to use your card."
"Avery...." Sawyer barks.
"You've been warned." Jospeh cuts in.
"That was directed toward you, pretty boy." Avery smirks.
"Don't call me that." Sawyers voice drops deeper, almost a growl.
"Can we all just get along?" I cut in rolling my eyes. "If were all in this together might as well be civil. And since we're all in this together we should all go together, as one." I turn to Sawyer, my eyes challenging his.
"Opal, we would take you, but this is the problem..." Jospeh hands me a news paper article.
I grab it from him and on the front cover is a picture of me with my family. Underneath is a ransom for a lot of money, a written note begging for my kidnappers to bring me back home.
"I'm not surprised Whit threw Sawyer under the bus." Jospeh says and Sawyers eyes meet Jospeh's a hidden conversation between them.
On the bottom of the paper is a professional picture of Sawyer with glasses. With the words, 'professor kidnaps underage girl."
Sawyer grabs the paper from my hand and scrunches it up and tosses is.
I have no clue what Whit told my parents, but this is just over doing it. Whit sure did feed my parents a story.
Avery walks over to the news paper and unscrambles it. "Wanted back for a million? Your parents are pitching in." She turns to Sawyer.
"Oh they're good. So freaking good." Daniel laughs, shaking his head.
"Explain?" I question.
"It's simple," Sawyer cuts in. " Whit probably told your parents to make a big deal out of this. Proclaiming to the world that you're gone. My parents offer to help pay, but they'll never have to pay a cent because they know where we are, or where you are." He points to me.
"My parents don't anything about anything. I need to warn them."
Sawyer steps in front of me, blocking my path. "You know you can't do that, Opal."
"Move out of my way. My family is in danger and you or anyone in this room can't stop me."
Sawyer pulls me back, "they're not in any danger. It would bring too much attention and they don't want that. The less they know the better. Your family isn't questioning the story your uncle Whit gave so they'll leave them alone."
"But my mom. My dad. My brother." I whisper, "they all must be worried. I need to somehow tell them I'm fine."
"They're going to have to stay worried a little longer." Sawyer tells me.
"How do we know her parents aren't in on this? Can we really trust anyone at this point?" Avery cuts in.
"My parents would never."
"You sure?" Jospeh cuts in.
"I'm positive."
"Oh good. Then it's safe for her to contact her parents." Avery speaks up.
Sawyer searches my face, and in a low voice says my name.
"Opal..."
"My parents are completely in the dark."
I guess after our conversation Sawyer trusts me enough to stay back all alone by myself. All of them went out to buy food and some clothes.
I thought about running away and finding a phone but something in me is holding me back. I think it's the scary woods.
My parents must be going crazy looking for me. I regret not saying bye. I have so much more I want to say to them and want to do with them. To try and clear my head and not think of my family I slowly creep upstairs. I have one flashlight and if it goes out I will definitely freeze in fear.
What are my parents thinking? Borrowing that much money from complete strangers. They must be desperate. They just want me home safe.
I blink away tears as I slowly climb up the stairs. Not even a dead body can help me forget about my family.
The smell hits me first and I resist the urge to gag. I walk into the room and to the closed closet door, which is now open and the body is out and sprawled on the floor.
The light shines on the rotting flesh of its hand. Someone has to be looking for him? His concerned family? What if he didn't have anyone and no one knows he's dead? If only I could figure out how he died, when he died, or even know who the killer is. That would make me feel better, instead of idly doing nothing.
A tap on my shoulder sends me spinning. A small squeal escapes my lips and I fall to the ground, landing right on top of the dead body.
I scream when I realize where I am. I pull myself off, screaming at the top of my lungs.
"Oh, shit. Sorry. I thought you heard me coming in." Jospeh apologizes and tries to steady me but I push his arms out of the way and run out of the room screaming.
I still feel it beneath me. The cold smelly body. How frail and bony it was. I feel goosebumps rise as the lingering feeling stays.
"What the fuck is going on?" Sawyers at the bottom of the stairs and I just ram into him. He holds me in place as I sob into his chest. The warmth of his not so dead body giving me comfort. I shiver at the thought of the dead body and Sawyer hesitantly puts his arms around me, embracing me in a hug.
"I'm sorry." I hear Jospeh racing down the stairs. I suck in my snot and breath out.
"It's okay, I'm fine. It was a just a..." I shiver again, not able to say dead body. I back away from Sawyer and sit on the ground.
"What did you do?" Sawyer whispers harshly to Jospeh. And they start to bicker, walking away.
They couldn't find a market near by, but they did find a pizza place and ordered a few boxes, as for clothes, they just got pillows and blankets.
I'm the only one awake in the kitchen, eating my sorrows away.
"Can't sleep?" Jospeh questions, sluggishly walking in.
"Nope. Especially knowing there's a dead body above us."
"Sorry." He apologizes.
"This is your ten thousandth apology. It's okay." He leans against the counter beside me. "But the further I am from this place the better, corpses and I don't mix." I tell him taking my last bite of pizza.
"We can find another place. Sawyer will be okay with it."
"Yeah, but everyone seems comfortable already." I whisper and take a peak into the dark living room, silhouettes of everyone on the floor.
"Speaking of Sawyer, why did he come back so late. And how did you get into the house so quick?" I question.
"He sent me early to come check on you. I honestly think that was an excuse to have more alone time with Avery." Jospeh whispers into my ear. "But, obviously you were fine before I came." He shakes his head and gives out an embarrassed chuckle.
"Is he still mad that I want Avery here?" I question question.
"I'm sure he is. But he's more annoyed than anything. I think we're all hoping that Avery remembers she has family somewhere."
"Jospeh?" We hear Avery's whispering voice. It echoes through the kitchen. I catch Jospeh roll his eyes,
"So much for alone time." He mutters before calling Avery into the kitchen.
"The one thing I wanted was bug spray and that's the only thing Sawyer forgot to buy." Avery complains, swooshing her hands in the air, getting the mosquitos off of her. She sees us both standing and halts. "I'm being eaten alive."
"You coming?" Jospeh asks and I shake my head no.
"Maybe one more slice and then I'll head to bed." I tell him and he nods, pulling Avery with him.
I wake up with a startle when I hear a small crashing sound.
"Fuck." I hear Sawyer curse under his breath. I notice I'm still sitting at the kitchen table. Must have fallen asleep, half a pizza crust beside me.
I hear some shuffling and then quietness. I sit still in the dark kitchen. Maybe Sawyer just has to pee. I rest my head on the table and close my eyes.
"Opal!"
I jerk awake, the deep sleep I was about to enter disrupted. All I see above me is green eyes from the light outside and the low running flashlight.
"Sawyer? What?" My voice rises. His hand covers my mouth and he leans in closer to me.
"Are you wake? I need you to do something..." he asks, his hand is clamped tightly against my mouth.
I debate answering sarcastically, but the urgency behind his voice stops me. I squint at him, unable to answer. I yank his hand off my face.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" I question.
"What? Yeah, I'm fine. Just shut up and listen." He pulls me off the chair and we sneak out back.
Sawyer has the watch in his hand.
"What are you doing?" I question. I back away from him and he pulls me to him.
"Don't you want to know what happened to him?" He points with his chin to the body upstairs.
I turn and watch the dark empty room from the outside window. I do, but it won't change anything....
"I mean yeah, but..." I'm unable to finish because darkness is already engulfing us.
We're in the same spot except it's day light and the forest is green, instead of it being dry. There aren't that many dead trees.
I spin around slowly taking in the scenery. The house looks the same, old and falling apart. It's not as hot.
"How far back did we go?" I question.
"A month back." Sawyer says as he walks away from me. Makes sense, it only just started getting hot. A lot can change in a month.
"Why are dragging me into this?" I question. Sawyer runs up the stairs and I follow suit.
"Body isn't here yet. We're too early." Sawyer sighs.
"Or just on time?" I question as I hear shouting coming from outside.
"I knew I did the math correct..." Sawyer mutters.
"You mean to tell me you calculated exactly when this would play out?" I question further.
"The body always tells a story. There's a predictable process of shutting down, cooling off, and decaying which can then be used to approximate when death actually occurred." He smirks and I watch as two mean walk closer to the house.
"What do you think they're arguing about?"
"Drugs." Sawyer says with a shrug.
He pulls me back downstairs and tells me to wait in the kitchen until he comes back.
"No. Wait, where are you going?" I question but he's already out the back door.
"I don't think you understand that if you don't have the money, we're all screwed!" I hear the front door slam open. A man shouting makes me freeze in my steps.
"I do have the money. It's in the damn fridge." I hear shuffling.
"I swear to god if you're lying to me you son of a bitch, I'll shoot a bullet straight through your head." One of them threatens.
The closer they get to the kitchen the more glued to my spot I get.
When they continue to argue and enter into the kitchen I breath out when they don't notice I'm standing right in the middle. I slowly back away when I bump into a chair and it falls, crashing to the ground.
Both men immediately turn around.
"Hi." I croak and I make a run for it.
The man with a gun shoots fire and I duck, running back upstairs.
"Where the hell did you come from? Did someone send you?" The man continues to shout.
I'm going to kill Sawyer.
I make it up stairs and grab a random piece of wood and hide behind a door. The man slowly enters the room and once he's in front of me I swing and aim for his head. He falls to the floor, his ears bleeding.
I don't take account the other man and it's just now registering to me that I'm on the floor with the dead man, who is alive is on top of me, trying to strangle me.
My instinct kicks in and I start lashing out, my arms and legs flailing. My finger nails catch his cheek and I scratch on him hard. He falls back, grunting in pain.
I hurry and get up, but the man I just whacked has both my legs in his grasp.
"Let go of me!" I scream at the top of my lungs. I kick and fight, screaming for anyone to hear. I try with all my might to get both men off of me.
Sawyer grabs me from my armpit and pulls me out of their hold. His hand is over my mouth, but I continue to scream. He seethes for me to shut up and when I do, I'm not hearing my screams but someone else's.
"What was that?" Avery shrieks. "What the hell was that?" She points a flashlight on us and we both turn, the light bright in our eyes.
"What was what?" Sawyer shrugs, acting confused.
"That, that bright light. I've never seen light so bright, and that color." She turns to me, her hand on her forehead. "You saw it, tell him you saw it..." Avery pleads.
Sawyer gives me a look and I slightly nod.
"I didn't see anything."
She breaths out, Jospeh is now in the room.
"Wait, why are you guys in here?" She questions.
"Get her out of here." Sawyer says and Jospeh listens, taking Avery out.
I let a deep shaky breath. I rub the sleep from my face and when I look up o see Sawyers figure filling the doorway.
"I'm pretty sure someone heard our screams. We should leave..." I tell him, my voice surprising me with how steady I sound. "Maybe someone will find him and give him a proper burial..." I mutter.
I have this feeling that Sawyer was watching everything go down. And that somehow he might be impressed by how I knocked out that guy. But he just stands there, picking at the scratch marks I gave him.
"You should get some sleep." Sawyer says and he walks out of the room.
I eventually fall asleep from exhaustion. The sun wakes me up first and I shoot up, startled. Everyone is still fast asleep and I look around for Sawyer.
I hear the front door open and see Sawyer carrying bags. He pulls out toothbrushes and toothpaste, water bottles and a few hoodies.
I'm sure the left over pizza will be our breakfast.
I hear Avery loudly yawn and she sits up.
Sawyer takes out a large wad of cash and starts separating it. He sees I'm awake and he I get up.
"Here. Everyone is going to have a certain amount of money on them at all times. Just in case you get lost and need a bus ticket or make a phone call." He pulls out disposable phones.
"Use wisely and throw away immediately." He hands each of us a phone.
"It's the crack ass of dawn. Why is everyone awake?" Jospeh's morning voice breaks the silence. I turn and smile at Jospeh. He catches my eyes and smiles in return, "Good morning." He yawns and stretches. I giggle at how cute he's being.
I turn around and Sawyers hand with the wad of cash is stretched out to me. I see the receipt hidden between the bills. Avery catches eye of it and snatches if from my hand.
"Holy freak. This is your bank account?" Avery asks Sawyer.
I take it back and look it, my eyes wide.
"I know your parents are rich, but I didn't know you were this rich." She looks surprised. "What exactly do you do again? You can't just be a teacher, you work for the government?" She questions, my curiosity peaking as well. She turns to me, "why does he have all that money just sitting there?" She questions.
"Why wouldn't he?" I shrug.
"Because he can freaking spend it. But he's too responsible for that..." she rolls her eyes.
"It's money smarts. Haven't you heard the phrase spend wisely?" Jospeh cuts in. Sawyer looks at me, our eyes meeting briefly. I'm upset that he dragged me back in time last night and put me in danger. I shoot daggers at him and with that he walks away.
"No, I wouldn't call it that..." she says and pretends to yawn.
What is it with this girl? She's just hating on everyone.
"Did you hear that?" A distant voice says, "Someone might be in there."
Sawyer turns to us and curses. Sawyers immediately by my side and shoves me to the kitchen. Everyone follows right after.
"Two men." Jospeh whispers. "Cops. They're on the front porch."
"Back door. Move." Sawyer commands.
So much for being safe.
——————————————————————-
Finally! A new chapter ! 😭 excuse the long wait.
I have one more week of school 👏🏻🙌🏻
How is everyone !!!!!! ❤️