Sacrificial Loyalty

Chapter 14- Wicked intentions

He wanted to protect Melvin from all the pain in the world, and he had to start by getting rid of everything that would cause that pain. That hurt. That betrayal.

Lachlan was the only person that Melvin needed.

He was going to make sure that he WAS the only person left.

'Hey Ava :)' Came the message.

'Hey! How's it going?!' She responded back.

'Not too bad thanks! Thinking we could meet up today?'

'We can! Although, I'm going to be meeting Jessica too and maybe Melvin if he wants to, so yeah!' Ava answered quickly.

'What's your address?'

'I live on Carnival Crescent! I'm going to be waiting outside for Jessica in like, half an hour or so. See you then?'

'Perfect :)' Lachlan sent the message, and smiled.

The drive was short for Lachlan, but he could feel his excitement bubbling up as he pulled his car into Carnival Crescent, staring out of the front window and the passenger window, watching for Ava. Within a few minutes, he spotted her, and parked his car, opening the door and climbing out before strolling over to her.

"Hello Ava!"

"Hey!" She shouted back. "I'm just waiting for Jessica. I think Melvin's coming too so today will be pretty fun!"

Lachlan nodded at her. "I think it will be very fun too." He mumbled.

He had to act fast.

"Hey Ava can you do me a favour?"

Ava looked up at him curiously. "Yeah sure, what's up?"

He pointed to the car. "Can you go get my phone out of the car please? I think it's on the passenger seat. Might have fell off onto the floor though."

She smiled. "Sure!"

She walked up to the black car and opened the passenger door, looking inside to find the phone, but frowning, she turned back to Lachlan.

"It's not here!"

"Ah." Lachlan shook his head. "Hold on I'll have a look."

He marched over to her, standing next to her as he also peered into his car for his phone.

"Shit. It's not here. Nevermind. You can sit down if you want while you wait for Jessica. You don't know how long she's going to be right?"

Charmed, she sat down on the passenger seat and thanked Lachlan.

However, as she looked away to watch for Jessica, she was pushed into the car, and the car door slammed, locking.

Freaking out, she stared up at Lachlan as he calmly walked around the car, unlocking it and quickly jumping into the car before locking it once more and driving away from Carnival Crescent.

Petrified, Ava leaned over, fighting desperately to do anything that would stop Lachlan from driving, but her efforts were unfortunate, and Lachlan turned the car, driving up a small gravel path that led to an old abandoned farmhouse.

Switching the engine off, he unlocked the car and jumped out, causing Ava to do the same.

Her legs felt heavy, but through her fear, she began running. Running as fast as she could, desperate to get away and hopeful that she would.

But with a few sudden footsteps and a hard, painful knock to the back of the head, Ava collapsed onto the ground below.

Bending down, Lachlan gripped onto both of Ava's thin arms and began dragging her back to the car, her body scraping on the rough floor beneath her, sure to leave red scrapes and purple bruises on her delicate, pale skin.

Opening the passenger side of his car, Lachlan lifted Ava's body with ease, and threw her in, closing the door behind her and jumping back into his car, starting the engine and driving away from the scene.

Once he arrived back at his home in the next town over, he strolled casually around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door, grabbing hold of Ava and holding her, as if she was drunk, and he made sure to hold her gently in case anybody questioned what was going on.

Closing the car door and locking the car, he stumbled up the pavement to his front door, Ava held under his right arm to prevent her from falling. She was waking up at that point, scuffing her trainers against the floor as she opened her eyes slowly, her head sore.

Lachlan unlocked the door and lifted Ava inside, closing the door behind him and dragging her into the kitchen, where his previous gentleness disappeared, and he threw her onto the kitchen floor, staring at her almost lifeless body as she groaned in pain and confusion.

Turning his head to the living room, he opened up the coffee table drawer and pulled out a gun, hiding it behind his back as he continued staring at Ava.

A 'pinging' noise echoed around the kitchen. Messages. From Ava's phone.

Before Ava had a chance to respond, Lachlan kneeled down and pulled the phone from her left pocket, eyeing up the notifications that were coming through at a rapid pace.

'Ava where are you? We were supposed to meet up ages ago and you aren't here! Is everything okay?'

Lachlan clicked the power button and the active, colourful screen turned black and silent. He placed the phone in his pocket.

Ava's eyes opened and she gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of Lachlan as she pushed herself along the kitchen carpet away from him, holding her bloody head, her fingers changing from snow pale to rose red.

Lachlan bent down once more, smiling at her gently. "You hit your head pretty hard didn't you? I can take care of you if you like?" As he stood back up and began taking steps towards Ava, she pushed herself away further, pointing sharply at him with her other hand.

"Don't you dare come near me!" She hissed at him. "I know what you did."

Lachlan continued smiling.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Little by little, Ava carefully lifted herself up from the carpet, cautiously staring at Lachlan.

"You hit me..You hit me!" She yelled, bolting towards the stair door and ripping it open, running up the stairs as fast as she could.

Lachlan watched on for less than two seconds before running after her, slamming the door behind him and chasing her up the stairs and through his bedroom, growling as Ava ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind her, her footsteps becoming quieter as she ran to the bath and crouched down between the toilet and the end of the bath, shaking.

Terrified, she fumbled around in all of her pockets, searching desperately for her phone, but she couldn't find it anywhere.

Nobody knew where she was either.