The Definer

Chapter 2

As my vision began to blur back into focus, so did the feeling in my body. It was a strange feeling... An uncomfortable feeling... A falling feeling! I looked around and as soon as I realised that I was falling from almost a kilometre up, to my death on the dark forest floor, I screamed at the top of my lungs and my arms were flailing around by my sides. As the ground got closer and closer, I clenched my eyes shut and waited for my death to arrive. My body then hit the ground with a loud thud. Despite having fallen from an incredible height, it didn't hurt one bit. My muscles weren't even sore as I stood up and scanned the area. I definitely had not been there before. On one side of me, there was a lake so still that it looked like it was covered in a layer of ice. As I spun around, I saw that on my other side, there was a thick, dark forest with trees spread everywhere through the area. Near the edge of the forest, about a hundred metres away from me, was a tall muscular figure. Whoever the person happened to be was wearing a black, hooded jacket. The figure was completely black so I couldn't make out any part of their body but one... Their eyes. They were a deadly, glowing Crimson colour, glowing against the blackness of the forest.

"Who are you?" I asked much more bravely than I felt.
"And why would I tell you that, child?" He said with a dark devilish laughter. His voice was deep and hoarse.
I noticed him sniff the air then let out a long sigh. For a second I thought I saw his eyes turn an even deeper red, if that was even possible. I turned around and thought about running.
"Oh dear child, don't be afraid. I won't kill you... Yet. My leader needs you alive. He has big plans for you." He said with another evil laugh.
I turned around and began running but before I could get anywhere, he was already in front of me.
"You mustn't run." He said. I ignored him and turned in the direction I had come from and began running again.
"Didn't your parents teach you not to be disobedient?" He called after me with a smirk.
I kept running. I couldn't hear him following me so I swivelled my head around and saw him still standing where he had blocked me. He was looking down at his wrist as if he were checking the time. The light from the moon was now shining on his face and I could see the smile covering his pale head.
"Times up! Ready or not, here I come!" He yelled.
I turned back around and urged my legs to go faster. Seconds later I felt him grab my arms and throw me backwards against a tree, leaving me to slide down the trunk. He let out one more cold laugh before saying, "I love games. Don't you?" He then knelt down next to me with a rock in his hand. He smiled at me one more time before striking the rock to the back of my head, making everything go black once more.

Once again I sat up with a loud gasp.
"He caught me! He caught me!" I yelped in fear.
"What are you talking about Jess?" Mitch asked from my bedside. I took a quick moment to note where I was. I was in a rather comfortable bed with white sheets and a sky blue quilt. Hailey was standing in Mitch's arms with one arm wrapped around his waist and the other reaching down and holding my hand. Jake was on the other side of the bed, looking down at me through worried eyes. As I scanned the room I noticed the school nurse standing next to the medicine cabinet, scribbling something down on a clip board. I was in the nurse's office at school.
"He caught me. He has never caught me before." I said hesitantly.
Just then someone else walked into the room followed by another.
"Where is she?!" My mum cried as she barged through my friends and to my side.
The person who followed her surprised me.
"Dean?" I asked, "What are you doing in here?"
He didn't reply. He just looked down at his feet and walked away.
"He hasn't left your side since it happened. Not even to eat." Hailey said from the corner of the room.
"Forget about him. Are you alright?" Mum asked in her panicked tone.
"How long was I out?" I asked.
"3 hours. I thought you were dying!" Hailey said.
Mum shot her a displeasing glance before turning back to me.
"Let me take you home now. I never should have made you come today. I'm so sorry, baby."
"It's ok. I think I want to stay at school for the rest of the day." I replied.
"Ok then. I have to head back to work then, if you are sure that you're ok. Love you, bye." She said before kissing me on the forehead.
"Love you too." I replied.

After she left, I got up on wobbly legs. Jake helped me hobble to the door and Mitch and Hailey followed. Waiting impatiently at the door was a pacing, troubled Dean.
"You guys go to class. I have to talk to him." I said, looking at Dean as I said it.
"Are you sure?" Mitch asked.
With a nod of my head, Jake helped me over to Dean, even though I could probably walk by myself already.
"Take care of her" he said.
"Of course." Dean replied.
I watched as the three of them walked down the halls and off to class. I turned to Dean and he immediately pulled me into a tight hug. Although I wasn't sure why, I hugged him back.
"I was so worried about you." He mumbled into my shoulder. I felt a drip of water land on my shoulder right next to my singlet strap. Was he crying... over me? Was he really that worried. I pulled back and he reluctantly did too. He turned his head to the side and wiped his eyes and turned back to me, a small forced smile plastered on his face.
"I'd like to take you somewhere tomorrow." He said in a nervous voice, "I'll pick you up tomorrow from your house... If that's alright with you of course."
He looked down at me with beautiful, pleading eyes. I wanted to grab the sides of his face and press my lips against his. I wanted to hold him tight and never let go. Instead, I turned to him with a nervous smile.
"Sure. I'd love that. Do you know my address?" I asked.
"You look a bit pale still. Why don't I walk you home and you can show me?"
"Ok." I answered shyly.
He grabbed my hands and led me to the administrator's desk to sign me out. He filled out the information and led me out of the double glass doors. We stepped out on the sidewalk and began walking back to my place.
"Why were you sorry? Just before I passed out? I mean, it's not like you had anything to do with it." I said.
He paused for quite a long moment before replying. "I was worried because you were in pain. I so badly wanted to take your place so that your pain would go away. I knew that I wouldn't be able to do that and I was sorry that there was nothing I could do for you."
"It's not your fault, you know. I don't want you feeling like you should have done something when there is nothing that you possibly could have done."
He looked down at his feet. He looked back up at me with sad eyes.
"I don't think I'm as saintly as you seem to think I am. If only you could my other side."
"I don't fully know you but I know that this side of you is saintly." I said lovingly.
He smiled lightly and I leaned my head against his shoulder. He removed his hand from mine and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer against his muscular chest. I melted in his arms and it felt like everything I had worried about in the world had floated away. We walked silently to my place just enjoying being in each other's company.