The Ruins Of Tomorrow

14. Good Intentions

There was a bitter smell of tobacco when he smiled at me.

Hunter kept a steady grip on the gun as he aimed it at Noah. More men came into the store as he was taken and tied up to a chair. Dean was lying unconscious on the ground while Ashley had trouble staying awake. My hands were trembling and stained with blood as I lifted my palms in the air. The weight inside my head made it difficult for me to stand upright.

He couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh, which echoed throughout the entire room. My insides were filled with fear as he approached me. The group of men aimed their heavy guns at us. Our chances were slim, and I couldn't even count how many there were. As I looked closely, I noticed the same old lapel pin attached to their jackets. I felt like letting out a loud scream.

In an instant, he reached for my hair and I could feel his heavy breaths on my face. Losing my balance, I fell to the side and let out a yell as my fingers slithered to his knuckles. Noah was yelling out slurs of hate when he was hit with the tip of a gun. A stream of crimson flowed down his face as he struggled to stay put.

As the burning sensation intensified, I grimaced in pain and felt strands of my hair leaving my scalp. With a sudden jolt, I was thrown across the glossy floor, struggling to regain my balance. My legs felt numb and I couldn't get up. Ashley fidgeted, but I paid no attention to her as I was brutally kicked by another guy, almost bringing me to tears. I felt my stomach curl.

"Go easy on her, will ya?" Hunter turned to the man who kicked my foot. "I'm not yet done talking to her."

Hunter crouched down so that he was eye-level with me and his hot breaths were making my skin tingle. "Want me to be whole heartily honest with ya?" He expressed, grinning. "I'd never thought I would get to see you again. I found it unbelievable when my men told me they saw a young teenage girl with dark hair who seems to have found some new acquaintances. I was fucking surprised."

He lifted my chin and I let out a dry cough as blood dripped down my lips. His dark eyes looked into mine with satisfaction. Then he dropped me back to the ground. I bumped my elbow against the hard surface and squirmed back when he pointed his gun at me.

"I can guarantee you that this won't go the easy way," he breathed in. "But I hate seeing you all worthless." Hunter nodded his head to his men. "Tell the rest of the others to pack up. I'm going to make this quick."

"Yes, sir," someone said as his group of men left the room. 

Two guards were stationed outside the entrance. Ashley's arm had stopped bleeding thanks to the cloth wrapped around it, providing relief and allowing her to rest. Dean was still out. Despite being tied up, Noah refused to stay still and kept squirming in the chair, continuously trying to loosen the rope around his hands and feet.

Noah gritted. "Hunter, you can't keep dragging people into your shitty problems."

He lowered his gun and pointed it back at Noah. He smiled, showing his true ugliness when he laughed at him. "I'll be damned. Here I thought the three of you knew everything," Hunter explained, clicking his tongue. "If you knew what she did to me and my people, then you wouldn't have bothered to think twice about letting her into Terrenceville."

My body couldn't get up, no matter how much I forced myself to. Everywhere was hurting, and not just physically. The memories swarmed in as Hunter blabbered his mouth. Holding the gun up in the air as if it was a toy and probably would not care if he accidentally pulled the trigger and shot one of us.

Tears wanted to come out, but I held them back and clenched my shirt. My stomach felt warm and cold at the same time. It felt like something broke from my insides, and I just wanted the pain to stop. I couldn't do anything but watch Hunter with hatred in my eyes.