Untold Truth

Chapter 7

The next day while walking through woods I rethink meeting with the boy. What if he's the one trying to hurt me? What if he's going to kidnap me? He's certainly strong enough to. But if he wanted to do either of those he's had plenty of opportunities.

And my dad. He was truly nice for a bit. That boy doesn't even no him so he can't judge him. Tonight he is even throwing a dinner party with one of his friends. And it'll be nice to have company. I won't be so lonely with independent study now.

Sadly my thoughts are cut off when I hear someone approaching. I stop trying to locate where it is coming from, when a man appeared out of the bushes. He is a tall muscular guy, with sandy blond hair and a silly smile that made him look completely dorky. He looks to be in his 30s.

"Hello." He says to me, coming closer to me.

"Hi." I say. I want to be cold and distant but he looks to friendly so I end up coming off as cheerful.

"Now what's a pretty young girl like yourself doing out here in the woods?" He asks. Well no harm in answering.

"Oh well I was just passing time until my dad's dinner party later." I confess. He smiles at that like he knew, but not in a creepy way.

"Of course. Aren't you O'Connel's daughter?" He asks me simply.

"Ya. Do you know him?" I ask suddenly curious. Maybe this is one of my dads friends.

"We're old friends." He says with a smile confirming my thought.

"So what brings you out here?" I ask. Maybe he'd like to visit my dad.

"Well I'm a bit ashamed to admit it but I'm quite lost." He says bashfully. "Do you happen to know a way out of the forest?"

"I do. Just go down this way for about a mile and you should come back out to the trail." I say while pointing back the way I came.

He looks at me confused. "Do you think maybe you could just lead the way, that is if you have nothing to do?"

I think about the boy and his story. I know he'll still be there later. "No I have no where to be. Here follow me." I turn around and start walking back the way I came. We walk for a few seconds and for a minute I think he didn't follow me.

"Hey so how did you and my father..." Suddenly I am cut off, I feel a hand grasp my mouth and start to drag me back. I try to scream but it is obviously no use. I kick and attempt to hit him but he is to strong. He pulls me against him and pins me to him with one arm. Furious that I had trusted him, I stomp my foot onto his and elbow him in the gut. He releases me immediately and I start running to the trail. If I could just make it there...

I trip over a root and fall. I am about to get up and continue but my foot is stuck between a log. I turn around to see where the man is at. He is right behind me and advancing quickly. I get my foot out and get up. I am about to fight him but he grabs both of my wrist before I have time to get a knife. I try writhing out of his grip but I can't. I close my eyes and yank against him. I feel him let go of my hand and for a minute I think I finally pulled hard enough. I take a few steps forward and turn around. The man is lying on the ground with an arrow through his chest. Dead. I gulp.

"Told you you're not safe," says a voice from above me. I look up to find Boy in a tree with a bow in hand and a told you so expression.

"I... I," I'm speechless. The boy had just saved me from this man who was going to do who knows what to me. The boy climbs down the tree and comes over to me. I slowly back away from him. I don't usually like it when people get close to me.

"I warned you that you better be careful. You can't just go talking to strangers!" He scolds me like a brother would yell at his little sister. But he is right, stranger danger.

"I... I... He was going to..." I whimper. Then out of no where I start to cry. Just a little but. I don't want him to see me tear up or even cry so I put my hands to my face and turn my back to him. I feel an awkward silence before his arms wrap around me. I tense a little but he squeezes tighter and I give in to him and wrap my arms around his waist, crying into his shoulder. He pats my back and shhes me.

I pull back and look at him. "Thank you." I say. This was such a random act of kindness.

He looks into my eyes and with a witty smile says, "You saved my life once, I owe you." Ha. Wow, well good thing I cried. This whole thing is terrible. I laugh a little. Ge smiles back at me.

"What's your name?" I blurt out of no where. Well not out of no where, I have been wanting to know.

He hesitates for a minute and I figure he won't tell me.

But then the miracle happens and he speaks. "Jack."