Dark and Dangerous

Chapter 4

I was gently lowered into the passenger seat, suprising behavior consitering the way he was treating me before. He slammed the door and walked around the large truck, sliding into the drivers seat and reaching over to fasten my seatbelt. He was handling me agressively, but still worried about my safety? Who was this guy? He turned on the ignition and sped down the road. It took me a few minutes to figure out where we were and to find my voice.

"Where are we going?" I asked, hating how small my voice sounded.

"I want to show you something." He sounded gentle, like he didn't want to scare me anymore. Well, he was a little too late. I turned and stared out the window.

--

After what seemed like forever but was only a few minutes, we pulled into a parking lot to a small park. It was on the north side of town, where middle class met higher class. This park was hidden by towering oak trees and other large houses around it. It was dark, maybe around 6:00, and no one was out. I opened my door and let myself out, looking around. The air was cool, and there was a slight breeze. It made the trees move slowly. It was almost as if I was on a normal date with someone who didn't scare the bejeezus out of me. But this wasn't a date. It would never be a date.

I looked over at Niall, who had his eyes closed and his face towards the sky. I slowly made my way over to him and touched his arm. His eyes snapped open and he grabbed my hand to pull me to a bench in the middle of the park. All around us were grassy fields, and not too far away was a small playground.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked, glancing at Niall who was pacing in front of me. He stopped and looked into my eyes, then sat down next to me and took my hand. Why was he being so gentle? I quickly took my hand back. 

"This was where my parents died..." He started.

*Flashback*

~Niall's POV~

"Mommy, Daddy!" I ran over to my parents who were sitting on a bench in the middle of the park. It was a sunny afternoon, and a few kids just like me were out playing soccer or jumping on the playground. I wanted to show Mommy the pretty rock I found. I thought it looked like a heart. 

I jumped into her lap and held out my hand. 

"It's for you, Mommy." I gave her a big smile and she took the rock out of my hand.

"Why, it's beautiful, baby! Thank you!" She smiled back down at me as Daddy took the rock from her.

"Wow, sport. You think there's any more cool rocks like this one over there?"

"There might be."

"Why don't you go look for some!" He said, smiling at me. I jumped down from Mommy's lap and ran back over to the rocks. After a few minutes, I had found two more really cool rocks that I wanted to show them. I turned and looked at the bench, but I saw them talking to a man wearing a hood. I wonder who he was. I started to walk back over to them, but then they got up to walk away. Mommy glanced over to me and raised her hand, telling me to stay there. Then she blew me a kiss and followed the man with Daddy.

I stayed there until all the other Mommies and Daddies went home. Then I started walking in the direction they went...

*End of Flashback*

"... I found them behind those three trees. My mom was under my dad, and they both were covered in blood. The rock was still in her hand." He looked down at his hands. Why was he telling me this? Why did he want me to know?

"Why are you telling me this, Niall?" I voiced my thoughts. Maybe this is why he's so violent. If it got me an answer, I want to know. I reached over and quietly took his hand. I was still scared of him, but he looked like he needed comforting.

He looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "I wanted you to know why I'm so violent. Why I'm so protective. When that man killed them, it left me and my little sister as orphans. I don't even know where Kendra is today. I don't even know if she remembers me."

My heart ached for him. At least there was a reason behind all of the violence. But why did he tell me so soon? Is this just something he tells all the girls? To get them to feel sorry for him, so he can get them into bed? I don't think so. That is so not working on me.

"Niall... I'm so sorry." He nodded. "I don't know why we're out here though... Can you take me home?" He looked at me again. The tears were gone. He ripped his hand back.

"Of course." His voice was clipped again, holding absolutly no emotion.

--

He dropped me off at my house. And by "dropped off", I literally mean he dropped me off. Pulled up to the curb, and drove off. I looked up at the house. All the lights were on, as it was only about 8:00. I opened the front door, glanced at my parents who were watching some movie with my little brother, and ran upstairs.