The Crazy Tyrant Wants To Kill Me(EDITING)

35 - The Stalker Is You?!

"Your highness!" Angie shouted. Angie was looking over her shoulder and saw me changing directions. "What are you doing?! That's the wrong way!"

I felt sick. I-I felt like I was in the middle, and the stalker was pulling me over to the right, but Angie was pulling me over the edge to the left.

"Neigh!" Angie pulled the reins of her black horse and the horse yelped before skidding to a stop. "Go, Midnight, go!" 

Angie and her horse, Midnight, changed directions and raced towards me. "Your Highness, what are you doing?!" Angie yelled, her hair bouncing on her shoulders.

BOOM! BOOM! 

The sounds of booms exploding were doubling. Wait, they're doubling?

BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! 

...does this mean that Cedric and his soldiers are finally attacking too?  Rocks and dirt started to fly all over the place. Trees crumpled to the ground. 

Snowy sped up but I could hear her rough breathing. I felt bad for making Snowy run this fast, but what could I possibly do? Let us die by taking a break?

We charged into the forest. Angie and Midnight were still hot at our tails. "Your Highness!" I felt a stab of guilt. I was being so selfish, not only was I risking my own life, but I was taking Angie with me.

I whipped my head over my shoulder to look at Angie, gripping the reins tighter so I didn't fall off. Some dirt splattered on my cheek. I ignored it.

"Leave me!" I screamed at Angie. "It's dangerous here! Take Midnight to the safe empire you were telling me about!"

"No way!" I heard Angie scream, shaking her head. The wind whipped her hair behind her shoulders.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a dozen pebbles bounced towards Angie and Midnight.

My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to warn her.

Midnight spun around and raced in the other direction, away from us. I felt relief flooding over me.

"Midnight! Midnight! Ahhhh!" Angie screamed, hugging Midnight's neck. "No, no! No!! Change directions! Your Highness!" 

My stomach was tied into knots as Angie grabbed hold of Midnight's reins. "Stop!" 

"Go, Snowy," I whispered and Snowy charged forwards.

My eyes widened and my stomach launched as Angie disappeared from my view. I'm alone now. With only Snowy by my side. I had found it slightly comforting that Angie was chasing me. Now...

I blinked. I couldn't believe my eyes. A lump formed in my throat. What would happen next? Suddenly I saw a red flag up ahead that was stabbed into the dirt, right next to a crumpling tree.

I recalled inside the note, that the stalker mentioned to follow red flags.

Gulping, we galloped over. Soon enough, I spotted another flag up ahead.

"Follow the red flags," I told Snowy, but it came out as a whisper. I was too scared that my voice wasn't normal. Snowy seemed to understand and began trotting after the flags. 

Stalker, here I come. Who are you? And what do you want?

We came to a stop in front of a wooden cabin. Snowy stood still. "Thank you, Snowy." I slid off of Snowy's back. Trembling, I faced the cabin. I didn't want to go into that cabin alone. I wasn't even sure who was in there! But Snowy was too big to fit in the doorway, and who brings a horse into a cabin?

I also didn't want to leave Snowy alone here. 

BOOM! BOOM!

It's dangerous!

Besides, Snowy loves me so much, even if there's danger, I bet she would wait for me to come out.

I glanced over at Snowy. "Be a good girl and if there's danger, run."

I could almost see her frown. I walked up to the wooden steps. There was a.... welcome mat? I found myself staring at the door for a while. Go in? Turn around? I looked over my shoulder to find Snowy staring at me. I looked back towards the door.  Even if I turned back, where would I go? Angie's long gone by now. Taking a deep breath, I bit my lip very hard and twisted the door handle open.

The floor boards creaked as I stepped inside. I looked over my shoulder at Snowy again. Snowy stared back at me, flickering her tail.

I can turn back anytime, I reminded myself.

I looked back into the room and scanned everything. Most of the things here were made of wood. There were shelves full with DvDs and books. I pulled out a leather book. It was a.... fairytale book?!

I squinted. This book... it's so familiar somehow....

I touched the cover. I felt my fingers on the old, leather cover. There was no dust on it at all - someone had cleaned it not so long ago. 

I close my eyes and a blurry memory of a six year old me, sitting by the fireplace with this storybook in my lap. A blurry picture of a girl with long wavy pink hair had her arm around me, laughing as we read it together. My heart started to beat. Who was that girl?

Oh yes... my sister. But... why is this storybook here? I slid it back into the shelf and continued to explore. However, I was still alerted and prepared for any sneak attacks.

The stalker could be hiding anywhere in the cabin.

Then something caught my eye: Sitting on a rocking chair was a stuffed bear. I slowly walked over to it and unconsciously called out a name.

"Billy?"

I was obsessed with this stuffed bear when I was little. Mom got it for me for my fourth birthday and I carried it with me ever since. 

I knelt down, ruffling the bear's head. I must have looked ridiculous - a nineteen year old woman speaking to a toy with tears falling from her eyes. 

Suddenly, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. It was a picture of two pink-haired girls, grinning into the camera. No doubt it was my sister and I.

But then I saw something that made my blood run cold. The hairs on my neck stood up as I turned away Billy to stare at it. It was a picture of me and... my sister. Julia had won second place in a running race. I was hugging her waist, a closed eyes smile plastered on my face.

I traced Julia's face with my finger. How come the stalker had this photo...?

I grabbed it, clenching it in my hands.

Creak.

The sound of the floor creaking startled me and I spun around. 

There standing in front of me was pink-haired woman. She looked like my reflection - wavy pink hair, diamond brown eyes and olive skin. Her lips were curved upwards.

She reached out her hand towards me.

"Sister... I missed you."