Caught in the Midst

Chapter One

I couldn't take my eyes of the sight in front of me. Blood. There was so much blood. It looked as if some finger painted on the walls. The usual crisp, clean white was now tainted by the rest, pink smears were visible from the struggle. The floor was covered with aoaltteres blood. I felt as if this was an out of mind moment. And not a good one. This was a horrific nightmare that I could shake off. I could process that he had done this. With shaking hands I grabbed my phone that was lying in the floor, from when I dropped it in horror, and hastily dialed a familiar number.

There wasn't even two rungs before a gruff voice answered the phone.

"Hello," it greeted.

"M-Mickey," my voice was shaky and my words were coming out slurred as I tried to keep the gut wrenching sobs, in the back of my throat a bay.

"Ellie, what's going on?"

"They're gone. He got to them." By now the tears were falling hot and fast down my cheeks. My vision was blurry. And I had a headache pounding against the sides of my skull.

"I'm on my way. Stay there. Don't move. I'll call Mona and have her meet us at the cabin."

I couldn't form a reply.

"Ellie don't look at it anymore. They are gone. Don't torment yourself over this."

How could I not? I was the sole reason that they ended up like this. I kept staring down at them. Just wishing that this was all just a joke. Or a nightmare. And I would soon wake up.

I wanted to run. I wanted to run as fast as my legs would allow. I wanted to erase the emptyness I felt. A pang of guilt sliced through me and I couldn't hold in the tears anymore.

Once I let go there were no sounds. No sounds from my mouth. It was like my entire body just shut down and I my voice stopped working. My legs were numb and my feet frozen in spot. I tried not to think about it. That only made the pain worse.

I heard a distant revving coming from outside. I knew Mickey was here, but I didn't want to leave. This would be the last time I ever got to see them, and once I left everything would become more real. I didn't want it to become real.

Two strong arms wrapped around me. They gently lifted me up and cradled me like a baby.

"Shhhh...Ellie bear." My brother gently cooed. He quickly but gently fastened me in the passenger seat. A few seconds later and we were pulling out of the driveway and the only thing I had left to remeber my old life was the shrinking cottage in the rear view mirror. Once that was gone, I had nothing left.

Mickey held onto my right hand tightly, gently rubbing the sole of his thumb back and forth across the back of my hand.

We drove for what seemed like hours, when it was really only a few minutes. I didn't move when he stopped the car. My eyes were closed.

"I'll be back." He whispered softly, before placing a gentle kiss on my temple and exiting the car.

The back passenger door opened and the car bounced a little as the person jumped in. A small hand squeezed my shoulder.

"Were leaving this place, Ellie," my best friend, Mona said. We were all that was left. After she lost her parents a few months back everyone has been on edge. They didn't die from natural causes though that is what the autopsy report said. We, honestly, don't know what it was. We only knew that their death was natural, nor accidental.

The driver side door opened and the car bounced again as another body hopped in.
"I got the bags," Mickey said. We had a plan in case something happened. It was difficult living in fear. I can't count the times I looked over my shoulder on the walk home from school.

Mickey picked up my hand and held it in a tight grasp.

As we drove off, I couldn't help but think that this was our life now. With him still out there we wouldn't be able to settle down soon. We have to stay hidden, we would have to lie about who we are, and we wouldn't be able to grow attached to anything. It would basically be living in Witness Protection, though we don't have the protection. We were like sitting ducks in his game and he was just trying to find the best angle to shoot from first.

This is not edited, so I apologize for any grammar mistakes.