CHERRY FLAVOURED | xavier thorpe

TWENTY THREE. (five second head start)

CHERRY FLAVOURED | CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
(YOU'RE GOING TO HURT ADELAIDE...)
"Time is all we have and don't."

― Atticus Poetry

 I stare down at my mother in shock, her head in my lap, her face in my hands. I can feel the tears forming as I look down at my mother.

She starts to foam at the mouth and I run my thumb across her face like she would do for me as I try to keep my cries in. Wednesday is next to me and trying to soothe my mom too.

I feel her body go still and I let out a cry. Wednesday goes to turn but Thornhill or Laurel Gates is behind her, a shovel hitting her head and knocking her out.

I let out a scream, making a decision to run for it. I try to run for help and when I see Cooper walking over I don't even think. I run into his arms and his voice is filled with concern.

"What happened Addy?" He asked, his hand running along my back.

"my mom, my" It clicks in my head and I take a step back, watching as the boy furrows his brows. I take a shaky breath in and I feel overtaken with fear. Tyler's warning words playing in my head.

"Listen, Addy, he's not the person you think he is. You should be careful with him."

I watch him look behind me and then back to me with a cold expression. I turn and take off running, his laughter echoing in my ears. I don't get very far before Laurel is in front of me and I stopped in my tracks.

She looks me up and down and then behind me and I know Cooper is walking over, his steps making the leaves crunch "get rid of her for me"

I try to move past her but I feel arms wrap around me. I scream out but my mouth is soon covered by Cooper's hand. I don't waste much time before I bit down, hard. I can taste the blood in my mouth and I spit as he takes his hand away.

I scream again, kicking against his body as he started to walk off with me. I screamed until my lungs felt like they were bursting open.

I remembered self-defence class and went limp in his arms, satisfied with my actions when it seemed to get increasingly difficult for the boy to continue to carry me.

Laurel was long gone now and he had no one to help so when I kicked my foot back at his knee he dropped me. I scrambled away from him quickly, pushing the leaves and dirt beneath me as I did.

I stood and went running forward, getting stopped by the boy only a moment later as he pulled my leg. I groaned out in pain as my head hit the ground, a sharp rock piercing my skin.

"Addy" The boy tutted and I cringed as I felt his breath on my face. "why'd you have to make this so difficult?" I squirmed under his weight and cringed as his hand traced a line on my face.